Taxonomic review of the genus Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823 (Geometridae: Sterrhinae) in Iran Author Rajaei, Hossein 0000-0002-3940-3734 hossein.rajaei@smns-bw.de Author Hausmann, Axel 0000-0002-0358-9928 hausmann.a@snsb.de Author Trusch, Robert 0000-0002-3940-3734 hossein.rajaei@smns-bw.de text Zootaxa 2022 2022-03-23 5118 1 1 64 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5118.1.1 journal article 145799 10.11646/zootaxa.5118.1.1 bf4fe2b9-c4aa-417d-a98c-8a5d18ace9b7 1175-5326 6378566 48705F2C-EE7B-4A75-878B-89A3477CF88D Rhodostrophia abscisaria Brandt, 1941 ( Figs 44–47 , 73 , 90 , 102 , Map 11 ) Rhodostrophia abscisaria Brandt, 1941 : Mitteilungen der Münchner Entomologischen Gesellschaft , 31 (3): 866, pl. 28, fig. 4. ( Iran , Khorassan , Kouh i Binaloud , 2500 m ) (examined). Lectotype ♂ (examined, in the original description the holotype is not mentioned, but in the type series holotype an paratypes are labeled; lectotype hereby designated in order to stabilize nomenclature): ' Iran Khorassan , Kouh i Binaloud (Meched), 2500 m , 21.Aug.1938 , Coll. Brandt' , ' Holotype , Rhodostrophia abscisaria Brdt. , Brandt', '46, 60', 'Preparation, WBS.4', '2:75, R.M. prep. 3702' in coll. NHRS. Paralectotypes , 1 ♂ (examined), ' Iran , Khorassan , Kouh i Binaloud ( Meched ), 1800 m , 14.Aug.1938 , leg. F. Brandt' , NHRS-LEPI 000010256, g.p. 10941 H. Rajaei ; 2 ♀ [one of them labeled as Allotype Rhodostrophia abscisaria Brdt. , ' Iran , Khorassan , Kouh i Binaloud ( Meched ), 2500 m , 14.Aug.1938 , leg. F. Brandt' , NHRS-LEPI 000010257, g.p. 10942 H. Rajaei ; all ex coll. Brandt , all in NHRS. 1 ♂ , 1 ♀ , ‘ Iran Khorassan Kouh i Binaloud , 2500 m , 25.viii.1938 Brandt’ , ex coll. Cl. Hörhammer , in ZSM . Rhodostrophia abscisaria chlorotica Wiltshire, 1967 : Beiträge zur naturkundlichen Forschung in Südwestdeutschland, 26 (3): 148, pl. 5, fig. 62 & pl. 10, fig. 33. ([ Afghanistan ], Hindu Kush, Ejan, Salang valley), Holotype ♂ (examined): ‘J. Klapperich, Ejan, 2050 m , Salangtal, 11.10.52. Hindukush, O-Afghanistan’, ‘preparation EP Wiltshire 952’, ‘ Rhodostrophia chlorotica holotype’ in SMNK. A worn specimen of the second generation of R. abscisaria Brdt. , the genitalia preparation of no. 952 Wiltshire is missing in SMNK, but figured well pl.10, fig. 33. Even Wiltshire, 1967: 148 stated that it is identical with the nominate form of R. abscisaria , which was dissected by him. Therefore here we conclude that this subspecies is not valid, syn. nov. Records in literature. Rhodostrophia abscisaria : Viidalepp (1988: 58) ; Viidalepp (1996: 57) [erroneously misspelled to abcisaria ); Scoble (1999: 821) ; Scoble & Hausmann (2007) . Additional material examined. 17 ♂ , 26 ♀ , Iran NE, Kopet Dagh , Prov. Khorasan , ca. 50 km N Bojnurd , S Izmansufla , N 37°44’20’’ , E 057°25’53’’ , 1240 m , 17.v.2005 , leg. R. Trusch , G. Petschenka & B. Müller , g.p. ( 1 ♂ ) 589/2005 R. Trusch , ( 3 ♀ ) 587, 588, 607/2005 R. Trusch ; barcode: BC ZSM 33875, 33874 , 33876 ; 1 ♂ , 12 ♀ , id., 18.v.2005 ; 29 ♂ , 60 ♀ , id., 8.v.2008 , leg. R. Trusch , M. Falkenberg & B. Müller , g.p. ( ♀ ) 2372/2020 H. Rajaei ; 4 ♂ , 11 ♀ , id., 10, 11.v.2008 , g.p. 0516/2020 D. Wanke; 4 ♂ , 1 ♀ , Iran NE, Kopet Dagh , Prov. Khorasan , Kopet Dagh , NW Mashad, N Tschenaran [Chenaran], N Radkan , Dolmeh Olia , N 36°55’56.6’’ , E 059°02’18.6’’ , 8.–9.v.2008 , 1560 mNN, lux, leg. R. Trusch , M. Falkenberg & B. Müller , g.p. ( 1 ♂ ) 2371/2020 H. Rajaei ; 1 ♀ , Iran NE, Kopet Dagh , Prov. Khorasan , E Torbat-e Heidarye , S Fariman , Zharf vic., N 35°24’25.1’’ , E 059°56’08.2’’ , 6.v.2008 , 2160 mNN, lux, leg. R. Trusch , M. Falkenberg & B. Müller ; all in SMNK . 2 ♂ , 2 ♀ , Iran NE, Kopet Dagh , Prov. Khorasan , ca. 50 km N Bojnurd , S Izmansufla , N 37°44’20’’ , E 057°25’53’’ , 1240 m , 11.v.2005 , leg. R. Trusch , G. Petschenka & B. Müller ; 1 ♀ , Iran , prov. Khorasan Shomali , IsmanSufla , 18.v.2015 , leg. Sh. Feizpour , g.p. 0721/2020 D. Wanke ; 1 ♀ , Iran , Shahrud , Shahkouh , Tash , Ayoub Hosseini Region , 2588 m , 36°37'18"N, 54°33'42.6"E, 11.07.2016 , leg. Sh. Feizpour ; 1 ♀ , Iran , Khorasan-e Shomali prov. , N Qochan , Emam Gholi to Kabkan road, After Agh-Mazar , Allah-o Akbar Mt. , Alt. 1763 m , N 37°19'27.2'' , E 058°43'26.1'' , 18.06.2013 , leg. H. Rajaei ; J.-U. Meineke ; B. Hafezi ; 1 ♀ , Iran , Khorasan-e Shomali prov. , Bajgiran , Bardar to Namanlu road, Alt. 1922 m , N 37°38'52.7'' , E 058°15'41.7'' , 19.06.2013 , leg. H. Rajaei ; J.-U. Meineke ; B. Hafezi ; in SMNS . 4 ♂ , 5 ♀ , Iran , Khorasan , Kopet Dagh , 1200m , Robat , 20 km SW Izman Olia , 25.– 26.5.2008 , J.-U. Meineke , W. Kramer , g.p. 2370/2020 H. Rajaei ; in coll. PCJM ; 1 ♀ , Iran , Prov. Golestan , Elburs-mts. , Maghazy val., 1630 m , 36,649 23 N, 54,207 01 E, 11.vi.2007 ; 4 ♂ , 7 ♀ , id.; 1730 m , 36,658 05 N, 54,224 22 E, 13.vi.2007 ; all leg. N. Pöll ; in PCNP . Specimens studied total: 67 ♂ , 132 ♀ . Differential diagnosis. ( Figs 44–47 ). Wingspan 23–31 mm , one of the smallest Rhodostrophia species in Iran . Forewing with pointed apex and straight termen. Wings and body concolorous with light yellow-white colour. Forewing with brown antemedial, postmedial and subterminal lines; hindwing with brown postmedial and subterminal lines; all lines are thin and strongly dentated. Discal spot well visible on forewing, reduced or sometimes absent on hindwing. Underside of wings slightly darker than upperside, glossy; subterminal line on both fore- and hindwing visible. Male antennal flagellum ventrally dentated. Male hindtibia with three spurs. This species may be superficially confused with species of the badiaria species-group (especially with R. bahara and R. iranica ), but it is significantly smaller and the male hindtibia has three spurs (four spurs in the badiaria species-group). Another externally similar species to R. abscisaria is R. vastaria ( Christoph, 1876 ) . The latter species shows also four spurs on the hindtibia and has different male genitalia (illustrated in Hausmann 2004: 521 ). The examination of the genitalia enables a confident determination in any case, as well as the consideration of the restricted occurrence only in the north-east of Iran . Male genitalia ( Fig. 73 ) with approximately digitiform uncus ( Fig. 3 ); valva apically bilobed, spinulose; costal part of the valva with medial extension (diagnostic from all other Iranian Rhodostrophia species ; Fig. 73a ); sacculus curved interiorly. Juxta wide, elongated dorso-ventrally. Aedeagus subapically slightly curved; vesica membranous bearing a dentated plate. Male sternite A8 bilobed ( Fig. 73c ), with small octavals. Female genitalia ( Fig. 90 ) with a membranous, oval corpus bursae, signa developed as a pair of stripes, partially connected to each other on the anterior part of the corpus bursae ( Figs 90 b, c ). Ductus bursae funnel-shaped, short (half length of corpus bursae), strongly sclerotized. Posterior apophyses three times length of anterior apophyses. Genetic data. Genetically heterogeneous with two BINs (BOLD:AAE7809; BOLD:ACF5327) at a distance of 1.5% from each other, and a third BIN (BOLD:AAX9132), retrieved from a specimen from Khorasan (Kueh-e Sorkh, N Torbat-e Heydariyeh, Turusen) at a large distance of 5.4%. Genetic variation possibly pointing to cryptic diversity and requiring further integrative study. Nearest species: R. praecisaria from central Asian mountains (7.8%) ( Fig. 119 , Table 1). Distribution ( Map 11 ). This is a Central Asian species, distributed in Tadjikistan (Hissaro-Darwaz), western Pamir, Afghanistan and north-eastern Iran (Binaloud and Kopet-Dagh Mts into eastern Elborz Mts.). Most probably, it can be found also in the northern parts of the Kopet-Dagh in Turkmenistan . Life history and habitat ( Fig. 116 ). The species seems to be bivoltine, recorded from early April to late August, collected by Fred Brandt in Binaloud Mt. as late as 21.viii.1938 , apparently belonging to a second generation. According to examined material here, it flies at middle altitudes from 1200 m up to 2200 m .