Combination of morphological characters and DNA-barcoding confirms Problepsis cinerea (Butler, 1886) (Geometridae: Sterrhinae: Scopulini) as a new genus and species for the fauna of Iran

Abstract

Problepsis cinerea is reported as a new genus and species for the fauna of Iran. The species is recorded based on two females, collected in South Iran. Identification was confirmed by morphological characters and barcoding data. Information on the morphology and diagnostic characters are given, in comparison with the similar species. Remarks on the habitat and biology are added. Distribution pattern of both P. ocellata and P. cinerea in the Middle East is mapped. Details of the scent scales (located on the male hind tibia) are studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and illustrated. Ke y wo r d s: DNA-Barcoding, Geno protected area, hair pencil, Olea spp., Problepsis ocellata, Scopulini. Z u s a m m e n f a s s u n g Problepsis cinerea wird als neue Gattung und Art für die Fauna des Iran nachgewiesen. Von der Art wurden zwei Weibchen im Süden des Landes gefunden. Die Art wurde durch morphologische Merkmale und DNA Barcoding identifiziert. Informationen zur Morphologie und diagnostische Merkmale werden aufgelistet und mit ähnlichen Arten verglichen. Daten zum Habitat und zur Biologie werden ergänzt. Die Verbreitungsmuster von P. ocellata und P. cinerea im Mittleren Osten werden dargestellt. Details zu den Duftschuppen, die sich beim Männchen auf den Hintertibien befinden, werden mit dem Rasterelektronenmikroskop (REM) illustriert.

Systematics of Problepsis wiltshirei (Prout, 1938), comb. nov. (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Sterrhinae) – an endemic species to the Zagros Mountains in the Middle East

“…Additionally, according to the results of our morphological examination, S. wiltshirei shows the generic characters of the genus Problepsis (e.g., ocellate discal spots on the fore-and hindwing, the spoon-shaped hind tibia and the presence of a hair pencil in the male hind legs). The following morphological characters of the male genitalia also support the affiliation with Problepsis: fused socii and a smooth internal margin of the tegumen (compared against morphological data in Sihvonen 2005; Feizpour et al 2018;Xue et al 2018;Sihvonen et al 2020) (see Figs 15-17). A re-description of this species is given in the taxonomy part of the discussion.…”

“…To test the combination of Somatina wiltshirei with the genus Problepsis, we studied type material of S. wiltshirei, type species of Problepsis (P. ocellata), and type species of Somatina (S. anthophilata) using morphological and molecular data, and additional specimens of both genera were used in the molecular analysis. Moreover, we included P. cinerea in our investigations, as it is the only species of the genus Problepsis in Iran (Feizpour et al 2018). For the molecular analysis, already available other Scopulini data were used (Murillo-Ramos et al 2019, Sihvonen et al 2020.…”

“…The genus Problepsis was described based on the type species Caloptera ocellata Frivaldszky, 1845 and belongs to Scopulini, the largest tribe within the subfamily Sterrhinae (Sihvonen 2005;Müller et al 2019;Sihvonen et al 2020). This genus currently comprises 53 species distributed in the Old World and Australia (Hausmann 2004;Sihvonen and Siljander 2005;Stadie and Stadie 2016;Feizpour et al 2018;Xue et al 2018).…”

“…Problepsis species share the following morphological characters (none of those are unique synapomorphies): ocellate discal spots on fore-and hindwing, forewing mainly with one areole, occasionally with two areoles (Hausmann 2004;Sihvonen 2005). The male hind tibia is laterally flattened, spoon-shaped and characterized by the presence of a hair pencil (Sihvonen 2005;Feizpour et al 2018). The male genitalia are characterized by fused socii and a dentate or smooth ventral margin of the tegumen (Sihvonen 2005;Xue et al 2018).…”

“…Recently, Problepsis cinerea (Butler 1886) was reported from the south Iranian province Hormozgan as the only species belonging to the genus Problepsis in Iran (Feizpour et al 2018). Additionally, Somatina wiltshirei Prout, 1938 is the only species of the genus Somatina described from the Zagros Mountains in Iran and Iraq.…”