Perigrapha (Perigrapha) belyalovi Volynkin & Titov, 2025

Titov, Sergey V., Volynkin, Anton V., Tóth, Balázs & Rakhimov, Ruslan D., 2025, Perigrapha belyalovi, a new species from Central Asia (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae), Ecologica Montenegrina 83, pp. 1-11 : 2-5

Perigrapha (Perigrapha) belyalovi Volynkin & Titov , sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:84EA3432-8A66-4272-AFE2-38440BCD74E9

( Figs 1–5 , 17, 18 , 21 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 1 , 17 ): male, “ 15–18.III.2011, | SE Kazakhstan, | Altyn-Emel Range , | Sholak Mts, 750m, | 43˚54'47.04''N | 77˚47'16.45''E | local collector leg.” / “Slide | AV9145 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( CAV).

Paratypes. KAZAKHSTAN: 51 males, same data as in holotype ( CAV) ; 2 females, 26.III.2011, Toraygyr Mts , 1380m, 43°19'7.3''N 78°33'45.4''E, local collector leg. ( CAV) ; 1 female, 24.III.2011, Arkharly Pass, 1115m, 44°14'20.6''N 77°43'16.1''E, local collector leg. ( CAV) ; 2 females, 5.IV.2009, foothills of Syrdarya Karatau Mts , 20 km WSW of Cholakkurgan, 741m, 43°42'47.69''N 68°54'36.95''E, local collector leg. ( CAV) ; 1 male, 1 female, Ustyurt Plateau , 19 km N of Beineu town, 45˚30'N 55˚15'E, 4–5.IV.2013, P. Gorbunov [leg.] ( MDS) ; 10 males, 19.III.2024, SE Kazakhstan, Zhetysu Region, Sholak Mts, 750m, 43°54'57.6''N, 77°47'47.8''E, S. V . Titov leg. ( STP); KYRGYZSTAN: 1 male, 2 females, Moldo-Too Mt. Range , 15 km NW of Kazarman, Naryn River vall., 41˚30'46''N 73˚55'38''E, 1220m, 21–22.IV.2023, Pavel Gorbunov leg. ( BBM) ; UZBEKISTAN: 1 male, Tashkent Reg. , Korzhin-Tau Range, Aktash, 31.III.1962, V . Ganson leg., gen. [in a vial] No. 1364, ex coll. A. V . Nekrasov , gen. slide No.: AV9141 ♂ ( ZISP) .

Diagnosis. Perigrapha belyalovi sp. n. ( Figs 1–5 ) is externally reminiscent of the sympatric P. centralasiae ( Figs 9–16 ) and the Tajikistani P. heidi ( Figs 6–8 ) and can be distinguished from the former species by the larger size and somewhat longer rami of the male antenna. Compared to P. heidi , the new species has a somewhat less tapered forewing apex. In the male genitalia, P. belyalovi sp. n. ( Figs 17, 18 ) differs clearly from both similar congeners ( Figs 19–24 ) in the shorter and broader uncus and the markedly broader cucullus with a larger and apically pointed dorsal lobe in the genital capsule, and the longer cluster consisting of more robust spine-like cornuti in the vesica. Additionally, in the new species, the ventral lobes of the cuculli are shorter and less asymmetrical than in P. centralasiae , and more asymmetrical than in P. heidi and apically pointed, whereas in the latter they are apically rounded. In the female genitalia, P. belyalovi sp. n. ( Fig. 25 ) is distinct from P. centralasiae ( Fig. 27 ) in the somewhat longer ductus bursae with a twisted anterior end (it is even in the congener), the larger corpus bursae with a larger right lateral signum, the longer and reniform posterior sclerotised plate of the corpus bursae (it is trapezoidal in P. centralasiae ), and the longer appendix bursae with a broader distal section and a more heavily sclerotised basal rugose cluster. Compared to P. heidi ( Fig. 26 ), the new species has a broader ductus bursae, a markedly broader posterior sclerotised plate of the corpus bursae, a rounded lateral right signum (it is elliptical in P. heidi ), and a considerably broader and more heavily gelatinous appendix bursae with a sclerotised lateral wall of its distal dilated section.

Description. External morphology of adults ( Figs 1–5 ). Forewing length 16.5–19.0 mm in males and 18.0–19.0 mm in females. Antenna bipectinate in male and filiform in female. Body reddishbrown with admixture of pale ochreous brown. Forewing with elongate apex and oblique tornus. Forewing ground colour pale ochreous brown with suffusion of dark brown; medial area darker, reddishbrown. Subbasal line dark brown, sinuous, diffuse. Antemedial line double, straight medially and zigzagged inwards posteriorly, stretching obliquely. Orbicular, suborbicular and reniform markings large, pale ochreous brown with slight brown suffusion, fused with pale ochreous brown Cu vein, encircled by blackish suffusion. Postmedial line double and thin, question mark-like curved, slightly dentate between veins. Subterminal line pale ochreous, thin, irregular. Terminal line black, interrupted into small spots between veins. Forewing cilia ochreous brown with black speckles between vein tips. Hindwing dark grey with dark ochreous brown suffusion along veins. Hindwing cilia pale ochreous brown. Male genitalia ( Figs 17, 18 ). Uncus short, dorso-ventrally flattened, somewhat distally dilated, apically rounded. Tegumen arms narrow and moderately sclerotised. Vinculum as long as tegumen, heavily sclerotised, V-shaped but with rounded ventral end. Valva distally tapered and downcurved. Dorsal margin strongly convex antemedially, while it’s medial and postmedial sections almost straight. Cucullus broad, trapezoidal, with triangular and setose dorsal lobe and narrower, falcate and upcurved ventral lobe. Ampulla slender, digitiform, almost straight, directed distally and somewhat protruding beyond ventral margin of valva. Clasper falcate, with dilated dorsal section bearing short, tubercle-like ampulla. Sacculus proximally almost as broad as valva, distally tapered and reaching clasper. Juxta shield-shaped with elongate dorsal section. Anellus setose. Phallus long, cylindrical, with short and rounded coecum, and short ribbon-like ventral carina protruding into base of vesica. Vesica tubular, proximally straight and distally helicoid, with broad but short diverticulum bearing elongate cluster of numerous spine-like cornuti. Female genitalia ( Fig. 25 ). Ovipositor short and conical. Papilla analis short, trapezoidal, weakly setose. Apophyses thin and elongate, anterior one somewhat longer and thicker than posterior one. Ostium bursae broad. Ductus bursae elongate and heavily sclerotised, dorso-ventrally flattened, its posterior half posteriorly dilated while anterior one somewhat anteriorly tapered and twisted. Corpus bursae pyriform, its posterior narrow end rugose and with longitudinal reniform sclerotised plate stretching perpendicularly the appendix bursae base. Anterior section of corpus bursae membranous and bearing four small, elliptical signa of different sizes. Appendix bursae arising posterolaterally on left side, elongate and helicoid, gelatinous, with two longitudinal sclerotised rugose clusters basally and medially, its distal section dilated and heavily gelatinous with weak sclerotisation laterally.

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to the memory of the late Oleg V. Belyalov (Almaty, Kazakhstan), close friend of Sergey Titov, excellent wildlife photographer, documentary filmmaker and cameraman, botanist and zoologist, and populariser of the knowledge of the wildlife of Kazakhstan.

Distribution and bionomics. The new species is currently known from Southeast and South Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. In Southeast Kazakhstan, P. belyalovi sp. n. is found occurring sympatrically with P. centralasiae in low, dry mountains with stony steppe slopes ( Fig. 28 ) dominated by Artemisia L. spp. and with scarce low shrubs of Spiraea hypericifolia L., Rosa platyacantha Schrenk , R. alberti Regel , Lonicera microphylla Roem. & Schult. , Caragana balchaschensis (Kom.) Pojark. , Cerasus tianshanica Pojark. , Salix songarica Andersson , S. tenuijulis Ledeb. , and S. wilhelmsiana M. Bieb. ( Goloskokov 1984). It was not found in more flat landscapes such as Balkhash-Alakol Depression, where P. centralasiae also occurs (e.g., in Tamgaly Tas rock massif NE from Konaev City) ( Figs 11, 12 ).

Figures

Figure 28. Collecting site of P. belyalovi sp. n. and P. centralasiae: SE Kazakhstan, Zhetysu Region, Sholak Mts, 750m, 43°54'57.6''N 77°47'47.8''E, 20.III.2024 (photo by S. Titov).

Figures 1–8. Adults of Perigrapha spp. Depositories of the specimens: 1–3 and 5 in CAV; 4 in ZISP; 6 in MH/HNHM; 7 and 8 in BBM (photos by B. Benedek).

Figures 17–20. Male genitalia of Perigrapha spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 17, 18 and 20 in CAV; 19 in MH/HNHM.

Figures 21–24. Male genitalia of Perigrapha centralasiae. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 21 and 22 in MfN (photos by G. & L. Ronkay, courtesy of B. Benedek); 23 in ZISP; 24 in CAV.

Figures 9–16. Adults of Perigrapha centralasiae. Depositories of the specimens: 9–13 in CAV; 14–16 in ZISP.

Figures 25–27. Female genitalia of Perigrapha spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 25 and 27 in CAV; 26 in BBM (photo by J. Babics).