Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5660 No. 2: 9 Jul. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-07-09
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5660.2.6
Page range: 255-266
Abstract views: 72
PDF downloaded: 2

A new species of the genus Dzhugesia Wehrli (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Ennominae) from Iran

Department of Plant Protection; College of Agriculture; University of Zabol; 98615–538; I.R. Iran.
Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Universitetskaya embankment; 1; St. Petersburg 199034; Russia.
Department of Plant Protection; College of Agriculture; University of Zabol; 98615–538; I.R. Iran.
Lepidoptera DNA barcoding Dzhugesia miatleuskii first record Kerman Province late-season geometrid moths morphology

Abstract

A series of geometrid moths belonging to the little-known genus Dzhugesia Wehrli, 1936, were collected in southern Iran (Kerman Province). Both morphological characters and DNA barcoding confirm that the specimens represent a new species, herein described as D. alierfani Makhov & Kamyab sp. nov. Additional remarks on the diagnostic characters of the genus Dzhugesia are provided. The relationships between Dzhugesia and the closely related genera Crocallis and Scodiomima are also discussed. Furthermore, the misidentification of a specimen previously submitted to the BOLD database is corrected. This study constitutes the first record of the genus Dzhugesia from Iran. D. miatleuskii is recorded as new species for the fauna of Iran.

 

References

  1. Beljaev, E.A. (1997) A new genus and a new species of the Ennominae (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) from Russian Far East, with remarks on the phylogeny of the related genera. Tinea, 15 (2), 125–130.
  2. Cook, M.A. & Scoble, M.J. (1992) Tympanal organs of geometrid moths: A review of their morphology, function, and systematic importance. Systematic Entomology, 17, 219–232. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3113.1992.tb00334.x
  3. Farashi, A. & Shariati, M. (2017) Biodiversity Hotspots and Conservation Gaps in Iran. Journal for Nature Conservation, 39, 37–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2017.06.003
  4. Feizpour, S., Fekrat, L., Namaghi, S., Stadie, D. & Rajaei, H. (2018) 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. Integrative Systematics, 1, 47–57. https://doi.org/10.18476/insy.v01.a6
  5. Folmer, O., Black, M., Hoeh, W., Lutz, R. & Vrijenhoek, R. (1994) DNA primers for amplification of mitochondrial cytochrome with oxidase subunit I from diverse metazoan invertebrates. Molecular Marine Biology and Biotechnology, 3, 294–299.
  6. Hall, T.A. (1999) BioEdit: A user-friendly biological sequence alignment editor and analysis program for Windows 95/98/NT. Nucleic Acids Symposium Series, 41, 95–98.
  7. Hardwick, D.F. (1950) Preparation of slide mounts of lepidopterous genitalia. Canadian Entomologist, 82, 231–235. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent82231-11
  8. Keil, T. (2014) Die Widderchen des Iran. Biologie und Verbreitung (Lepidoptera, Zygaenidae). Beiheft Entomologische Nachrichten und Berichte, 17, 1–461.
  9. Klots, A.B. (1970) Lepidoptera. In: Tuxen, S.L. (Ed.), Taxonomist’s Glossary of genitalia in insects. 2nd Edition. Munksgaard, Copenhagen, pp. 115–130. https://doi.org/10.2307/2411797
  10. Kostjuk, I. & Viidalepp, J. (2020) Revision of the genus Dzhugesia Wehrli, 1936 (stat. n.), with description of a new species (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae). Mitteilungen der Münchner Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 110, 89–95. https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/MittMuenchEntGes_110_0089-0095.pdf
  11. Kumar, S., Stecher, G., Li, M., Knyaz, C. & Tamura, K. (2018) MEGA X: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis across computing platforms. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 35 (6), 1547–1549. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msy096
  12. Kuznetsov, V.I. & Stekolnikov, A.A. (1997) 29. Order Lepidoptera—Cheshuyekrylye. Key to the insects of Russian Far East. Vol. V. Trichoptera and Lepidoptera. Pt 1. Dal’nauka, Vladivostok, pp. 207–238 [in Russian]
  13. Lambert, D.M., Baker, A., Huynen, L., Haddrath, O., Hebert, P.D.N. & Millar, C.D. (2005) Is a large-scale DNA-based inventory of ancient life possible? Journal of Heredity, 96, 279–284. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esi035
  14. Lehmann, L. & Zahiri, R. (2011) Results of a lepidopterological expedition to North and Northwest Iran in summer 2007 with new records for Iran (Lepidoptera). Esperiana, 16, 135–165. [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229072218_Results_of_a_lepidopterological_expedition_to_North_and_Northwest_Iran_in_summer_2007_with_new_records_for_Iran_Lepidoptera]
  15. McGuffin, W.C. (1967) Guide to the Geometridae of Canada (Lepidoptera), I, Subfamily Sterrhinae. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, 50, 1–67. https://doi.org/10.4039/entm9950fv
  16. McGuffin, W.C. (1972) Guide to the Geometridae of Canada (Lepidoptera), II, Subfamily Ennominae 1. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, 86, 1–159. https://doi.org/10.4039/entm10486fv
  17. McGuffin, W.C. (1977) Guide to the Geometridae of Canada (Lepidoptera), II, Subfamily Ennominae 2. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, 101, 1–191. https://doi.org/10.4039/entm109101fv
  18. McGuffin, W.C. (1981) Guide to the Geometridae of Canada (Lepidoptera), II, Subfamily Ennominae 3. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, 117, 1–153. https://doi.org/10.4039/entm113117fv
  19. McGuffin, W.C. (1987) Guide to the Geometridae of Canada (Lepidoptera), II, Subfamily Ennominae 4. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, 138, 1–181. https://doi.org/10.4039/entm119138fv
  20. Mironov, V. & Ratzel, U. (2012) New species of the genus Eupithecia Curtis (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentiinae) from Iran. Zootaxa, 3580 (1), 56–68. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3580.1.4
  21. Noori, S., Hofmann, A., Rödder, D., Husemann, M. & Rajaei, H. (2024a) A window to the future: effects of climate change on the distribution patterns of Iranian Zygaenidae and their host plants. Biodiversity and Conservation, 33, 579–602. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3000158/v1
  22. Noori, S., Rödder, D., Soofi, M., Hawlitschek, O., Husemann, M. & Rajaei, H. (2024b) Extensive mismatch between protected areas and biodiversity hotspots of Iranian Lepidoptera. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 17, 938–952. https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.12760
  23. Noori, S., Rödder, D., Yusefi, G.H., Hawlitschek, O., Wanke, D., Husemann, M. & Rajaei, H. (2025) Biogeographic Patterns of Iranian Lepidoptera: A Framework for Conservation. Diversity and Distributions, 31, e70010. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.70010
  24. Noori, S., Zahiri, R., Yusefi, G.H., Rajabizadeh, M., Hawlitschek, O., Rakhshani, E., Husemann, M. & Rajaei, H. (2024c) Patterns of Zoological Diversity in Iran—A Review. Diversity, 16 (10), 621. https://doi.org/10.3390/d16100621
  25. Noroozi, J., Talebi, A., Doostmohammadi, M., Manafzadeh, S., Asgarpour, Z. & Schneeweiss, G.M. (2019) Endemic diversity and distribution of the Iranian vascular flora across phytogeographical regions, biodiversity hotspots and areas of endemism. Scientific Reports, 9 (1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-49417-1
  26. Paknia, O. & Rajaei, H. (2015) Geographical patterns of species richness and beta diversity of Larentiinae moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in two temperate biodiversity hotspots. Journal of Insect Conservation, 19 (4), 729–739. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-015-9795-0
  27. Pitkin, L.M. (1993) Neotropical emerald moths of the genera Nemoria, Lissochlora and Chavarriella, with particular reference to the species of Costa Rica (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Geometrinae). Bulletin of the Natural History Museum, Entomology Series, 62 (2), 39–159. https://archive.org/details/biostor-113427
  28. Pitkin, L.M. (1996) Neotropical emerald moths: a review of the genera (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Geometrinae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 118, 309–440. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1996.tb01268.x
  29. Rajaei, H. & Feizpour, S. (2016) Gypsochroa renitidata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Desmobathrinae), a genus and species new for the fauna of Iran. Zoology in the Middle East, 62 (1), 64–67. https://doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2016.1144282
  30. Rajaei, H. & László, G.M. (2014) Scotopteryx kurmanjiana, a new species from the Kopet-Dagh Mountains (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentiinae). Nota Lepidopterologica, 37 (1), 37–42. https://doi.org/10.3897/nl.37.7954
  31. Rajaei, H. & Stüning, D. (2012) Scotopteryx kuznetzovi (Wardikian, 1957) (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentiinae), a new species for the fauna of Iran and Turkey. Bonn zoological Bulletin, 61 (1), 135–139. https://zoologicalbulletin.de/BzB_Volumes/Volume_61_1/135_139_BzB61_1_RajaeiSh_H_and_Stuening_D.pdf
  32. Rajaei, H. (2012) Modules to the Biodiversity of the Geometridae of Iran (Lepidoptera), using classical methods and DNA techniques (Larentiinae and Ennominae partim). PhD dissertation, University of Bonn, Bonn, 348 pp.
  33. Rajaei, H., Aarvik, L., Arnscheid, W.R., Baldizzone, G., Bartsch, D., Bengtsson, B.Å., Bidzilya, O., Buchner, P., Buchsbaum, U., Buszko, J., Dubatolov, V.V., Erlacher, S., Esfandiari, M., Freina, J.J. De, Gaedike, R., Gyulai, P., Hausmann, A., Haxaire, J., Hobern, D., Hofmann, A., Ignatev, N., Kaila, L., Kallies, A., Keil, T., Kiss, Á., Kitching, I.J., Kun, A., László, G.M., Leraut, G., Mally, R., Matov, A., Meineke, J.-U., Melichar, T., Mey, W., Mironov, V., Müller, B., Naderi, A., Nässig, W.A., Naumann, S., Nazari, V., Nieukerken, E.J. Van, Nuss, M., Pöll, N., Prozorov, A.M., Rabieh, M.M., Rákosy, L., Rindoš, M., Rota, J., Rougerie, R., Schintlmeister, A., Shirvani, A., Sihvonen, P., Simonsen, T.J., Sinev, S.Yu., Skou, P., Sobczyk, T., Sohn, J.-C., Tabell, J., Tarmann, G., Tokár, Z., Trusch, R., Varga, Z., Volynkin, A.V., Wanke, D., Yakovlev, R.V., Zahiri, R., Zehzad, P., Zeller, H.C. & Karsholt, O. (2023a) Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Iran. In: Rajaei, H. & Karsholt, O. (Eds.), Lepidoptera Iranica. Integrative Systematics, 6 (Special Issue), pp. 121–459. https://doi.org/10.18476/2023.997558.7
  34. Rajaei, H., Hausmann, A. & Trusch, R. (2022a) Taxonomic review of the genus Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823 (Geometridae: Sterrhinae) in Iran. Zootaxa, 5118 (1), 1–64. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5118.1.1
  35. Rajaei, H., Hausmann, A., Scoble, M., Wanke, D., Plotkin, D., Brehm, G., Murillo-Ramos, L. & Sihvonen, P. (2022b) An online taxonomic facility of Geometridae (Lepidoptera), with an overview of global species richness and systematics. Integrative Systematics, 5 (2), 145–192. https://doi.org/10.18476/2022.577933
  36. Rajaei, H., Kollhorst, C., Hausmann, A. & Stüning, D. (2021) Taxonomy and systematics of the Iranian species of the genus Ourapteryx Leach, 1814 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) with the description of a new species. Zoology in the Middle East, 67 (3), 247–258. https://doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2021.1924420
  37. Rajaei, H., Noori, S., Karsholt, O. & Zahiri, R. (2023b) General patterns of the Lepidoptera fauna of Iran. In: Rajaei, H. & Karsholt, O. (Eds.), Lepidoptera Iranica. Integrative Systematics, 6 (Special Issue), pp. 69–81. https://doi.org/10.18476/2023.997558.4
  38. Rajaei, H., Shahreyari-Nejad, S. & Esfandiari, M. (2019) Description of a new species of Lithostege Hübner, 1825 and of the male of L. samandooki (Rajaei, 2011) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) from Iran. Zoology in the Middle East, 65 (4), 367–376. https://doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2019.1663880
  39. Rajaei, H., Stadie, D. & Hausmann, A. (2017) Taxonomic revi­sion of the genus Protorhoe Herbulot, 1951 (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentiinae), new taxonomic changes and description of two new species. Zootaxa, 4282 (2), 269–291. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4282.2.3
  40. Rajaei, H., Stüning, D. & Trusch, R. (2012) Taxonomic revision and zoogeographical patterns of the species of Gnopharmia Staudinger, 1892 (Geometridae, Ennominae). Zootaxa, 3360 (1), 1–52. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3360.1.1
  41. Rajaei, H., Stüning, D. & Viidalepp, J. (2011) A review of the species of Lithostege Hübner, [1825] 1816 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Larentiinae), occurring in Iran and adjacent countries, with description of two new species from Iran and Pakistan. Zootaxa, 3105 (1), 1–46. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3105.1.1
  42. Ronquist, F., Teslenko, M., Van Der Mark, P., Ayres, D.L., Darling, A., Hohna, S., Larget, B., Liu, L., Suchard, M.A. & Huelsenbeck, J.P. (2012) MrBayes 3.2: efficient Bayesian phylogenetic inference and model choice across a large model space. Systematic Biology, 61 (3), 539–542. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/sys029
  43. Scoble, M.J. (1994) A taxonomic revision of the genera Phrygionis Hübner and Pityeja Walker (Geometridae: Ennominae, Palyadini). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 111 (2), 99–160. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1994.tb01480.x
  44. Staudinger, O. (1892) Neue Arten und Varietäten von paläarktischen Geometriden aus meiner Sammlung. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift Iris, 5, 141–260. [in German, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/45632#page/220/mode/1up]
  45. Tamura, K. (1992) Estimation of the number of nucleotide substitutions when there are strong transition-transversion and G+C-content biases. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 9, 678–687. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a040752
  46. Tshikolovets, V., Naderi, A. & Eckweiler, W. (2014) Butterflies of Iran and Iraq. Tshikolovets, Pardubice, 440 pp.
  47. Wanke, D. & Rajaei, H. (2022) Taxonomic note on Synop­sia centralis (Wiltshire, 1966) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae), and additional faunistic data on the genus Syn­opsia Hübner, 1825 in Iran. Integrative Systematics, 5 (1), 105–108. https://doi.org/10.18476/2022.556903
  48. Wanke, D., Feizpour, S., Hausmann, A., Viidalepp, J. & Rajaei, H. (2022) Taxonomy and systematics of the enigmatic emerald moth Xenochlorodes graminaria (Kollar, 1850) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), and its assignment to a new genus. Integrative Systematics, 5 (1), 61–71. https://doi.org/10.18476/2022.857803
  49. Wanke, D., Hausmann, A. & Rajaei, H. (2019a) An integra­tive taxonomic revision of the genus Triphosa Stephens, 1829 (Geometridae, Larentiinae) in the Middle East and Central Asia, with description of two new species. Zootaxa, 4603 (1), 39–65. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4603.1.2
  50. Wanke, D., Hausmann, A., Krogmann, L., Petrányi, G. & Rajaei, H. (2020a) Taxonomic revision of the genus Nychiodes Lederer, 1853 (Geometridae: Ennominae: Boarmiini) with description of three new species—an integrative approach. Zootaxa, 4812 (1), 1–61. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4812.1.1
  51. Wanke, D., Hausmann, A., Sihvonen, P., Krogmann, L. & Rajaei, H. (2020b) Integrative taxonomic review of the genus Synopsia Hübner, 1825 in the Middle East (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae). Zootaxa, 4885 (1), 27–50. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4885.1.2
  52. Wanke, D., Krogmann, L., Murillo-Ramos, L., Sihvonen, P. & Rajaei, H. (2021) Systematics of Problepsis wiltshirei (Prout, 1938), comb. nov. (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Sterrhinae)—an endemic species to the Zagros Mountains in the Middle East. Nota Lepidopterologica, 44, 175–192. https://doi.org/10.3897/nl.44.67345
  53. Wanke, D., Rajaei, H. & Hausmann, A. (2019b) The enigmatic Triphosa genus: taxonomic revision and three new species from Middle East and Central Asia (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentiinae). In: Hausmann, A. & Rajaei, H. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 10th Forum Herbulot, Stuttgart, Germany, 11–16 June 2018. Spixiana, 42 (2), pp. 296.
  54. Wanke, D., Shirvani, A., Hausmann, A., Murillo-Ramos, L. & Sihvonen, P. (2023) Tribal assignment of the genus Eumera Staudinger, 1892, using multi-gene analysis, with description of a new species from Iran (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae). Zootaxa, 5270 (1), 92–104. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5270.1.4
  55. Wanke, D., Skou, P. & Rajaei, H. (2024) Two new records of the genus Idaea Treitschke, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Sterrhinae) for Iran. Zootaxa, 5477 (1), 93–097. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5477.1.8
  56. Wehrli, E. (1936) Neue Gattungen, Subgenera, Arten und Rassen. (Lep. Geom.). Entomologische Rundschau, 54 (12), 144–148. [in German, https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Entomologische-Rundschau_54_0144-0146.pdf]
  57. Wehrli, E. (1953) Die Spanner des palaearktischen Faunengebietes. In: Seitz, A. (Ed.), Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde. Supplement zu Band 4. Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart, pp. 622. [in German, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/251791#page/358/mode/1up]
  58. Werner, M.J., Hausmann, A., Kostjuk, I., Wanke, D. & Rajaei, H. (2023) Integrative taxonomic revision of the genus Phaselia Guenée, [1858] (Geometridae: Ennominae) in the Middle East and Central Asia. Zootaxa, 5326 (1), 1–66. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5326.1.1

How to Cite

Kamyab, F., Makhov, I.A. & Mokhtari, A. (2025) A new species of the genus Dzhugesia Wehrli (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Ennominae) from Iran. Zootaxa, 5660 (2), 255–266. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5660.2.6