Calamia zhetysu Volynkin & Titov, 2025

Calamia zhetysu Volynkin & Titov , sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A83B8AFB-2BFC-42D9-B0B0-8AB20C1767DC

( Figs 17–19 View Figures 17–24 , 37, 38 View Figures 37–42 , 45 View Figures 43–47 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 17 View Figures 17–24 , 37 View Figures 37–42 ): male, “ 21.VI.2009, | SE Kazakhstan, | Tamgaly Tas rock hills, 490m, | 25 km N of Kapchagay, | 44°05'39.0''N 77°0'44.5''E, | gorge with rocky and loess | slopes, local collectors leg.”/ “Slide | AV7576 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( CAV). GoogleMaps

Paratypes. KAZAKHSTAN: 1 female , same data as in holotype, gen. slide No.: AV7577 ♀ ( CAV) ; 1 male, 20.VI.2009, Burakoy Mts , Dzhungar Alatau Range foothills, 2 km N of Taldykorgan, 677m, 45°3'59.08"N 78°18'45.90"E, rocky steppe slopes, local collectors leg., gen. slide No.: AV9643 GoogleMaps ♂ ( CAV) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 18.0–19.5 mm in males and 21.0 mm in the female. Calamia zhetysu sp. n. ( Figs 17–19 View Figures 17–24 ) is externally similar to C. variabilis Gyulai, 2021 ( Figs 20–22 View Figures 17–24 ) recently described from Kyrgyzstan. Both species are polymorphic and differ only in the reniform stigma, which is somewhat paler in the new species. Compared to the sympatric C. tridens (Hufnagel, 1766) ( Figs 23, 24 View Figures 17–24 ), the green form of C. zhetysu sp. n. ( Fig. 19 View Figures 17–24 ) has a more elongate forewing and developed forewing markings. The male genitalia structures are extremely uniform in the genus Calamia , and C. zhetysu sp. n. ( Figs 37, 38 View Figures 37–42 ) is distinguished from C. variabilis ( Figs 39, 40 View Figures 37–42 ) and C. tridens ( Figs 41, 42 View Figures 37–42 ) in the somewhat longer cucullus with a longer corona, and the different shape of the juxta: in the new species, it has a markedly longer and broader ventral section than in C. variabilis , and, unlike in C. tridens , has a broader dorsal and a markedly longer ventral sections. Additionally, the uncus of C. zhetysu sp. n. is somewhat apically broader than in C. variabilis and has a slightly narrower proximal section than in C. tridens . The vesica of C. zhetysu sp. n. is similar to C. variabilis and has a considerably narrower main chamber than in C. tridens . The female genitalia of the three species are very similar and C. zhetysu sp. n. ( Fig. 45 View Figures 43–47 ) can be distinguished from the congeners in the laterally thicker antevaginal plate. In addition, in the new species, the ductus bursae is posteriorly slightly broader than in C. variabilis ( Fig. 46 View Figures 43–47 ) and anteriorly narrower than in C. tridens ( Fig. 47 View Figures 43–47 ), and the corpus bursae is shorter than in C. variabilis and narrower than in C. tridens .

Distribution and bionomics. The new species is currently known from two localities in Southeast Kazakhstan. It occurs on low and hot steppe slopes with rock outcrops ( Fig. 49 View Figure 49 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Kazakh ‘Жетісу’ (romanized: Jetısu) meaning Heptopotamia (Semirechye), a historical region in Central Asia corresponding mostly to the southeastern part of modern Kazakhstan. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Acknowledgements

The second author expresses his sincere thanks to Wolfram Mey ( MfN, Berlin) for his kind help during the visits to the collection under his care. The authors also thank Alexey Matov ( ZISP) for pictures of the holotype of Margelana pamirica provided .

The study of Sergey Titov and Ruslan Rakhimov was funded by the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant No. BR21882199, “Inventory of wild animals of arid territories of the Balkhash-Alakol basin with an assessment of threats to their conservation and sustainable use.”). Anton Volynkin, while performing this work, received no specific grant from any funding agencies.

References

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