Dzhugesia alierfani Makhov & Kamyab, 2025

Dzhugesia alierfani Makhov & Kamyab , sp. nov.

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Iran, Province Kerman, 70 km SW of Baft, Khabr , 1588 m a.s.l., 28.710 833, 56.201 944, 6.XII.2024, leg. F. Kamyab.

Paratypes: 1 ♂, Iran, Province Kerman, 70 km SW of Baft, Khabr , 1588 m a.s.l., 28.710 833, 56.201 944, 6.XII.2024, leg. F. Kamyab ; 17 ♂♂, Iran, Province Kerman, 37.5 km SW of Baft, Khabr , 2234 m a.s.l., 28.926 944, 56.416 667, 31.X.2024, leg. F. Kamyab.

The type materials are deposed in the collection of the Hayk Mirzayans Insect Museum, Tehran, Iran (Holotype and 9 paratypes) and in the collection of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences , St. Petersburg, Russia (9 paratypes).

Diagnosis. Externally ( Figs. 2–9 View FIGURES 2–9 ), the new species differs from the other two representatives of the genus primarily by its ash-gray coloration, whereas other Dzhugesia have a yellowish, ocher or brownish hues (as in Fig. 8 View FIGURES 2–9 ; see also Kostjuk & Viidalepp 2020: figs. 5–10). Additionally, the new species is distinguished by a subtle discal spot on the forewing, a less sinuous postmedial fascia, and bright contrasting veins in the central part of the forewing, while other Dzhugesia species generally have well-defined discal spot on the forewing (especially males), more sinuous postmedial fascia and barely distinct veins in the central part of the forewing. Dzhugesia alierfani sp. nov. also features a distinctive antemedial fascia that delineates the basal area of forewing (unlike its congeners, the antemedial fascia bears two deep narrow notches corresponding to the Cu -stalk and A2+3 veins). In the male genitalia ( Figs. 15–18 View FIGURES 15–21 ), the uncus in D. alierfani sp. nov. is generally longer than in D. rjabovi ( Fig. 19 View FIGURES 15–21 ) and D. miatleuskii , while the socii are approximately one and a half times smaller than in D. rjabovi , being similar in size to those of D. miatleuskii . Also, the posterio-dorsal processes of the juxta (furca arms) of the new species differ markedly in shape (the arms itself broader in the closely related species); the cow-horn-shaped apical projections of furca arms in the new species are significantly shorter (about half of the length observed in D. rjabovi and D. miatleuskii ). The phallos of the new species ( Figs. 16, 18 View FIGURES 15–21 ) is characterized by a narrower aedeagus, a tapering apex, and smaller cornute compared to those of D. rjabovi ( Fig. 20 View FIGURES 15–21 ) and D. miatleuskii .

Description. Head densely covered with gray hairy scales; eyes well developed. Antennae long, bipectinate with long, dense pectinations extending to apical segments; flagellum, scapus and pedicellus covered with pale gray scales. Palpi long, extending beyond frons by ~50%, covered with light and dark scales laterally, white scales internally, and long grayish ventral hairs. Proboscis totally reduced.

Thorax and femora densely covered with long hairs. These hairs dark proximally and lighter distally. Legs ( Figs. 10–13 View FIGURES 10–14 ) covered with grey and dark brown scales. Epiphysis of foretibia well developed, slightly shorter than foretibia. Hind tibia with two pairs of spurs (their sizes and distance between proximal and distal pair vary), hair pencil absent.

Wings. Forewing length 14–16 mm. Costal margin of forewing almost straight. Apex more or less right angled. Termen convex, occasionally barely wavy; tornus smoothly rounded. Costal margin of hind wing almost straight, apex wide, rounded; termen smooth and convex, inner margin straight; tornal angle smoothly rounded. Forewing venation ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 10–14 ): R1 lies close to Sc for short distance, sometimes forms anastomosis with Sc; stalk R1-R4 arising from discal cell separately, R5 arising from anterior angle of discal cell separately; base of R5 connected with R1-R4 stalk via short vein forming an areole; discocellular vein concave, crescent-shaped. Hind wing venation: Sc strongly curved near its base and lying close to RS for some distance; RS and M1 connate; M3 and Cu1 arising from discal cell from different points; discocellular vein strongly concave; 2 anal veins developed.

Upperside ( Figs. 2, 4, 6 View FIGURES 2–9 ). Ground color of forewing ash gray. Wing pattern quite variable; however, in all specimens most expressed postmedial fascia dividing wing into larger darker proximal part (including medial area and occasionally basal area) and less wide lighter terminal part. Forewing postmedial fascia dark gray, usually dentate on veins, barely sinuous: slightly curved outward in anterior part of wing, and slightly curved inward between discal cell and inner margin of wing. Basal area with two well pronounced longitudinal dark gray streaks arising from wing root. Anterior streak located inside discal cell and less clear, posterior one longer, more conspicuous and situated between Cu -stalk and vein A2+3. Light gray dusting of varying degrees surrounding these two streaks: in some cases it almost not expressed and basal area concolor medial one, while in others this dusting forming distinct tripartite basal area with deep narrow notches at veins (Cu -stalk and A2+3); sometimes light dusting around posterior streak so widened that it merging with terminal area. Often all basal half of wing with unclear, diffuse pattern. Discal spot occasionally present, small, elliptic, dark gray, and white centered, often almost invisible. Veins covered with beige or pale yellow scales being especially contrasting in medial area (mainly M1, M3 and Cu1 with their common stalk, Cu2 and A2+3). In different individuals, terminal area and basal areas (if pronounced) covered with scattered dark scales of varying intensity, while medial area, but to lesser extent, covered with lighter scales. Terminal line commonly developed, dark gray, almost black, usually continuous. Fringes uniformly gray, sometimes with lighter base.

Hind wing uniformly pale gray, only occasionally with paler terminal area; covered with scattered dark scales (with varying intensity in different specimens). Postmedial line usually straight, slightly bent inwards near apex, expressed in different extent: in some individuals, distinct, smooth and continuous; in others, dentate (with black markings at veins); in others, almost not pronounced at all. Discal spot present, dark with light center, often weak. Rarely, hind wing with longitudinal dark streak extending from wing base to discal spot. Veins only slightly lighter than ground color. Terminal line and fringes same as in forewing.

Underside ( Figs. 3, 5, 7 View FIGURES 2–9 ).Wing pattern weakly expressed.Ground color of both wings more or less monochromatic pale greyish with sparse or moderate dusting of dark scales (especially on hind wing). Postmedial fasciae less pronounced than on upperside, while discal spots and discal streaks, on the contrary, usually more expressed.

Abdomen pale gray with admixture of dark gray scales. Sclerotization of abdomen weakly developed: only first two or three basal abdominal segments with conspicuously sclerotized tergites and sternites, abdominal sclerites III–VIII undifferentiated. Sternite II very broad, near semicircular, posteriorly with deep medial notch. Tympanal organs small ( Fig. 21 View FIGURES 15–21 ). Cavi tympani hemispherical, with wide aperture. Ansa broad, curved, with narrower base, and dilated at apex.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 15–18 View FIGURES 15–21 ). Uncus robust, long, socii setose; gnathos large, fused medially, upturned, its apex dentate; tegumen broad, posterio-dorsal processes of juxta (furca arms) strongly sclerotized, in form of wide elliptical plates, connecting with main sclerite of juxta by broad bases, cow-horn-shaped apical projections of furca arms comparatively short; saccus prominent, round. Valva simple, tapering apically, costal margin slightly concave medially, transtilla broad, not fused, with contacting posterior angles. Phallos long, almost straight, near same length as costal margin of valva, narrowing apically; coecum occasionally slightly bent dorsally; base of vesica provided with several (5–8) minute pointed cornuti outside aedeagus apex.

Female. unknown.

Distribution. Southeastern Iran (Kerman Province). To date, the new species is known only from two localities within the southeastern Zagros Mountains.

Ecological notes. The habitats of D. alierfani sp. nov. ( Figs 22–23 View FIGURES 22–23 ) are dominated by herbaceous plants ( Teucrium polium L., and Artemisia sieberi Besser ), alongside shrub species typical of arid steppe ecosystems. These include Astragalus spp. , Tamarix aphylla (L.), Haloxylon persicum Bunge , H. ammodendron (C.A. Mey) , Calligonum spp. , and the tree species Pistacia atlantica Desf.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of the first author's two sons, Ali and Erfan Malekshahi, in recognition of their assistance in collecting the type materials of the new species.

Remarks. In Wehrli’s original description of the genus Dzhugesia , and a subsequent publication, the male hind tibia is reported to possess a light grey-brown hair pencil (“Hintertibien mit hell graubraunem Haarpinsel […]”) ( Wehrli 1936: 145; Wehrli 1953: 348). Kostjuk & Viidalepp (2020) also mention this character repeatedly when redescribed D. rjabovi , although their references rely Wehrli’s original account. Notably, the “Material examined” section in Kostjuk & Viidalepp (2020) lacks males specimens (except for “digital images of male Holotype ”), indicating that they likely did not have direct access to material to verify this feature personally. The description of D. miatleuskii makes no mention a hair pencil despite detailing the male hind legs morphology. The photograph of the male hind leg fragment provided does not show such a structure. Nonetheless, these authors still list “the presence of a hindtibial hair pencil in males” as diagnostic for the genus Dzhugesia . Unfortunately, the only male of D. rjabovi available for our study was legless, preventing us from confirming the presence or absence of a hair pencil in the type species. Importantly, the new species we described here clearly lacks a hair pencil. Given the morphological uniformity observed among known Dzhugesia species —especially D. rjabovi and D. miatleuskii —it is reasonable to conclude the earlier report of a hair pencil in D. rjabovi was likely erroneous. The dense long pubescence of the femur or the closely set of long scales densely covering the tibia may have been mistaken for a true tuft of androconial scales. However, we recommend further examination in the future studies on this topic.