Stygioides mirifica Japaridze, Makharadze, Bulbulashvili, Seropian, 2025

Stygioides mirifica Japaridze, Makharadze, Bulbulashvili, Seropian , sp. nov.

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( Figs 20–22 View FIGURES 16–23 , 36–37 View FIGURES 26–38 )

Material examined. GEORGIA • Holotype ♂; Dedoplistskaro Mun., Vashlovani NP; N41.1183°, E46.6405°; 114 m a.s.l.; leg. L-G Japaridze ; 26 May 2025; gen. prep. LG34 JLGT GoogleMaps • Paratypes: 17♂ 2♀ (CaBOL-IDs 1038097, 1038098, 1038100, 1038096, 1038099); Idem; leg. L-G Japaridze, G. Makharadze, N. Bulbulashvili. 1♂; Dedoplistskaro Mun., Vashlovani NP; N41.1183°, E46.6405°; 114 m a.s.l.; leg. G. Makharadze; 18 May 2024; JLGT GoogleMaps ; 1♀ Idem ; leg. A. Seropian; 18 May 2024; JLGT ; 1♂ 1♀; Dedoplistskaro Mun., Vashlovani NP; N41.1183°, E46.6405°; 114 m a.s.l.; leg. A. Baznikin; 18 May 2024; BABS GoogleMaps .

Barcoding. We obtained a single sequence from the female specimen CaBOL-ID 1038096 ( BOLD: AGP9748).

Diagnosis. The males of the new species closely resemble Stygioides nupponenorum Yakovlev & Saldaitis, 2011 in appearance, but can be distinguished by the presence of white scales on the antennae and a broader apex of the valvae ( Figs 20–21 View FIGURES 16–23 , 36 View FIGURES 26–38 ; cf. Yakovlev 2011b: fig. 35). From the co-occurring Stygioides jarii sp. nov., it differs by the presence of white scales on the antennae, narrower apex of valvae, and more curved aedeagus ( Figs 36–37 View FIGURES 26–38 ; cf. Figs 32–35 View FIGURES 26–38 ).

Description. Male ( Figs 20–21 View FIGURES 16–23 ). Wingspan 19 mm. Antennae half the length of the forewing bipectinate, covered with white scales; rami short. Head, thorax, and abdomen densely hirsute, grey-blackish, head with white piliform scales. Forewing 8.5 mm, semitranslucent, scarcely covered with blackish scales, more heavily covered on the margins and the basal area; fringe long, black. Hindwing short, semitranslucent, covered with blackish scales; rounded anal angle and apex. Genitalia ( Figs 36–37 View FIGURES 26–38 ). Uncus broad, medium length, apically rounded, sclerotised. Tegumen medium-sized. Valvae lanceolate, narrowing apically, apical third membranous; transition area of sclerotisation between sclerotised and membranous part distinct. Saccus semicircular, large. Aedeagus 5/6 size of valvae, slightly curved in the middle third.

Female ( Fig. 22 View FIGURES 16–23 ). Wingspan 20 mm. Antennae half the length of the forewing, serrate, black; rami short. Head, thorax, and abdomen densely hirsute, pitch black. Forewing 9 mm, black, heavily covered with black scales. Hindwing short, semitranslucent, with black scales on the margin. Genitalia as in Fig. 38 View FIGURES 26–38 . Ovipostor long; papiliae analis elongated ellipsoid; aphophyses posteriorly 1.5 longer than anteriorly. Ductus and corupus undiagnosable due to the severe damage during genitalia preparation.

Eggs ( Fig. 54 View FIGURES 50–54 ). Pinkish-brown, stuck together firmly, ovoid, around 2 mm in diameter.

Variation. Males (n=20). Wingspan 18–20 mm. Forewing 8–9 mm. Females (n=4). Wingspan 18–22. Forewing 8–10 mm.

Etymology. From the Latin “mirificus”, meaning wonderful, marvellous, alluding to the unexpected find of the second congener found in Vashlovani NP.

Habitat. Semidesert ( Fig. 48 View FIGURES 47–49 ).

Distribution. Type locality only ( Fig. 45 View FIGURES 43–46 ).

Remarks. On 24 May 2025, a single female was captured in flight around 17:00 using a hand net. In a netting enclosure, it became highly active on the ground but did not fly. Introduced males also showed no response to females’ presence, suggesting teneral mating. Of several plants introduced, Allium sp. elicited a marked response: the female repeatedly extended her ovipositor near its stem bases. Transferred to a container with soil and Allium bulbs, the female rapidly inserted the ovipositor into a soil crevice beside a bulb and laid four egg batches (9, 4, 7, and 5 eggs) ( Fig. 54 View FIGURES 50–54 ). The crevice’s position along the container wall allowed direct observation. The next morning, the female was found dead. Despite three days of fieldwork and ~ 50 males observed, no additional females were found, suggesting brief post-emergence activity followed by low-profile oviposition near the ground, making them far less detectable. The observed behaviour and Allium sp. association point to this genus as the likely larval host. Unlike Stygioides jarii sp. nov., males of S. mirifica sp. nov. showed no response to synthetic Sesia bembeciformis pheromones, alluding to species-specific pheromonal communication.