Xestia (Raddea) herrichschaefferi Alpheraky 1895

Xestia (Raddea) herrichschaefferi (Alphéraky, 1895)

(Figs. 6, 8, 17–24, 36, 38, 41)

Agrotis herrichschaefferi Alphéraky, 1895, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift Iris, 8:191 (Lectotype, hereby designated: male, ZI, St. Petersburg. Type locality: Mongolia, [Ulan-Baator], Ourga).

References: Corti & Draudt 1931 –1938: 74, Pl. 10k [Estimata herrichschaefferi]; Kozhanchikov 1937: 221, Pl. 4:4, male gen. P. 78 (Estimaja herrichschaefferi); Boursin 1963:71, 72, Pl. 18:67, male genitalia (Estimata); Remm & Viidalepp 1979: (Estimata);—(Estimata militzae, misident); Kononenko 1981: 11, fig. 11, male genitalia;—1984: 34:—2005:110, 192 (Estimata); Matov et al. 2008:295 (Estimata). Note. The species, reported by Remm & Viidalepp (1979) from Tuva as Estimata militzae in fact is the worn specimen of E. herrichschaefferi.

Material examined. Lectotype, male, Urga, Leder / coll. Great Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich, designated herewith, Paralectotypes: 11 males, 1 female, with same data, genit. slide male, AV 0098 [ZISP]. 7 males, foot of Munku-Sardyk, East Sayan/ Coll. Lichatzev; 2 male, [Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar], Urga, coll. N. Filipjev; 1 male, N Mongolia, 1964, leg. V. Solyanikov (coll. A.V. Nekrasov); 1 male, East Sayan, bottom of Munku-Sardyk Mt. (ZISP); 2 males, Mongolia, Lamyn-Gegen, SE Hangai, 16.vii.1926, 17.vii.1926, leg. Kirichenko; 1 male, [Mongolia] Urga, Ladov, Coll. Meinhard; 1 male, Mongolia, Bayanhongor aimak, Mts. Ih Bogd Uul, 2150 m, valley of Pitut river, 100o13’ E 45o00’ N, M. Hreblay, T. Stéger, slide AV 103 [ZISP]; 1 male, [Tuva] Chawir, Tannu–Ola / coll. Duske [FNM]; 2 males, Munku–Sardyk / coll. Duske [FNM]; 1 male, 1 male, Mongolia, Bayanhongor aimak, Mts. Ih Bogd Uul, 2150 m, valley of Pitut river, 100o13’ E 45o00’ N, 25.vii.1987, leg. M. Hreblay, T. Stéger [PG]; 1 male, Mongolia, Zavkhan aimak, Khangai Mts., 8 km SSW of Zagastayn Davaa, 2290 m, 6.vii.2005 [PG]; 8 males, 13–14.vii.2008, Russia, Altai Republic, Kosh-Agach distr., Sailyugem Ridge, 8 km ESE Tashanta vill., 2650 m. 49º42’ N, 89º16’ E. Volynkin A.V., Nakonechny A.N. leg. (AV); 1 male, 15.vii.2009, Russia, Altai Rep., Kosh-Agach distr., 10 km WSW Tashanta vill., Bol. Shibety valley, 2200 m. 49º40’ N, 89º04’ E. Volynkin A.V., Černila M., Nakonechny A.N. leg. (AV); 1 male, 19–21.vii.2010, SW Mongolia, Gobi-Altai aimak, Mongolian Altai Mts., Khasgt-Khirkhan Mts., 17 km SSW Zhargalan, 2500–2900 m, 46 48'N, 95 49'E. R. Yakovlev & E. Guskova leg. (AV); 1 male, 10.vii.2009, SW Mongolia, Gobi-Altai aimak, Mongolian Altai Mts., upper stream of Urd-Hudd-Gol riv., 3 km SW of Sondzhtijn-Duh Mt., 2900 m, R.Yakovlev & E.Guskova leg. (AV); 1 male, 06.vii.2007, W. Mongolia, Hovd aimak, Uenchin-Gol Valley, 50 km N. of Uench vill., 1500 m. Yakovlev R.V. & Guskova E.V. leg. (AV); 3 females,. Russia, Altai Republic, Ukok plateau, Maitobe Mt., 2400–2500 m,, 49º64’N, 87º43’E. (R. Dudko leg.); 1 female, Russia, Altai Rep., plateau Ukok, Kaldzjin lake, 2400 2550 m, 49º19’ N, 87º26’ (R. Dudko leg.).

Diagnosis. Male, adult. (Figs. 6, 17–24). Somewhat larger than X. alexis, wingspan 28–29 mm. Body stout, vesture of head and thorax formed by brown and grey hairs; antennae of male shortly bipectinate, those of female strongly setose; labial palps short, like in X. alexis. Ground colour of male forewing pale grey or brownish-grey, in old specimens brownish grey; basal streak distinct, black; cell before orbicular and between stigmata filled with black; costal area with pale greyish suffusion; subbasal line distinct; subterminal line blackish, distinct, diffused inwardly; terminal field pale grey, terminal line blackish, cilia dark grey; hindwing unicolorous grey, with dark traceable discal spot, cilia pale. Wing colouration and pattern vary considerable. Male genitalia (Fig. 36). Uncus short and broad, diamond-shaped, shorter than in X. alexis; tegumen broad, shorter than vinculum, juxta shieldlike, with hat-like central extension; valva short, broad basally, tapered apically without pollex, costa strong, ended by slightly curved finger-like extension; clasper rather long, harpe short, flattened, deposited in distal fourth of the valva. Aedeagus relatively long, strong, slightly curved, carina with large elongate dentate plate; vesica short, projecting dorsally, bearing patch of small cornuti. Female, adult. (Figs. 8). Female brachypterous, with vestigial wing, reaching 1st segment of abdomen; antennae rather thick, finely ciliated; proboscis fully developed, vesture of head body and reduced wings formed by short hair-like scales; body and wing colouration dark, pale yellowishbrown, forewing with traceable elements of pattern. Female genitalia (Fig. 38). In the female genitalia (here described firstly) ovipositor somewhat longer and slender than in X. alexis, elongated, papillae anales relatively long, covered with long hairs; apophyses posteriores on wide sclerotised base, long, one third longer than in X. alexis; 4 times longer than anterior ones; 8-th segment ring-like, with deep cut in centre; ostium split-like, narrower than in X. alexis; ductus bursae short, wide, sclerotised, flattened; corpus bursae elongated.

Distribution and bionomics (Map. 43). Compared to X. alexis, X. herrichschaefferi is more widely distributed from East of Russian Altai, northwest China, throughout Tuva, to East Sayan, along Mongolian Altai, to Hangai Range and easternmost to Ulan-Baator, and is partially sympatric with the former. It inhabits similar biotopes as X. alexis, but is more common in dry habitats e.g., mountain steppe, tundra-steppe and open mountain forest (Fig. 41). In the latter habitat both species fly in numbers, but X. alexis occurs at elevation 2300–2800 m and X. herrichschaefferi at 2100–2700 m. Species flying in sympatry are the same as those listed above for X. alexis. The behaviour of the females is similar to those of X. alexis. Males fly in July, attracted to light in great numbers.

Notes. Xestia (R.) alexis and X. (R.) herrichschaefferi are the two most northerly distributed species of the Inner Asian subgenus Raddea, typical representatives of Mongolian-South Siberian alpine fauna, endemics of Altay-Sayan montane country. In habit they are similar to northernmost species of the subgenus Pachnobia. Brachypterous females are also known among species of the subgenus Pachnobia, in zonal tundra, dry stony cryoxerophylous slopes and barren rocks (Figs. 25–32) (i.e., X. aequaeva, X. alaskae, X. liquidaria, X. kurentzovi) (Kononenko 1981; Mikkola et al. 1983; Kullberg et al. 1995; Lafontaine et al. 1998). Brachyptery is also noted for Himalayan X. (Raddea) satanas (Hreblay & Ronkay 1998). Though no females are known in the other species of the subgenus Raddea, we expect that they will also prove to be brachypterous.