Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2007-10-08
Page range: 41–52
Abstract views: 87
PDF downloaded: 21

Taxonomic notes and new records of the genus Sphingonaepiopsis Wallengren, 1858 (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) in Iran

Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, U.K
Insect Taxonomy Research Department (ITRD), Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection (IRIPP) (formerly Plant Pests & Diseases Research Institute (PPDRI)), P.O. Box 19395, Tehran 1454, Iran
Lepidoptera Taxonomy Sphingonaepiopsis Iran

Abstract

The taxonomy, morphology, biology and distribution of Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades (Hübner [1819]) and S. nana (Walker 1856) are reviewed. The validity of subspecies within S. gorgoniades is re-examined and it is concluded that there is no justification for their continued recognition. Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades pfeifferi Zerny 1933 is therefore confirmed as a synonym of S. gorgoniades. Records of Sphingonaepiopsis in the collection of the Hayk Mirzayans Insect Museum (HMIM), Tehran, Iran, are collated and mapped, and the first confirmed occurrence reported of the Afrotropical S. nana in mainland southwest Asia, an increase in the known range of the species. Global distribution maps are provided for both species.

References

  1. Anikin, V.V., Sachkov, S.A. & Zolotuhin, V.V. (2000) “Fauna lepidopterologica Volgo-Uralensis” 150 years later: changes and additions. Part 2. Bombyces and Sphinges (Insecta, Lepidoptera). Atalanta, 31, 265–292.

    Bartel, M. (1899–1902) In: Rühl, F. & Bartel, M. (Eds. ), Die palaearktischen Grossschmetterlinge und ihre Naturgeschichte. Vol. 2: Nachfalter. I. Abteilung. Ernst Heyne, Leipzig, 336 pp.

    Bell, T.R.D. & Scott, F.B. (1937) Sphingidae. Fauna of British India, 5, 1–537.

    Beschkow, S. V. (1990) Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades (Hübner, [1819]) (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae) — a new genus and a new species for the Bulgarian fauna. Acta Zoologica Bulgarica, 40, 75–77.

    Boisduval, J.B.A.E. de. [1875] (1874) Sphingides, Sésiides, Castnides. In: Boisduval, J. B. A. E. de & Guenée, A. (Eds.), Histoire naturelle des insectes. Species général des Lépidoptères Hétérocères, Vol. 1. Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret, Paris, pp. 1–568 + 1–4.

    Butler, A.G. (1884) On a collection of Lepidoptera made by Major J. W. Yerbury at or near Aden. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1884, 478–503.

    Carcasson, R.H. (1968) Revised catalogue of the African Sphingidae (Lepidoptera) with descriptions of the East African species. Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society and National Museum, 26 (3), 1–148.

    Daniel, F. (1932) Zygaenidae — Cymatophoridae. In: Osthelder, L. & Pfeiffer, E., Lepidopteren-Fauna von Marasch in türkisch Nordsyrien. Mitteilungen der Münchener Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 22, 52–82.

    Daniel, F. (1971) Österreichische Expeditionen nach Persien und Afghanistan. Beiträge zur Lepidopterenfauna, Teil 16 (3. Beitrag zur Bombyces- und Sphinges-Fauna). Annalen des (K. K. ) Naturhistorischen (Hof) Museums. Wien, 75, 651–660.

    Danner, F., Eitschberger, U. & Surholt, B. (1998) Die Schwärmer der westlichen Palaearktis. Bausteine zu einer Revision (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Herbipoliana, 4, 1–368, 1–720.

    Didmanidze, E.A. (1978) Lepidoptera of the arid areas of Georgia (Lepidoptera, Heterocera). Izdatel’stvo “Metsnireba”, Tbilisi, 319 pp.

    Ebert, G. (1969) Afghanische Bombyces und Sphinges. 3. Sphingidae (Lepidoptera). Ergebnisse der 2. Deutschen Afghanistan-Expedition (1966) der Ländessammlungen für Naturkunde in Karlsruhe. Reichenbachia, 12, 37–53.

    Ėfetov, K.A. & Budashkin, Y.I. (1990) Macrolepidoptera of the Crimea. Tavriya, Simferopol, 110 pp.

    Eitschberger, U. (1999) Neopterodonta nom. nov. pro Pterodonta Austaut, 1905. 5. Ergänzung zu "Die Schwärmer der westlichen Palaearktis" (Danner, Eitschberger & Surholt, 1998) (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae). Atalanta, 30: 292.

    Ellison, R.E. & Wiltshire, E.P. (1939) The Lepidoptera of the Lebanon: with notes on their season and distribution. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London, 88, 1–56.

    Eversmann, E. (1844) Fauna lepidopterologica volgo-uralensis exhibens Lepidopterorum species quas per viginti quinque annos in provonciis Volgam fluvium inter et montes Uralenses sitis observavit et descripsit. Typis Universitatis, Casani, 633 pp.

    Freina, J.J.de (1981) 2. Beitrag zur Erfassung der Bombyces- und Sphinges-Fauna Kleinasiens. Atalanta, 12, 18–63.

    Freina, J.J.de (1983) 4. Beitrag zur Erfassung der Bombyces- und Sphinges-Fauna Kleinasiens. Neue Kenntnisse über Artenspektrum, Systematik und Nomenklatur sowie Beschreibungen neuer Taxa. Mitteilungen der Münchener Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 72, 57–127.

    Freina, J.J.de & Piatkowski, H.-J. (1999) Erstmeldungen und andere interessante Nachweise zur Noctuoidea- und Bombycoideafauna Griechenlands nebst Bemerkungen zu Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades pfeifferi (Zerny, 1933) comb. rev. (Insecta, Lepidoptera). Atalanta, 30, 259–272.

    Freina, J.J.de & Piatkowski, H.-J. (2006). Beitrag zur Erfassung der Heteroceren Griechenlands (Lepidoptera). Entomologische Zeitschrift, 116, 243–260.

    Freina, J.J.de & Witt, T.J. (1987) Die Bombyces und Sphinges der Westpalaearktis (Insecta, Lepidoptera), Vol. 1. Edition Forschung & Wissenschaft Verlag GmbH, München, 708 pp.

    Griveaud, P. (1959) Insectes Lépidoptères Sphingidae. Faune de Madagascar, 8, 1–161.

    Hacker, H. (1999) Die Typen der von E. J. Ch. Esper (1742–1810) in seinem "Die Schmetterlinge in Abbildungen nach der Natur" beschriebenen Bombycoidea, Drepanoidea, Geometroidea, Hepialoidea, Lasiocampoidea, Noctuoidea, Pyraloidea, Tineoidea (Lepidoptera) II. Esperiana, 7, 443–461.

    Hangay, G., Nadai, L. & Szekely, K. (2005) Report on Hungarian entomological expeditions to Iran. Folia Historico Naturalia Musei Matraensis, 29, 7–18.

    Kitching, I.J. & Cadiou, J.-M. (2000) Hawkmoths of the world: an annotated and illustrated revisionary checklist. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 226 pp.

    MacNulty, B.J. (1970) Outline life histories of some West African Lepidoptera. Part III. Sphingidae. Proceedings and Transactions of the British Entomological and Natural History Society, 3, 95–122.

    Mell, R. (1922) Beiträge zur Fauna sinica. Biologie und Systematik der südchinesischen Sphingiden, Volumes 1 & 2. R. Friedländer & Sohn, Berlin.

    Mentzer, E.von (1974) Sphingonaepiopsis pfeifferi Zerny bona species und Sphingonaepiopsis pfeifferi ssp. nova chloroptera aus Jugoslawien (Lep., Sphingidae). Acta Entomologica Jugoslavica, 1, 147–156.

    Mihuţ, S. & Dincă, V. (2006) Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades (Hübner, [1819]) (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae), at its first certain record in Romania. Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai (Biologia), 51, 3–6.

    Müller, G.C., Kravchenko, V., Li, C., Eitschberger, U., Hausmann, A., Miller, M.A., Orlova, O., Ortal, R., Speidel, W. & Witt, T. (2005a) The hawk moths of Israel: distribution, phenology and ecology (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Atalanta, 36, 222–236.

    Müller, G.C., Kravchenko, V., Li, C., Eitschberger, U., Miller, M.A., Orlova, O., Speidel, W. & Witt, T. (2005b) The Sphingidae of Jordan: distribution, phenology & ecology (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Atalanta, 36, 209–221.

    Nupponen, K. & Fibiger, M. (2002) Contribution to the knowledge of the fauna of Bombyces, Sphinges and Noctuidae of the southern Ural Mountains, with description of a new Dichagyris (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae, Endromidae, Saturniidae, Sphingidae, Notodontidae, Noctuidae, Pantheidae, Lymantriidae, Nolidae, Arctiidae). Phegea, 30, 121–185.

    Pinhey, E.C.G. (1962) Hawk moths of Central and Southern Africa. Longmans Southern Africa (Pty) Limited, Cape Town, 139 pp.

    Pittaway, A.R. (1983) An annotated checklist of the western Palaearctic Sphingidae (Lepidoptera). Entomologist's Gazette, 34, 67–85.

    Pittaway, A.R. (1993) The hawkmoths of the western Palaearctic. Harley Books, Colchester, 240 pp.

    Pittaway, A.R. (1997–2007) Sphingidae of the Western Palaearctic. Available from: http://tpittaway.tripod.com/sphinx/list.htm. (accessed July 2007).

    Rothschild, L.W. & Jordan, K. (1903) A revision of the lepidopterous family Sphingidae. Novitates Zoologicae, 9(suppl.), 1–972.

    Schulze, C.H. & Weigert, L. (2006) First record of Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades (Hübner, [1819]) from Peloponnesus, Greece (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Entomologische Zeitschrift, 116, 161–162.

    Sevastopulo, D.G. (1971) Sphingidae (Lep.) — east versus west Africa. Proceedings and Transactions of the British Entomological and Natural History Society, 4, 79–82.

    Vuattoux, R., Pierre, J. & Haxaire, J. (1989) Les sphinx de Côte-d'Ivoire, avec des données nouvelles sur les élevages effectués à la station écologique de Lamto [Lep. Sphingidae]. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 93, 239–255.

    Wiltshire, E.P. (1957) The Lepidoptera of Iraq. Nicholas Kaye, London, 162 pp.

    Wiltshire, E.P. (1990) An illustrated, annotated catalogue of the Macro-Heterocera of Saudi Arabia. Fauna of Saudi Arabia, 11, 91–250.

    Zerny, H. (1933) Lepidopteren aus dem nördlichen Libanon. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Iris, 47, 60–110.

    Zolotuhin, V.V. (1994) To the biology and morphology of Sphingonaepiopsis kuldjaensis Graeser, 1892 (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae). Atalanta, 25, 245–259.