A revision of the subfamily Spilomelinae (Lepidoptera, Crambidae) in Iran with description of a new species

Abstract

Spilomelinae specimens collected by the first author during the past 15 years, as well as those housed in the Hayk Mirzayans Insect Museum (HMIM), were studied. Udea rajabii sp. n. is newly described. Arnia nervosalis nervosalis Guenée, 1849 is considered as a senior synonym of A. nervosalis hyrcanalis Amsel, 1961 syn. n., and Mecyna subsequalis subsequalis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855) is regarded as a senior synonym of M. subsequalis lutulentalis (Lederer, 1858) syn. n. The genus Maruca Walker, 1859 and seven species, namely Maruca vitrata (Fabricius, 1787), Dolicharthria stigmosalis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1848), Duponchelia caidalis Oberthür, 1888, Mecyna lutealis (Duponchel, 1833), Metasia gigantalis Staudinger, 1871, M. rosealis Ragonot, 1895, and Udea accolalis (Zeller, 1867) are newly reported from Iran. The hitherto unknown female of Palpita persicalis (Amsel, 1951) is described and illustrated for the first time. Moreover, diagnostic characters in most of the species compared with the similar regional species, as well as intraspecific variations of each species are presented and discussed, if present. Additional data on distribution of the Spilomelinae species of Iran are also provided.