Anagnorisma chamrani sp. n. (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) from Iran

Abstract A new Anagnorisma species, Anagnorisma chamrani sp. n., is described from Binaloud Mountains of Khorasan-e-Razavi province in north-eastern Iran, and compared with its sister species, Anagnorisma eucratides (Boursin, 1960). The adults, and male and female genitalia of both species are illustrated in 11 figures. The genus Anagnorisma is recorded for the first time for the fauna of Iran.


Introduction
The genus Anagnorisma was erected by Ronkay and Varga (1999), together with two further genera of the Eugnorisma Boursin, 1946 generic complex, Protognorisma Ronkay &Varga, 1999 andSchizognorisma Ronkay &Varga, 1999. These three genera represent the more ancient lineages of this clade; their species are generally distributed in the wide sense Himalayan region. The detailed comparison of the three genera, and the main differential features between the sister genera Anagnorisma and Schizognorisma, are given in the original descriptions (Ronkay and Varga op. cit.).

Material and methods
The material examined was collected in late summer 2012 in Khorasan-e-Razavi province located in north-eastern Iran, using 8 watt black light UVB tubes. The genitalia of both sexes were dissected, stained, and mounted following the standardised way. The adults were photographed by Gábor Ronkay, the genitalia slides by Zoltán Soltész and Tibor Csővári; the digital images have been adjusted and edited by Gábor Ronkay. Diagnosis. Anagnorisma chamrani is the sister species of A. eucratides (Boursin, 1957), which is only known from eastern Afghanistan at altitudes of 2050 to 2450 m of the Hindu Kush Mountains. The main external differential features, in comparison with A. eucratides (Figs 1, 2), are the following: thoracic pubescence, ground colour of forewing and filling of stigmata more unicolorous, not brownish red as in A. eucratides; antemedial line oblique, somewhat zigzagged; postmedial line more crenellate, both of them have a  finer black-marked definition; subterminal line less wavy; hindwing darker greyish; cilia pale pinkish. The new species is also similar to the Pakistani A. goniophora, but the antemedial line is more zigzagged, the postmedial line is less evenly arched, being terminally oblique and not perpendicular to the inner edge of the forewing, the subterminal line is more wavy in the upper half and more conspicuously ochreous. The two other members of Anagnorisma are less similar to the new species; A. chamrani differs from A. glareomima by its darker and more elongated wings, larger stigmata and the different configuration of the stigmata and the black intermaculation; finally, it cannot be confused with the conpicuously different, orange-brown coloured A. zakaria. Wingspan 34-35 mm. The configuration of the genitalia of both sexes indicates the close relationship between A. eucratides and A. chamrani. In the male genitalia (Figs 6,7,9,10), the dorsal costa of the valva of A. chamrani is more extended medially, so the costal and dorsal margins are less  parallel than in A. eucratides; the valval apex is evenly rounded, more prominent dorsally than ventrally (it is the opposite in A. eucratides); the apical lobe and the ventral extension are smaller; the vinculum is somewhat longer; the aedeagus is slightly curved ventrad; the dorsal and ventral carinal plates are narrow, crest-like, long and strongly sclerotised, the ventral plate terminates in an obtuse, small peak (the ventro-lateral carinal plate of A. eucratides is markedly stronger, bearing a conspicuous, strong thorn).
The male genitalia of A. chamrani are strikingly dissimilar from those of the externally similar A. goniophora, especially the broader valva of A. chamrani, particularly its distal    In the female genitalia, A. chamrani (Fig. 8) differs from A. eucratides by its narrower but higher, more sclerotised, asymmetrically subquadrangular antrum with U-shaped postero-medial incision; longer ductus bursae with less elbow-like lateral projection and the almost twice as long, more prominent, conical appendix bursae. Comparing with A. glareomima and A. zakaria, the most conspicuous difference is the shape of ductus bursae: A. chamrani has an almost evenly-broad ductus bursae with an asymmetrical medial constriction in one side and elbow-like lateral projection on the opposite side, whereas the two other species have a funnel-like ductus bursae.
Distribution. The new species is known only from the type locality, the higher Binaloud Mountains (Fig. 11). The dominant species in the vegetation of the habitat are Mountain Sainfoin, Wild almond (Amygdalus scoparia), Downy brome (Bromus tectorum); the other mentionable plants are Bromus, Artemisia and Astragalus spp. The adults were attracted to light early on a cold night in September. The early stages are unknown.
Etymology. The new species is named in honour of the martyr Dr. Mostafa Chamran . In 1982 the Jundi Shapur University was renamed to Shahid Chamran University after the martyrdom of Dr. Chamran, an outstanding Iranian warrior in the 8 years Iran-Iraq war. The university was closed in those days due to the war conditions in the area.