and the adjacent regions =, CAUCASIANA Journal on the biodiversity of the Caucasus Caucasiana 3: 273-280 (2024) DOI: 10.3897/caucasiana.3.e140978 Research Article First records of two genera and three carpenter moths (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) from Georgia Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze'® 1 Agricultural University of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia Corresponding author: Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze (Igjaparidze@gmail.com) OPEN Qrceess Academic editor: Levan Mumladze Received: 4 November 2024 Accepted: 11 December 2024 Published: 12 December 2024 ZooBank: https://zoobank.org/ DSCS0AF2-0A60-49B6-A8FA- F72E86FB833E Citation: Japaridze L-G (2024) First records of two genera and three carpenter moths (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) from Georgia. Caucasiana 3: 273-280. https://doi.org/10.3897/ Caucasiana.3.e140978 Copyright: © Japaridze This is an open access article distributed under terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (Attribution 4.0 International - CC BY 4.0). Abstract The aim of the present study is to provide an update on the Lepidoptera diversity of Georgia, with the first records of the Cecryphalus Schoorl, 1990, and Dieida Strand, 1911, genera, along with Dyspessa infuscata (Staudinger, 1892). The records are based on three male specimens of Cecryphalus strix (Grum-Grshimailo, 1896), a single male spec- imen of Dieida ledereri (Staudinger, 1871), and a single female specimen of D. infuscata collected in different parts of Georgia. Digital images of imagoes, first descriptions, and pictures of male D. /edereri genitalia, along with collecting data, are provided. Key words: Caucasus, Cossoidea, Heterocera, Heteroneura, new records Introduction Romanoff (1885) laid the foundation for the knowledge on the species com- position of the Cossidae fauna of Georgia, and it has been constantly growing since then (Milyanovsky 1964; Didmanidze 1975, 1976a, 1976b, 1978, 1980; Didmanidze and Zurashvili 1981). The most recent study of Georgian carpenter moths reports 14 species comprised in ten genera (Didmanidze and Yakovlev 2007), while the biology of many species still remains understudied. In this article, information on the first records of three more species and two genera is provided, namely Cecryphalus strix (Grum-Grshimailo, 1895), Dieida ledereri (Staudinger, 1871), and Dyspessa infuscata (Staudinger, 1892), increasing the total number of genera and species of Cossidae to 12 and 17, respectively. Cecryphalus Schoorl, 1990, consists of only two known nocturnal species, which inhabit deserts of Central Asia, North Africa, and South Caucasus (Ya- kovlev 2011a). Only C. strix is known to occur in the South Caucasus, reported from Azerbaijan and Armenia (Alipanah et al. 2021). Dieida Strand, 1911, comprises only six species of diurnal Palaearctic Cos- sidae (Japaridze and Hulsbosch 2023). A single species, D. /edereri, is found in the South Caucasus, more precisely in Azerbaijan (Alipanah et al. 2021; Japaridze and Hulsbosch 2023). Dyspessa Hubner, [1820] is the most speciose genus of nocturnal carpenter moths, which includes over 80 species widely distributed in the western Palaearc- tic (Yakovlev et al. 2016, 2022). Most of the species have a restricted distribution, 273 Japaridze: First records of three new Cossidae (Lepidoptera) from Georgia limited by mountain ranges and deserts (Yakovlev and Dubatolov 2013), and many of them are local endemics (Yakovlev et al. 2022). To date only four species have been reported from Georgia: D. alpherakyi (Christoph, 1885), D. pallidata (Stauding- er, 1892), D. salicicola (Eversmann, 1848), and D. ulula (Borkhausen, 1790). Materials and methods The specimens were collected via the light traps, except the male specimen of Dieda ledereri was hand collected. Sampling details are given below. The ele- vations and GPS coordinates (given in WGS84) were obtained via Garmin GPS MAP 64s. All specimens are deposited in the personal collection of the author (hereafter as JLGT). Specimens were examined on the basis of both external and internal morphological characters. The genital dissection was performed with the technique published by Robinson (1976), with certain modifications (Fibiger and Goater 1997). Potassium hydroxide (15% KOH solution) was used to macerate the full abdomen. The weakly sclerotized structures were stained with chlorazol black and then mounted into Euparal. Preserved specimens were photographed using a Canon EOS 60D camera with a Canon EF 60 mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens. Digital images were prepared using Zerene Stacker image stacking software and Adobe Photoshop CS6. Genitalia was photographed us- ing a Nikon SMZ745T stereo microscope with a Moticam 2500 camera on it. Abbreviations MR — Managed Reserve; Tg - tegumen; Sa — Saccus; Mun — Municipally; VI - valvae; Ad - aedeagus; NP -— National Park; SI -- sacculus; Ve - vesica. Un — uncus; Jx — juxta; Gn - gnathos; Vi — vinculum; Results Family Cossidae Leach, 1815 Genus Cecryphalus Schoorl, 1990 Cecryphalus strix (Grum-Grshimailo, 1895) Figs 1-2 Cecryphalus nubila: Yakovlev 2011a: 20, figs 2-4 (49) Cecryphalus nubila: Yakovlev 2011b: 124, pl. 5, fig. 7 (4) Cecryphalus strix: Yakovlev et al. 2018: 417, figs 5-12, 26-27 (32) Cecryphalus nubila: Alipanah et al. 2021: 66, fig. 18F (3) Material examined. GEORGIA * 299; Dedoplistkaro Mun., Vashlovani NP; N41.118327°, E46.640500°; 114 maz.s.l.; leg: L-G Japaridze; 6 June 2023; JLGT * 19; Chachuna MR; N41.220392°, E45.972397°; 248 m a.s.l.; leg: A. Seropian; 17 July 2023; JLGT. Remarks. The species is known to occur in Southern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz- stan, Southern Mongolia, Northwestern China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmen- Caucasiana 3: 273-280 (2024), DOI: 10.3897/caucasiana.3.e140978 274 Japaridze: First records of three new Cossidae (Lepidoptera) from Georgia Georgia, Vashlovani NP, 06. VI.2023 leg. Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze coll. Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze Georgia, Chachuna MR, 17. VIL.2023 leg. Armen Seropian coll. Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze \s Figures 1-2. Cecryphalus strix male, dorsal view (1: specimen from Vashlovani NP; 2: specimen from Cha- chuna MR). Scale bar: 5 mm. istan, Azerbaijan, Northern Iran, and South Armenia (Sheljuzhko 1913; Yakovlev 2011a, 201 1b; Alipanah et al. 2021). It is the first record of Cecryphalus in Geor- gia. Host plant and immature stages are unknown. Caucasiana 3: 273-280 (2024), DOI: 10.3897/caucasiana.3.e140978 975 Japaridze: First records of three new Cossidae (Lepidoptera) from Georgia Genus Dieda Strand, 1911 Dieida ledereri (Staudinger, 1871) Figs 3-6 Dieida ledereri: Daniel 1955: 175 (3°) Material examined. GEORGIA +» 14; Dedoplistksaro Mun., Vashlovani NP; N41.1194226°, E46.6097341°; 460 maz.s.l.; leg: N. Bulbulashvili; 16 April 2022; JLGT. Description. Male genitalia. Tegumen long and triangular; uncus small, scle- rotized, triangular peak-shaped. Socii oval with setae. Arms of gnathos long, thin, and fused by membrane; gnathos knob, triangular, and membranous. Val- vae lanceolate, 6 times longer than wide; apex roundish, basal half of costal 3 =a SSM, z , nue! nr 4 — is : \ ene My it ! Georgia, Vashlovani, 16.1V.2022 leg. Natalia Bulbulashvili coll. Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze __ -———H1 4 Figures 3-6. Dieida ledereri male (3: dorsal view; 4: genitalia frontal view; 5: genitalia in lateral view; 6: ae- deagus separated and everted vesica in lateral view). Abbreviations as in main text. Scale bars: 5 mm (3); 0.5 mm (4-6). Caucasiana 3: 273-280 (2024), DOI: 10.3897/caucasiana.3.e140978 276 Japaridze: First records of three new Cossidae (Lepidoptera) from Georgia margin convex, apical half concave, dorsal margin 2/3 from base slightly con- cave, apical part 1/6 membranous, basal part 5/6 sclerotized; margin between membranous and sclerotized parts clear and roundish, dorsally membranous reach end of sacculus. Sacculus clearly separated from valvae, slender, 2/3 length of valvae; base roundish, gradually narrowing towards the outer end. Arms of transtilla relatively short, thin, and strongly sclerotized; transtilla knob not well visible, membranous. Lateral juxta triangular. Saccus well developed, nearly half as long as width, apex rounded, anterior margin strongly sclerotized, slightly concave, posterior margin of vinculum rounded. Aedeagus cylindrical, slightly longer than valvae, without cornutus. Vesica membranous, basal part large and roundish, distal part gladiate, without cornutus. Remarks. The species is known from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Israel, and Iran (Schoorl 1990; Alipanah et al. 2021; Japaridze and Huls- bosch 2023). It is the first record of Dieida from Georgia. Host plant, eggs, and caterpillar are unknown. It should be noted that the only specimen of D. /edereri, mentioned above, was preyed upon by a robber fly (Asillidae), which was caught and dropped the specimen on the ground. Unfortunately, the specimen later was damaged during the transportation, thus we don't have the photograph of the undamaged specimen to fully express the natural colors. However, the undamaged speci- men had bipectinate black antennae with 2/3 white on the anterior side, half the length of the forewing, and rami long and black. Head, tegula, thorax, and abdo- men densely hirsute and black with a golden terminal part, golden-brown both dorsally and ventrally. Forewings semitranslucent; basal area white-ivory. Hind- wings semitranslucent; white-ivory spots on submedian area and hind margin. Genus Dyspessa Hibner, [1820] Dyspessa infuscata (Staudinger, 1892) Fig. 7 Dyspessa infuscata: Yakovlev 2005: pl. |, fig. 3 (3) Material examined. GEORGIA * 19; Tbilisi, Nutsubidze plateau; N41.7278241°, E44.7143434°; 621 maz.s.l|.; leg: G. Makharadze; 24 April 2024; JLGT. Remarks. The species is distributed in Turkey, Russia (North Caucasus), Ukraine (Crimea), South Caucasus, and Syria (Yakovlev 2005, 2011b). As the author does not specify an exact location within the South Caucasus or men- tion the species in Georgia or South Caucasus in his later works, this appears to be the first documented record in Georgia. Discussion Recent studies and collecting efforts in Georgia and adjacent territories have resulted in descriptions of several new species of Cossidae: Holcocerus did- manidzae Yakovlev 2006 from Georgia, Stygiodies nupponenorum Yakovlev and Saldaitis 2011 from Turkey, /soceras shevnini Yakovlev 2015 from Arme- nia, Phragmataecia effendii Yakovlev and Snegovaya 2020 from Azerbaijan, and Dieida versicolor Japaridze and Hulsbosch 2023 from Turkey. Despite the Caucasiana 3: 273-280 (2024), DOI: 10.3897/caucasiana.3.e140978 277 Japaridze: First records of three new Cossidae (Lepidoptera) from Georgia Figures 7. Dyspessa infuscata, female, dorsal view. Scale bar: 5 mm. Cossidae fauna of Turkey being relatively well studied compared to the South Caucasus, there still has been a record of a new genus, namely Stygia Latreille, 1802, in recent years (Yakovlev and Strohle 2016). Since some of the species listed above are known only from type specimens, and others are described based solely on males or females, investigating the biology and life cycles of these rare species would be highly valuable. Given the limited study of the Cos- sidae family in Georgia, it is quite possible that rare diurnal genera, such as Stygioides Braud, 1853, may still await discovery in the country's remote arid regions. Acknowledgements My gratitude to Armen Seropian (Ilia State University, Institute of Ecology) for photographing the preserved specimens and providing an additional specimen of Cecryphalus strix. Cordial thanks to Giorgi Makharadze (Tbilisi, Georgia) and Natalia Bulbulashvili (Gori, Georgia) for providing the specimens of Dyspes- sa infuscata and Dieida ledereri, respectively. Much obliged to Oleg Pekarsky (Budapest, Hungary) for dissecting and providing the photographs of Dieida ledereri. Special thanks to two anonymous reviewers for valuable comments and suggestions. Additional information Conflict of interest The author has declared that no competing interests exist. Ethical statement No ethical statement was reported. Caucasiana 3: 273-280 (2024), DOI: 10.3897/caucasiana.3.e140978 278 Japaridze: First records of three new Cossidae (Lepidoptera) from Georgia Funding The study was partly founded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research under grant number 01DK20014A. Author ORCIDs Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze © https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7171-5589 Data availability All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text. 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