Search

A taxonomic revision of the Iranian species of the family Cossidae is conducted. Sixthy-nine species and 16 subspecies in 26 genera and five subfamilies, namely Catoptinae, Mehariinae, Stygiinae, Cossinae and Zeuzerinae, are identified. Meharia baluchestana Alipanah & Yakovlev, sp. n. and Cossulus kopetdaghensis Yakovlev & Alipanah, sp. n. are described. Dyspessa elbursensis derbenti Daniel, 1964 is raised to the species level, Dyspessa derbenti Daniel, 1964, stat. n.; Dieida ledereri (Staudinger, 1817) is considered as the senior synonym of D. persa Strand in Stichel, 1911, syn. n.; Cossus coccus araraticus Teich, 1896 is considered as a senior synonym of C. c. armeniaca Rothschild, 1912, syn. n.; C c. kossai Wiltshire, 1957 as a senior synonym of C. c. omrana Wiltshire, 1957, syn. n.; and Deserticossus arenicola iranica (Austaut, 1897), syn. n. and D. arenicola transcaucasicus (Zukowsky, 1936), syn. n. are newly synonymized with D. arenicola arenicola (Staudinger, 1879). Additionally, the genus Mormogystia Schoorl, 1990, and 15 species, namely Dyspessa alpherakyi (Christoph in Romanoff, 1885), D. artemis Yakovlev, 2008, D. blonda Yakovlev, 2008, D. stroehlei Yakovlev, 2008, D. tsvetaevi Yakovlev, 2008, Barchaniella inspersa (Christoph, 1887), B. sacara (Grum-Grshimailo, 1902), Cossulus intractatus (Staudinger, 1887), C. mollis (Christoph, 1887), C. stertzi (Püngeler, 1899), Deserticossus campicola (Eversmann, 1854), Kotchevnik durelli Yakovlev, 2004, Mormogystia reibellii (Oberthür, 1876), Eremocossus erebuni Yakovlev, 2008 and Phragmataecia turkmenbashi Yakovlev, 2008 are newly reported for the fauna of Iran. Moreover, the hitherto unknown female of Kotchevnik durelli is described. Additional data of the species previously reported from Iran is provided and the collecting data maps of the entire studied species are presented.

Elegia species deposited in the Hayk Mirzayans Insect Museum (HMIM) were examined and three species were identified. Elegia kharazii sp. nov. is described based on a single male and two females collected in Gilan and Golestan Provinces, Iran and compared with the externally similar European species E. similella (Zincken, 1818). Elegia saecula Kemal, Kýzýldað & Koçak, 2020 (syn. nov.) is considered as a junior synonym of Elegia iozona (Meyrick, 1937). Elegia atrifasciella Ragonot, 1887, collected in the north-west Iran (East Azarbaijan Province), is a new species for the fauna of Iran.

The Iranian species of the genus Evergestis were reviewed taxonomically and as a result, Evergestis pazukii sp. n. is described as a new species, E. comealis Amsel stat. n. is raised to species level from the subspecies E. caesialis comealis, and four species, namely E. flavifuscalis Rebel, E. limbata (Linnaeus), E. pechi (Bethune-Baker), and E. serratalis Staudinger are newly reported from Iran. Furthermore, the females of Evergestis africalis (Guenée), and E. nomadalis (Lederer), and the male of E. elbursalis Amsel are described and illustrated for the first time. A redescription of the male of E. hyrcanalis Amsel is provided mainly based on the genital structure, and the male and female genitalia of E. boursini Amsel and E. flavifuscalis Rebel are redescribed, respectively due to their poor descriptions. Additional remarks on the previousely reported species and new data on their distribution in Iran are also provided.

A full description of Gymnancyla (Gymnancyla) iranella sp. n. is given; adult, head and appendages, male and female genitalia and the larva are described and illustrated, based on 15 males, 12 females and three last instar larvae collected in central Iran, Yazd Province, Abarkuh region. Larvae were found on Salsola sp. (family Chenopodiaceae).

Apoxyptilus, gen. nov., and Pseudoxyptilus, gen. nov., are described and illustrated, with Oxyptilus anthites Meyrick, 1936, and Oxyptilus secutor Meyrick, 1911, as their type-species, respectively. Apoxyptilus anthites (Meyrick), comb. nov., and Pseudoxyptilus secutor (Meyrick), comb. nov., are redescribed. An illustrated key to the genera of the tribe Oxyptilini is provided.