A new subspecies of Cucullia tecca Püngeler, 1906 from northern Kyrgyzstan and southern Kazakhstan (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

The article discusses a new subspecies of Cucullia tecca Püngeler, 1906 — C. tecca poltavskyi ssp. n. from northern Kyrgyzstan and the border territory of southern Kazakhstan. The specimens belonging to the new subspecies differ from the specimens of the nominative subspecies by a less contrasting color of the forewings and, sometimes, by the bluish tint of their background. The new subspecies have a noticeable difference in the structure of male genitalia. Unlike the uniformly wide valva of males of the nominative subspecies, the shape of the valva of the new subspecies is narrowed in the center. The females of the new subspecies and the structure of their genitalia is still unknown. The specimens of the new subspecies were collected in April at the altitude of 800–1000 m in dry steppes. The closest areas where moths belonging to the nominative subspecies were found are the mountains in northwestern Tajikistan.

Keywords

• Noctuidae
• Cucullia tecca
• new subspecies
• taxonomy
• Kyrgyzstan
• Kazakhstan