Taxonomic studies of the Lygephila lubrica (Freyer, 1842) species complex with notes on other species in the genus (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Toxocampinae)

Abstract

The taxa of the Lygephila lubrica (Freyer, 1846) species complex are revised. The genital features of all known taxa are described and illustrated, with special reference to the structure of the vesica. Genitalia of L. lubrica from different places in Russia, Central Asia and China are studied, illustrated and compared with different Mongolian populations. L. kazachkaratavika, described as a subspecies, is raised to a species level, stat. n. Neotypes of Lygephila lubrosa (Staudinger, 1901), L. lubrosa kazachkaratavika Stshetkin YuL & Stshetkin YuYu, 1994 [1997] and L. lubrosa orbonaria Stshetkin YuL & Stshetkin YuYu, 1994 [1997] are designated. The female genitalia of the type of L. lupina (Graeser, 1890) is described and illustrated for the first time, and L. mirabilis (Bryk, 1948) treated here as a junior subjective synonym, syn. n.