Mniotype lama subsp. ayubaevorum Volynkin, Matov & Behounek, ssp. n.

Mniotype lama ayubaevorum Volynkin, Matov & Behounek, ssp. n.

(Figs 11–14, 57, 58, 100)

Type-material. Holotype: male, 08–12.vi.2010, Russia, Altai Republic, Ulagan district, Aktash village, h = 1350 m, 50º19' N, 87º 35' E, southern steppe stony slope. At light-trap. Volynkin A.V. leg. Slide AV0457 Volynkin (Coll. ZISP). Paratypes: 157 specimens of both sexes, with the same data as the holotype (Colls AVB, BBT, ZISP, SZMN); 84 specimens of both sexes, 24–25.v.2012, same locality, Volynkin A.V. leg. (Colls AVB, BBT); 1 male, 25–27.iv.2011, same locality, Volynkin A.V. leg. (Coll. AVB); 4 males, 1 female, 21–23.v.2009, same locality, Nakonechny A.N. leg. (Colls AVB, ZISP); 1 male, 1 female, 16.v.2009, same locality, Nakonechny A.N. leg. (Coll. AVB); 3 males, 02.vi.2009, Russia, Altai Republic, Kosh-Agach district, Kuraisky Ridge, 5 km E of Chagan-Uzun village, arid stony steppe. 50°24'27'' N, 87°35'50'' E, 2130 m. At light. Volynkin A.V., Ivanova M.S. & Nakonechny A.N. leg. (Coll. AVB); 1 female, 03–05.vi.2008, same locality, Yakovlev R.V. leg. (Coll. AVB); 7 males, Russia, Altai Mts, Kurai range, Aktash, 2100 m. 28.v.– 15.vi.1993. Vodyanov leg. (Coll. PGM).

Slides AV0504, AV0509, AV0511, AV0512, (males), AV0458, AV0505, AV0510 (females).

Diagnosis. The new subspecies differs clearly from M. l. lama, M. l. kortka and M. l. etugen in the ash-grey ground colour and more diffuse pattern.

Description. External morphology (Figs 11–14). Wingspan 35–40 mm. Head, thorax and abdomen from pale to dark ash-grey. Ground colour of forewing varies from pale to dark ash-grey. Forewing pattern diffuse. Crosslines thin, double. Submarginal line pale, thin, dentate. Marginal line presented as a series of black dots between the veins. Basal dash short, thin, black. Claviform dark grey, with thin black border; median fascia thin, black. Median area shadowed around claviform and median fascia and in the cell also. Terminal area dark grey. Subterminal area inwards from the submarginal line sometimes with blackish cuneate streaks between the veins. Cilia dark grey. Hindwing pale, ash grey, discal spot diffuse, semilunar. Cilia pale grey. Male genitalia (Figs 57, 58): very close to those of other subspecies and differ from M. l. lama in the somewhat narrower juxta and stronger sclerotised eversible dorso-lateral bar of carina; from M. l. kortka in the somewhat narrower juxta, more rounded cucullus and less dentate ventral margin of digitus; and from M. l. etugen in the somewhat smaller carina with stronger sclerotised eversible dorso-lateral bar. Female genitalia (Fig. 100): differ from M. l. lama (Fig. 97) in the somewhat broader ductus bursae; from M. l. kortka (Fig. 98) in the somewhat narrower antrum, narrower and less curved ductus bursaenot differs relative to M. l. etugen.

Distribution. Siberian. Southeast Russian Altai.

Etymology. The subspecies name is dedicated to brothers Eduard and Sergey Ayubaev (Altai Republic, Aktash), senior author's friends who were very helpful in organizing expeditions to Southeast Altai.