Scientists have described a new species of noctuid moth from the genus Perigrapha, discovered in the mountainous regions of southeastern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
Photo by Titov S.V.
The new species was named Perigrapha belyalovi in honor of our colleague and friend, the renowned Kazakhstani naturalist, zoologist and botanist, wildlife photographer, cameraman and documentary filmmaker, and passionate popularizer of nature — Oleg Belyalov.
Photo: Postnikov Nikolay
Perigrapha belyalovi inhabits dry, rocky foothills dominated by wormwood (Artemisia spp.) and sparse shrubs. At around 750 meters elevation, it lives alongside the similar species P. centralasiae, but differs in being slightly larger and having unique features in the structure of its antennae and genitalia.
⠀
🔬 The species was identified based on a combination of morphological traits, including complex wing patterns and distinctive internal anatomy — key characteristics for the accurate classification of moths in the family Noctuidae.
This discovery became possible thanks to the dedicated work of researchers at the Institute of Zoology, particularly Sergey Titov, senior researcher of the Entomology Laboratory, and Ruslan Rakhimov, junior researcher, along with close international collaboration between scientists from Kazakhstan, Russia, Hungary, and the United Kingdom.
⠀
The moth was discovered during fieldwork conducted under the project:
“Inventory of wild animals of the arid territories of the Balkhash-Alakol basin with an assessment of threats to their conservation and sustainable use.”
in the photo from left to right: Titov S., Postnikov N. and Belyalov O.
🌍 This finding is a reminder that the biodiversity of Central Asia remains far from fully studied — and that Kazakhstan’s unique natural heritage holds enormous scientific potential. Even in the 21st century, we are still discovering and learning about new inhabitants of our planet — those who have remained hidden in the shadows of the night for centuries!
Read more in Ecologica Montenegrina, Issue 83 (2025).
Titov, S. V., Volynkin, A. V., Tóth, B., & Rakhimov, R. D. (2025). Perigrapha belyalovi, a new species from Central Asia (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae). Ecologica Montenegrina, 83, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.37828/em.2025.83.1
Photo: Sergey Titov and Nikolay Postnikov
02.06.2025
When using this material in the media from the website of the Institute of Zoology of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a link to the original source is required!