CHAPTER 2A historical review of lepidopterology in Iran

Abstract

The historical and cultural significance of Lepidoptera in Iran cannot be overstated. Despite this, research on the topic has been sporadic and often disjointed. The cultural fascination with Lepidoptera extends far into Iranian history. Butterfly-like motifs can often be seen on prehistoric ceramics, including those from Tapeh Sialk, Kashan (3300 BC); however, their true identity remains unclear (nazaRi 2003). Stylized butterflies are commonly illustrated on the margins of Persian miniature paintings from the Safavid (1501–1722) and later periods, or as artistic decorations on tiles, toiletry or other everyday objects now preserved in museums around the world. The fami liar combination of “Sham’o Gol’o Parvaneh” (the candle, the flower and the butterfly), which is abundantly present in the poetry of Hafez and other giants of Persian literature, symbolizes the anguish of a soul in love. It is unclear who collected the first lepidopteran in Iran. However, we do know that the first described species from Iran was Zygaena cuvieri Boisduval, [1828], collected by French physician and entomologist GUillaUme-antoine oliVieR, who travelled to the country in 1796. This taxon was described based on a single specimen collected in “aux environs d’Amaden, en Perse”, which most probably refers to “Hamadan”, as it is mentioned on the route map of oliVieR (1804). The “H” at the beginning of the name is unspoken in French (Hofmann & tRemeWan 2020: 59–61), and was likely transcribed phonetically by oliVieR. Over a half-century later, the first list of Iranian Lepidoptera was published by KollaR & ReDtenbacHeR (1849), based on specimens collected by the famous Austrian bo tanist tHeoDoR KotscHy. Since oliVieR collected his first Zygaena in the mountains of western Iran, nearly 900 authors have contributed to the study of Lepidoptera in Iran, publishing roughly 1,700 works on the topic from short communications to tome-like monographs. In this catalogue, we hope to condense and reflect this body of work.