Caulastrocecis perexigella Junnilainen

Junnilainen, Jari & Nupponen, Kari, 2010, The gelechiid fauna of the southern Ural Mountains, part I: descriptions of seventeen new species (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Zootaxa 2366, pp. 1-34 : 9-10

Caulastrocecis perexigella Junnilainen sp. n.

Figs. 14–15

Type material. Holotype: 3 (Fig. 14): Russia, S-Ural, Cheliabinsk district, 52°39’N 59°34’E, 350 m, Arkaim reserve near Amurskii village, 17.VI.1996, K. Nupponen, J.-P. Kaitila, J. Junnilainen & M. Ahola leg. ( JPK, to be deposited in ZMH). Paratypes (25 3): same data as holotype except for dates: 15.VI.1996 (7 3), 17.VI.1996 (11 3), 18.VI.1996 (2 3), 14–19.VI.1996 (3 3), ( JPK, JJ, TKN). Russia, S-Ural, Orenburg district: 51°23’N 56°49’E, 130–340 m, Donskoje village 6 km W, Mount Verbljushka, 10–12.VI.1998 (1 3), J. Junnilainen leg. ( JJ); 50°40–45’N 54°26–28’E, 170–230 m, Pokrovka village 20 km S, Schibendy valley, 03–07.VI.1998 (1 3), J. Junnilainen leg. ( JJ). Genitalia slides: J. Junnilainen prep. no. 0 2012008, 0 2012009, 02012011; K. Nupponen prep. no. 1/ 09.IV.2008.

Diagnosis. Caulastrocecis perexigella sp. n. belongs to Caulastrocecis on the basis of rather short, almost straight labial palps, and details of the male genitalia, like a distally cut off valva with a small triangular process at apex in costal margin, and a digitate and rather broad saccus (see also Table 1). C. perexigella is the smallest known member of the genus. The small size of the moth separates it from the other known related species. The male genitalia most resemble those of C. furfurella , but differ in details: the anterior margin of tegumen with deeper U-shaped excavation, the valva evenly broad, the saccus broader and posterior margin of the vinculum with a deep medial incision.

Description. Wingspan 8.5–9.5 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae pale brown, frontal part of head not extended. Antenna brown, apical 0.3 weakly serrate, scape brown. Labial palp 2x as long as diameter of eye, pointed forward, only gently curved upwards; segment II brown, about 2.5x longer than paler segment III. Abdomen and legs pale brown. Forewing with evenly mixed whitish and brown-tipped scales except costa being unicolorous whitish. Fringe pale fuscous. Hindwing pale fuscous.

Male genitalia (Fig. 15). Uncus rounded, 1.3x longer than wide. Gnathos hook strongly sclerotized and stout; basal 0.3 bent 90º; distal 0.7 straight until rapidly tapered subapically; apex pointed upwards. Tegumen moderately short with rather deep U-shaped excavation at anterior margin. Valva evenly broad, extending to distal margin of uncus, apex cut off, costal margin with small spine-like terminal process. Sacculus exceeding half length of valva, stout, slightly tapering towards blunt apex. Posterior margin of vinculum with wide Vshaped medial notch. Saccus as long as sacculus, stout, digitate, apex rounded; more sclerotized longitudinal ridge extends from base to subapical area. Aedeagus as long as tegumen; caecum bulbous, slightly elongated; distal part slender, curved and tapered towards apex; blunt and membranous apex with sclerite.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Bionomy. The type series was collected in mid-June from grassy steppes. Adults were active early in the morning, flying and moving about low vegetation.

Distribution. Russia (S Ural).

Etymology. Latin. perexiguus = very small. The species name alludes to a small size of the moth.

Remarks. There is a slight variation in the shape of saccus in the male genitalia between specimens collected from different localities. Taxonomically C. perexigella is placed near C. furfurella .

PLATE 3. Figures 12–13. Metanarsia guberlica Nupponen sp. n. 12. Imago (holotype); 13. Male genitalia (paratype; slide KN 1/ 06.I.2005). Figures 14–15. Caulastrocecis perexigella Junnilainen sp. n. 14. Imago (male, paratype); 15. Male genitalia (paratype; slide KN 1/ 09.IV.2008).