Coleophora knudi Tabell, 2023

Tabell, Jukka, Kullberg, Jaakko, Mutanen, Marko, Tokár, Zdenko & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2023, New and little known Coleophora Hübner, 1822 species from Morocco. Part I (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae), Zootaxa 5374 (2), pp. 151-195 : 173-174

Coleophora knudi Tabell , sp. nov.

Barcode Index Number: BOLD:AEK8084

Figs. 15, 28, 50

Type material. Holotype ♂ (GP 5807 J. Tabell, DNA sample 27131 Lepid Phyl) Morocco, Anti-Atlas: Souss-Massa-Drâa, Idikl 16 km E Tafraoute [29.7298 N 8.8459 W], 1580 m, 8.–10.III.2017, C. Hviid, O. Karsholt, K. Larsen [&] D. Nilsson [leg]. http://id.luomus.fi/GBT.22 (coll. MZH).

Diagnosis. Similar to many Coleophora species, which share the same wing pattern, and the study of genitalia is indispensable for correct identification. Male genitalia are characteristic and no similar species is known. They remotely resemble those of C. adlecta Baldizzone, 1994, known from Iran, but the pedunculum, the sacculus and the phallotheca are longer and of different shape, the cucullus is markedly smaller and the cornuti are more numerous. Female of C. knudi is unknown.

Molecular data. Holotype specimen was sequenced successfully, resulting in a 654 bp barcode. The nearest neighbour to C. knudi is C. stenidella , with a 3.81 % divergence. Genetic distance to C. adlecta is 5.99 %.

Description. Adult. In worn condition. Wing 5.5 mm. Antenna white, annulated with dark brown. Scape brown, not tufted. Labial palp brown, second article dirty white. Head and thorax brown. Forewing brown with scattered dark brown and ochreous scales and white stripes along main veins. Fringe cilia brown, apically paler. Hindwing not visible.

Male genitalia. Gnathos knob oval. Tegumen narrow, constricted medially, reinforced by a sclerotized ”I”, pedunculum long, arched. Transtilla narrow, wedge-shaped. Valvula broader than cucullus, weakly delineated, ventral margin rounded. Cucullus small, tapered basally. Sacculus long, well sclerotized; ventral margin folded, lateral margin oblique, lined with a few small teeth or nodules, dorsocaudal angle with a small protuberance. Vinculum broad. Phallotheca robust; basal part very long, almost parallel-sided; two narrow, sclerotized rods of slightly different length basally fused, apically branched and slightly upcurved; shorter rod blunt, longer rod apically tapered. Vesica with 4–5 small spiniform cornuti, grouped into a tight bundle.

Abdominal structures. Tergal latero-posterior bar short. Transverse bar narrow, slightly curved, proximal edge evenly sclerotized, distal edge broadly sclerotized. Tergal sclerite 4x as long as wide, covered with 25 conical spines (on T3).

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology. Early stages unknown.

Distribution. Morocco, known only from the type locality.

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Knud Larsen, who was a participant of the Danish collecting expedition to Morocco.