Elachista puplesisi, Sruoga, 2000

Kaila, Lauri & Sruoga, Virginijus, 2014, Definition of the Elachista puplesisi Sruoga complex (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Elachistidae), with description of a new species, Zootaxa 3821 (5), pp. 583-589 : 584

Position of E. puplesisi group in

Elachista

The placement of the E. puplesisi group in subg. Atachia is supported by a number of characters, yet some are in conflict with those of most other constituent species. The shape of the male valva with the structure of costa and the narrow, longitudinal membranous window without dorsal reinforcement is typical of Atachia . The structure of the gnathos, with the basal arms mesially not fused, precludes the placement of E. puplesisi group to sg. Aphelosetia . Presence of a well-developed, bilobed uncus suggests that puplesisi group does not belong to subgenera Dibrachia or Hemiprosopa , which both also possess other characteristic features that the E. puplesisi group lacks (cf. Sinev 1998; Sinev & Sruoga 1992; Kaila 2005, Kaila et al. 2003). Lack of the twist formed by the distal fold of the valval costa and cucullus, as well as the lack of sclerotised reinforcement along the valval window preclude the placement to subg. Elachista . Even if not a ‘real character’, the general facies of the male genitalia, much dictated by a similar shape of the juxtal lobes, and similarly erect and straight basal arms of the gnathos, are different from other Elachista , but closely similar to other species of subg. Atachia , notably the Palaearctic E. pigerella (Herrich- Schäffer, 1854), E. olgae (Sinev, 1992) , and many Australian species (Kaila 2011).

There is a narrow and spinose zone laterad of the ostium bursae in the female genitalia that characterizes the subg. Atachia . Unfortunately the female of neither species of the E. puplesisi group is known. When discovered, the female genital morphology could shed further light on the position of this group.

Characteristic features of the E. puplesisi group include the short and broad wing shape (Figs 1, 2) the lack of the digitate process (Figs 11, 12), and setae on the ventral surface of the uncus lobes instead of scales (Figs 10, 11). Within Atachia uncus setae occur also in the Palaearctic E. regificella group and in the Australian E. melanthes complex of the E. gerasmia group ( Kaila & Sugisima 2011). Also the indistinctly fading distal portion of the costal lobe, with no twist with the cucullus, is similar to the latter complex. The valval process is weakly developed, with no sclerotised connection to juxta lobes. The valva is generally short and broad (Figs 11, 12). In conclusion, the combination of characters supports the placement of E. puplesisi group in Elachista subg. Atachia , but no likely candidate for closest relative within the subgenus can at present be suggested.