Coelopoeta Walsingham, 1907

Kaila, Lauri, 2024, A review of Coelopoetinae (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Pterolonchidae), a moth subfamily confined to western North America, with descriptions of seven new species, Zootaxa 5458 (3), pp. 361-384 : 366-367

Genus Coelopoeta Walsingham, 1907

Coelopoeta Walsingham, 1907: 217 .

Type species: Coelopoeta glutinosi Walsingham, 1907 , by monotypy.

Diagnosis. As for the diagnosis of Coelopoetinae .

Taxonomy. Morphology (wing pattern, male genitalia) as well as differences in DNA barcodes separate the Coelopoeta glutinosi and C. fissurina species groups. Eight of the species here recognized belong to the morphologically uniform C. glutinosi species group. The remaining two species, C. fissurina and C. valalbui , are markedly different from C. glutinosi and its relatives, in external appearance, male genitalia and DNA barcodes, yet they are similar to each other. The differences between these species groups are so significant that the C. fissurina species group will likely merit its own genus, to be consistent with other gelechioid genera. In the present context a new genus is not described to denote the C. fissurina species group as only adult males are known of the two species.

In general, the differences among of the species of the C. glutinosi species group are minor, with only C. maiadella , both male and female of C. aprica , and female of C. fulminea being quite straightforward (see the key and the diagnoses of the species below). The males of most other species differ from each other by the shape of the termen of the valva, in combination with one or another character. The examination of the male genitalia is challenging because of their capsule-like shape that requires examination from different orientations before mounting them in permanent slides, as well as of their very small size compared to many other Lepidoptera . In the present work, the male genitalia are shown in ventral aspect with the phallus omitted, and in lateral aspect with the juxta and one of the valvae omitted. For purposes of illustrations, this is done to avoid clutter caused by multiple layers of structures on top of each other. Certainly, this leads to compromises, especially regarding the shape of the phallus as it is shown only in lateral aspect. However, it seems that few diagnostic characters are lost when applying this practice. The permanent slides of the males were mounted in lateral position, as the present author considers this projection to display the diagnostic features best. Nevertheless, permanent mounting will inevitably cause the loss of visibility of some potentially diagnostic characters, unless viewed with special equipment such as a CT scanner.

The characters of the whole subfamily, as diagnosed above, are not repeated in species diagnoses and descriptions unless relevant in context.

Keys to the species

Keys to males

0 Uncus bifurcate; base of phallus markedly swollen ( Figs. 37, 38 )............................................... 1

- Uncus formed as undivided hook; base of phallus not swollen ( Figs. 29 – 36 )...................................... 2

1. Forewing colour off-white, peppered with grey-tipped scales; termen of valva produced medially; in ventral view apex of valva level with apex of uncus; a few stout teeth at apex of phallus ( Figs. 28 , 38 )............................... C. valalbui

- Forewing ground colour formed of intermixed white and grey scales; termen of valva straight; in ventral view apex of valva level with base of uncus; apex of phallus without teeth ( Figs. 27 , 37 )................................... C. fissurina

2. Phallus nearly two times as long as valva ( Fig. 30 )................................................... C. aprica

- Phallus at most 1.5 times as long as valva.................................................................. 3

3. Forewing with varying amount of distally narrowly dark brown - nearly black scales giving a peppered appearance ( Figs. 5 – 10 ); valva distally distinctly narrower than basally ( Fig. 29 )........................................ C. glutinosi

- Forewing without distally narrowly dark brown - nearly black scales; valva entirely or nearly parallel-sided............. 4

4. Scales of forewing unicolorous, or their distal part ochreous to brown, this darker part occupying at least half of the scales; termen of valva laterally with folds or swellings; caecum of phallus without projection of manica..................... 5

- Forewing ground colour leaden grey; termen of valva without folds or swellings; caecum of phallus distally with a projection of manica ( Figs. 26 , 36 )...................................................................... C. maiadella

5. Forewing ground colour white to orange brown; termen of valva with folds or swellings laterally..................... 6

6. Tegumen subspherical, in lateral view as high as width of valva ( Fig. 34 )................................ C. alboflava

- In lateral view tegumen lower than width of valva........................................................... 7

7. Tegumen longer than uncus as measured from dorsoposterior corner of tegumen ( Fig. 33 ).................. C. fulminea

- Tegumen at most as long as uncus as measured from dorsoposterior corner of tegumen.............................. 8

8. Uncus apically curved; termen of valva costally with a small extension ( Fig. 35 )............................ C. sariae

- Apex of uncus apically nearly evenly bent; termen of valva without extension..................................... 9

9. Phallus straight, caecum not dilated; termen of valva with distinctive foldings and dilation ( Fig. 31 ).......... C. phaceliae

- Phallus bent at basal 1/3, caecum bulbous; termen of valva with only a weak oblique fold ( Fig. 32 )............. C. aurora

Key to females based on genitalia

The female of only five species are known, all of them belonging to the C. glutinosi group. For further characters useful in distinguishing the known species their diagnoses should be consulted.

1. Colliculum bulbous ( Fig. 39 )................................................................... C. glutinosi

- Colliculum more or less tubular......................................................................... 2

2. Sternum 8 with pair of setose lobes ( Fig. 40 )......................................................... C. aprica

- Posterior margin of sternum 8 setose but without distinct lobes................................................. 3

3. Antrum only narrowly sclerotized along posterior margin ( Fig. 42 )...................................... C. aurora

- Antrum entirely sclerotized, funnel-shaped................................................................ 4

4. Two signa in corpus bursae; border between antrum and colliculum constricted ( Fig. 43 )................... C. fulminea

- One signum in corpus bursae; border between antrum and colliculum not constricted ( Fig. 41 )............... C. phaceliae

Figures

FIGURE 43. Female genitalia of C. fulminea sp. nov., in ventral view. British Columbia, Manning, L. Kaila prep. 6357.

FIGURES 29–38. Male genitalia of Coelopoeta spp. Above lateral view with juxta and one valva excluded; below ventral view, with phallus excluded. Figure 29. C. glutinosi Walsingham. Figure 30: C. aprica sp. nov., holotype; Figure 31: C. phaceliae Kaila, California, Nevada Co.; Figure 32: C. aurora sp. nov., holotype; Figure 33: C. fulminea sp. nov., holotype; Figure 34: C. alboflava sp. nov., holotype; Figure 35: C. sariae sp. nov., holotype; Figure 36: C. maiadella sp. nov., holotype; Figure 37: C. fissurina sp. nov., holotype; 38: C. valalbui sp. nov., holotype.

FIGURES 23–28. Habitus of Coelopoeta spp.All images at the same scale as the first image. Figure 23: C. fulminea sp. nov., ♀, paratype, Canada, British Columbia, Manning Park; Figure 24: C. alboflava sp. nov., ♂, holotype; Figure 25: C. sariae sp. nov. ♂, holotype; Figure 26: C. maiadella Kaila, ♂, holotype; Figure 27: C. fissurina sp. nov., ♂, holotype; Figure 28. C. valalbui, ♂, holotype.

FIGURES 5–10. Habitus of Coelopoeta glutinosi Walsingham. All images at the same scale as the first image. Figure 5: ♂, California, Marin County; Figure 6: ♂, California, Los Angeles County; Figure 7: ♀, California, Solano County; Figure 8: ♂, California, Ventura County; Figure 9: ♀, California, Monterey County; Figure 10: ♀, California, Los Angeles County.

FIGURES 39–42. Female genitalia of Coelopoeta spp., in ventral view. Figure 39: C. glutinosi Walsingham, Los Angeles County, L. Kaila prep. 6027; Figure 40: C. aprica sp. nov., paratype, California, San Diego County, L. Kaila prep. 6029; Figure 41: C. phaceliae Kaila, paratype, California, San Mateo County, L. Kaila prep. 6026; Figure 42: C. aurora sp. nov., paratype, Colorado, Gilpin County, L. Kaila prep. 6734.