Megacraspedus niphorrhoa (Meyrick, 1926) Junnilainen, Jari, Karsholt, Ole, Nupponen, Kari, Kaitila, Jari-Pekka, Nupponen, Timo & Olschwang, Vladimir, 2010

Junnilainen, Jari, Karsholt, Ole, Nupponen, Kari, Kaitila, Jari-Pekka, Nupponen, Timo & Olschwang, Vladimir, 2010, The gelechiid fauna of the southern Ural Mountains, part II: list of recorded species with taxonomic notes (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) 2367, Zootaxa 2367 (1), pp. 1-68 : 14-16

Megacraspedus niphorrhoa (Meyrick, 1926) comb. n.

Figs. 8, 11 & 14

Trichembola niphorrhoa Meyrick, 1926

Burannoe 12.VI.2001 (1♂); Chalk Hills 03–07.VI.1998 (44♂♂), 10–11.VI.2001 (4♂♂); Sakmara river 20– 21.VI.1996 (30♂♂, 2♀); Verbljuska 12.VI.1998 (1♂). Genitalia slides: J. Junnilainen prep. no. 02012101, 02012102, 02012401, 02012402, 02022602; K. Nupponen 2/ 21.X.2008 (1♂) .

Type material studied. Trichembola niphorrhoa Meyr. labelled ‘‘Inderskia, Uralsk. C. 17.6.07.; ♂ gen. TYPE #8208 ; 22.X.48 J.F.G.C.” ( BMNH).

Remarks. According to the prolonged, almost straight labial palps and the morphology of the male genitalia being close to M. balneariellus (Chrétien, 1907) , niphorrhoa belongs to Megacraspedus and is related to M. balneariellus . The original description of M. niphorrhoa is based on a single male specimen collected from Uralsk, and our records are the first ones since then. A re-description of the species is given below.

Description of male (Fig. 8). Wingspan 17–20 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae pale ochreous, scattered white scales around eye. Antenna brown with very short white cilia. Pecten a row of few hairscales. Labial palp long and slightly curved downwards, mixed with pale brown-tipped and whitish hairscales. Abdomen and legs pale ochreous, often mixed with pale brownish scales. Forewing ground colour white, densely scattered with white, dark brown-tipped and some yellowish scales. Forewing with two longitudinal yellowish lines: narrow along fold and distinct at midwing; fringe pale brown at basal half, distally darker. Hindwing pale fuscous, slightly glossy; fringe with pale ochreous hue. Female similar to male, but smaller on average (wingspan 16–17 mm), antenna without cilia and wings somewhat paler.

Male genitalia (Fig. 11). Uncus 1.3x as long as wide, distal margin rounded. Gnathos hook moderately short and robust, strongly sclerotized, gradually curving upwards and tapering towards pointed apex. Tegumen twice longer than wide, anterior margin deeply concave with U-shaped medial incision. Pedunculi subtriangular with rounded apex. Valva extending to distal margin of uncus, clavate, basally broad with cleft at both lateral margins, tapering at middle, apex relatively broad and rounded. Posterior margin of vinculum extended and medially concave. Saccus subtriangular, lateral margins concave, apex pointed. Aedeagus stout, as long as valva; caecum broad and roundish, distal 0.7 rod-shaped with stripe-like longitudinal folds laterally and three minute spines subapically, apex rather broad and rounded.

Female genitalia (Fig. 14). Papillae anales subtriangular. Apophyses posteriores 2.5–2.6 mm, apophyses anteriores 1.3–1.4 mm. Subostial plate subquadrangular and large. Ostium subtriangular with sclerotized margins, posteriorly elongate and acute angled, anteriorly rounded. Antrum tubular and unevenly sclerotized. Ductus bursae gradually widening towards corpus bursae. Corpus bursae an elliptical sack; signum suboval dentate and convex plate.

Distribution. Russia (S Ural), Kazakhstan (Uralsk).

Remarks. This species is new to Russia.