Caulastrocecis interstratella (Christoph, 1873) 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 : 11

Caulastrocecis interstratella (Christoph, 1873) comb. n.

Figs. 4 & 5

Aristotelia interstratella (Christoph, 1873)

Aristotelia salinatrix Meyrick, 1926

Burannoe 03.VII.2003 (4♂♂); Burtinskij Step 12– 17.06.2001 (1♂); Chalk Hills 07.VI.1998 (1♂); 22.VI.1999 (9♂♂); 22.VI.1999 (2♂♂), 23.VI.1999 (2♂♂), 30.VI.2003 (1♂), 01.VII.2003 (2♂♂), 02.VII.2003 (7♂♂); Verbljushka 18.VI.1999 (1♂). Russia, Astrahan oblast, near Bogdo village , 03.VI.2001 (1♂). Genitalia slides: J. Junnilainen prep. no. 02012007; K. Nupponen 1–26.IV.2006 . Two further genitalia preparations preserved in glycerol.

Other material studied. labelled “Sarepta, 03.VII.1875 (1♂), Christoph leg.” ( BMNH); Turkey, Yesilhisar 5 km W, 20–21.VI.1999 (1♂), J. Junnilainen leg. Russia, Altai mountains, 50°16–20’N 87°50– 55’E, Kuraisky hrebet 2300 m, 13.VII.2001 (1♂), K. Nupponen leg.

Diagnosis. C. interstratella is placed in the genus Caulastrocesis based on details in the male genitalia such as a distally cut off valva with a small triangular process apically on the costal margin and a digitate saccus. C. interstratella can be separated from the other species of the genus by a distinct pattern of the forewings resembling that of the genera Gnorimoschema or Scrobipalpa . In the male genitalia, a distally broad valva with a rounded apex and a very narrow saccus separate C. interstratella from closely related species. Redescription of this poorly known species is given below.

Description (Fig. 4). Wingspan 12–14 mm. Labial palp rather short and slightly curved upward, dirty white except outer surface of segment II, which is distally pure white and otherwise dark brown mixed with a few whitish scales. Head and tegulae whitish mixed with brown-tipped scales. Collar white. Frontal part of head flat. Antenna white, distinctly ringed dark brown. Legs whitish with a few dark brown-tipped scales. Forewing ground colour whitish, dark brown-tipped scales forming the following pattern: oblique fascia at 1/ 6 and 2/6 from base, the latter cut off medially and dorsally; two roundish spots medially at 4/6 and 5/6; apex wide with scattered dark brown-tipped scales. Hindwing pale fuscous, fringe with three dark, indistinct longitudinal stripes.

Male genitalia (Fig. 5). Uncus square, distal margin slightly convex. Gnathos strongly sclerotized hook; basally bent 90°; distal part straight, subapically tapered, apex pointed upwards. Tegumen robust, twice wider than long. Valva broad, as long as tegumen and uncus together; apex rounded; costal margin almost straight; dorsal margin slightly concave; subapically with pointed triangular process; tip cut off. Sacculus well developed, thick, straight and setose, exceeding half of valva, apex rounded. Saccus thin, digitate, as long as sacculus. Aedeagus as long as sacculus and saccus together, basal half bulbous, distally tapered towards blunt and membranous apex.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Bionomy. The species seems to prefer calcareous habitats. The specimens were collected by sweeping at sunset and by artificial light at night. The habitat of the specimen from Turkey is a similar calcareous slope.

Distribution. Russia (S Ural, Lower Volga, Altai), C Turkey.

Remarks. The type locality of both C. interstratella (Christoph, 1873) and C. salinatrix (Meyrick, 1926) is in the vicinity of Volgograd (Sarepta), Russia. C. salinatrix was synonymized with C. interstratella by Piskunov (1990). More recently Park & Ponomarenko (2006) treated them as distinct species, but in the Russian catalogue Ponomarenko (2008) only lists C. interstratella (as Aristotelia intersratella ). Bidzilya (2002a) reported C. interstratella (as Aristotelia intersratella ) from southern Siberia. The specimens were reexamined and appear not to be conspecific with C. interstratella .