Eulamprotes mirusella Huemer & Karsholt

Huemer, Peter, Elsner, Gustav & Karsholt, Ole, 2013, Review of the Eulamprotes wilkella species-group based on morphology and DNA barcodes, with descriptions of new taxa (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), Zootaxa 3746 (1), pp. 69-100 : 79-81

Eulamprotes mirusella Huemer & Karsholt sp. nov.

Examined material. Holotype. ♂. “ Gallia mer. Digne 600 m 2.- 5.6.1959 K.Burmann” (TLMF).

Paratypes. France: 3♂, same data as holotype [1 specimen without abdomen] (LNK, ZMUC); 1♂, Dep. Alpes de Haute-Provence, Saint Fasser.(?), cocoon under stone 11.v.1901, emerged 12.vi.1901, leg. Chrétien (MNHP); 1♀, Digne, La Colle, leg. Chrétien, gen. slide GU 13/1362 P. Huemer (MNHP); 1♂, Dep. Alpes Maritimes, Bonson, 500 m, 9.vii.1975, leg. Dujardin [without abdomen] (TLMF); 1♂, Dep. Alpes Maritimes, Col de Ferrier, 1040 m, 22.vii.1977, leg. Dujardin (TLMF); 2♂, Dep. Alpes Maritimes, St. Barnabé, 950 m, 14.viii.1953, leg. Dujardin (TLMF); 1♂, Dep. Alpes Maritimes, St. Vallier, 700 m, 6.ix.1972, leg. Dujardin (TLMF); 2♂, Dep. Alpes Maritimes, St. Martin-Vésubie, 1000 m, 27.vii.2006, leg. Skou (ZMUC).

DESCRIPTION.—Adult ( Figs 9–10 ). Male. Wingspan 9–10 mm. Segment 2 of labial palpus black with some cream-white on inner surface and distal end; segment 3 cream-white with black apical part. Antenna ringed black and white to tip. Head light yellow with a black line around eye; thorax and tegula black. Forewing black with silvery markings: an oblique fascia from 1/6 at costa to 1/5 at fold; a spot at middle of costa and another spot just below it in middle of the wing; pre-apical cream-white costal spot with silvery base not connected with tornal spot; termen with silvery scales around apex; cilia blackish, whitish grey at tip of apex. Hindwing about as broad as forewing, grey. Abdomen blackish grey with yellowish tip.

Female. Wingspan 8 mm. Labial palpus cream-white; segment 2 black on basal two-thirds of outer surface; segment 3 with black apical tip. Antenna ringed black and grey to tip. Head cream-white; thorax and tegula black. Forewing with pre-apical costal spot silvery (not bicoloured); cilia white around apex. Hindwing lanceolate, about three-fifths length of forewing. Abdomen black; posterior part of posterior segments silvery white; tip creamwhite. Otherwise similar to male.

Variation. The central fascia of the forewing can be more or less distinctly divided. The colour of the forewing markings has a slight bluish shade in fresh specimens.

Male genitalia ( Figs 28–29 ).—Segment VIII with two pairs of coremata in intersegmental membrane, grouped into short tufts of moderately broad and lanceolate scales, respectively. Uncus reduced to tiny process with few short setae; tegumen short, sub-rectangular, a sclerotized belt (gnathos) connects the dorsolateral corners of the tegumen, from these corners two very long and rather stout setae are arising, anterior margin nearly straight, pedunculi very small; valva massive, basally broad, with convex mediodorsal (outer) and nearly straight ventral (inner) margin, distal part gradually tapered; separate plate-like sclerite at base of valva, covered with few setae; sacculus a distinct setose lobe; saccus about as long as distance from anterior margin of vinculum to tip of valva, basally moderately broad, distally evenly tapered; phallus broadly sub-fusiform, distal part gradually constricted to distinctly tapered apical fifth, about one-third of maximum width of its anterior part; vesica with a number of small grains.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 53 ).—Apophysis posterioris slender, rod-shaped, nearly four times as long as segment VIII; segment VIII with evenly and smoothly sclerotized posteriolateral part, otherwise membranous; ostium bursae laterally with sclerotized folds; apophysis anterioris slender, rod-shaped, about 2.5 times as long as segment VIII; ductus bursae long and slender, posterior half with slender, oblong sclerite extending beyond apex of apophysis anterioris, anterior half membranous, gradually expanded; corpus bursae sub-oval, large; signum a large sub-triangular plate, anterior edge slightly emarginated with distinct spinal process.

DIAGNOSIS.— E. mirusella sp. nov. is characterized by the markings of the forewings being clear silvery (with a slight bluish shade), by having the central fascia separated into two spots, and by having the antennae ringed black and white all the way to the tip. It is very similar to E. baldizzonei sp. nov., but that species has a darker frons and the distal third of the antenna is greyish white with only indistinctly darker rings. It can also be confused with the larger E. libertinella but that species has more whitish forewing markings and the central block is never divided. The female of E. mirusella sp. nov. has similarly reduced hindwings as the female of E. occidentella . However, the latter has the apical quarter of the antenna white. The male genitalia are similar to those of other species of the genus with reduced uncus and evenly tapered valva such as E. baldizzonei sp. nov. and E. occidentella but differ particularly in the massive shape of the valva. The female genitalia differ from those of most other species with known females in the singular anterior spine of the signum, from the overall similar E. occidentella in the sub-triangular shape of the signum and the longer spine.

GENETIC DATA.—No genetic data available.

DISTRIBUTION.—Hitherto only known from the south-western part of the French Alps.

BIOLOGY.—Host-plant and early stages unknown. Adults have been collected from early June to early September indicating possible bivoltinism. One specimen was bred from a cocoon found under a stone in May. The few records known to date are from lower mountain areas, ranging from about 500 to 1040 m.

REMARKS.—One paratype has an additional label “ mirosella ” which is probably a manuscript name from the collector, P. Chrétien. It was apparently not published.

The two specimens from Dep. Alpes Maritimes, St. Martin-Vésubie were listed as E. libertinella by Huemer & Karsholt (2011).

ETYMOLOGY.—The species name refers to a manuscript name created by Chrétien and is derived from the Latin adjective mirus, equivalent to admirable.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 12. Adults of Eulamprotes spp. 1, E. wilkella (Zeller), ♂ (Italy); 2, ditto, ♂ (Great Britain, England); 3, ditto, ♀ (Italy); 4, E. ochricapilla (Rebel), ♂ (Italy); 5, ditto, ♀ (Austria); 6, E. superbella (Zeller), ♂ (Austria); 7, ditto, ♂ (Italy); 8, ditto, ♀ (Denmark); 9, E. mirusella sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (France); 10, ditto, paratype, ♀ (France); 11, E. baldizzonei sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (Italy); 12, ditto, paratype, ♂ (Italy). Scale bar = 2 mm.

FIGURES 28 – 33. Male genitalia of Eulamprotes spp. 28, E. mirusella sp. nov., holotype, (France) gen. slide GEL 1196 P. Huemer; 29, ditto, phallus; 30, E. baldizzonei sp. nov., paratype, (Italy) gen. slide GEL 1197 P. Huemer; 31, ditto, phallus; 32, E. occidentella Huemer & Karsholt, paratype, (Italy) gen. slide GEL 1143 P. Huemer; 33, ditto, phallus.

FIGURES 52 – 53. Female genitalia of Eulamprotes spp. 52, E. superbella (Zeller), (Denmark) gen. slide GU 13 / 1343 P. Huemer; 53, E. mirusella sp. nov., paratype, (France) gen. slide GU 13 / 1362 P. Huemer.