Istrianis arenicolella ( Caradja, 1920 )

Bidzilya, Oleksiy & Karsholt, Ole, 2015, Revision of the genus Istrianis Meyrick, 1918 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) with special regard to the Palaearctic region, Zootaxa 4059 (3), pp. 401-445 : 412-415

2. Istrianis arenicolella ( Caradja, 1920) sp. rev.

Teleia myricariella var. arenicolella Caradja, 1920:104 .

Telphusa myricariella var. arenicolella ( Frey, 1870) : Gaede 1937: 129. Telphusa myricariella ( Frey, 1870) : Park 1996: 64, fig. 22. Teleia amilcarella Lucas, 1933: 199 . Syn. n.

Material examined. Lectotype of arenicolella: Sex unknown [see Notes below), lectotype Biskra, 25.v.07, Chrétien | Lectotype, Teleia myricariella v. arenicolella , ♂, Car., des. Dr. A. Popescu-Gorj. [No. 176411, slide 4211, K.T. Park, 1996] ( MGAB). Paralectotypes: ♀, Biskra, 24.v.07, Chrétien | Allolectotype, Teleia myricariella v. arenicolella , ♀, Car., des. Dr. Popescu-Gorj, Romania ( MGAB); 1♂, Biskra, 22.v.07, Chrétien | Romania, Muzeul Ist. Nat. "Gr. Antipa" | Lectotypoid, Teleia myricariella v. arenicolella, Car. , des. Dr. Popescu-Gorj ( MGAB); ♂, Biskra, 22.v.07, Chrétien | Tamarix , 22.5.0 7 | 128 | Lectotypoid, Teleia myricariella v. arenicolella, Car. , des. Dr. Popescu-Gorj (gen. slide 99/13, O. Bidzilya) ( MGAB); 1♀, Biskra, 24.v.07, Chrétien | Lectotypoid, Teleia myricariella v. arenicolella, Car. , des. Dr. Popescu-Gorj (gen. slide 68/13, O. Bidzilya) ( MGAB); 1♀, Biskra, 26.v.07, Chrétien | Lectotypoid, Teleia myricariella v. arenicolella, Car. , des. Dr. Popescu-Gorj (gen. slide 68/13, O. Bidzilya) ( MGAB); 1♀, Biskra, 26.v.07, Chrétien | Lectotypoid, Teleia myricariella v. arenicolella, Car. , des. Dr. Popescu-Gorj (gen. slide 64/13, O. Bidzilya) (all MGAB).

Holotype of amilcarella ♂, Tunis, Juine 1926 | Teleia amilcarella D. Luc., Bull. Soc. Ent. Fr., 1933 , p. 199 | T. amilcarella, Dan. Lucas | Type in B. de la Ste Entomol de France, 12.vii.1933 | Type | Museum Paris coll. D. Lucas, 1952 | Genitalia: K. Sattler, 374c ( MNHN).

Other material. Algeria: 2♂, 4♀, Biskra, 87 m (MFN); 1♀, Biskra, Tamarix sp., Shoots iv, ex. 24.v.1903, Wlsm., 88771 | Walsingham Coll. 1910-427 ( BMNH).

France: 8♂, 17♀, Hernault, Frontignan, sea lev., la. 30.v.2004, Tamarix gallica (Karsholt) (gen. slide 265/14♀, O.Bidzilya, 4858, 4915, H. Hendriksen) ( ZMUC); 1♂, S. France, Stgr., 1897, 6802 (B.M. gen. slide 23291) ( BMNH); 4♀, Cannes ( ZMUC).

Spain: 2♂, 1♀, Chiclana m., 80, ex coll. Staudinger (gen. slide Bidzilya 263/12♀; 268/ 12 ♂) (MFN); 1♂, 1♀, Prov. Almeira, 1 km W of Tabernas, Rambla de Tabernas, 230 m, 8–20.ix.1992 (Schepler) (gen. slide GU 99/873 Huemer♂,); 5♂, 4♀, same data but 400 m, 31.vii.2003 (Skou); 1♀, same data but 4 km W Tabernas, 350 m, 13– 14.ix.2009 (Skou); 3♂, 5♀, Prov. Almeira, 37°01'41''N, 2°25'42''W, Rambla, 5 km SW Tabenas, 2.ix. 2001, 350 m (Skule & Hviid) (gen. slide 268/ 14♂, 269/14♀, O. Bidzilya); 2♂, 4♀, same data but 380 m, 6–8.vii.2007 (Jeppesen); 1♂, prov. Almeria, Cabo de Gata, 10 m, 16. –17.iv.2001 (Skou & Skule); 1♀, same but, 5 m, 30.v.2006 (Skou); 1♂, 2♀, prov. Huesca, 8 km S Candasnos, Barranca de Valcuerna, 175 m, 17.viii.2001 (Hviid, Skou & Skule) (gen. slide 5518, Hendriksen); 1♀, same data but 15.vii.2003 (Skule); 1♂, same data but 250 m, 16.vii.2003 (Skule) (gen. slide 255/14♀, O. Bidzilya); 1♂, prov. Huesca, El Planeron, at Codo Belchite, 250 m, 16.vii.2003 (Skule); 1♂, prov. Granada, Sierra del Chaparral, 900 m, 8–12.vii.2007 (Jeppesen) (all ZMUC).

Adult ( Figs 8–15 ). Wingspan 11.0–13.0 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae whitish with brown-tipped scales; labial palpus white with brown medial and subapical rings, upperside and inner surface white; scape brown mottled with grey; antennal segments brown with narrow grey rings. Forewing creamy, densely mottled with black, especially in subapical area; base blackish grey, darkest at outer margin from ¼ of dorsal margin to 1/3 at costal margin; a diffuse black spot at 2/3 on costal margin and a smaller one at 1/3; two patches of black raised scales in the middle of cell; paired black spots surrounded by orange at 2/3 near dorsal margin; an orange spot at base; two larger diffuse orange spots, sometimes with black scales inside, at about middle of costa and 1/3 of dorsum; scattered orange scales below base of costal margin and in subapical area; cilia light grey, brown-tipped; hindwing light brown with grey cilia.

Variation. Head varies from white to light grey; the paired black spots at 2/3 near dorsal margin may be fused; the larger orange spots can be nearly merged in some specimens and form a diffuse oblique orange stripe from about middle of costa to 1/3 of dorsum.

Male genitalia ( Figs 54, 56 , 60 ). Distal portion of tergite VIII tongue-shaped, two times longer than broad, tapered in distal half, apex rounded, anteromedial emargination subtriangular, its distal portion quadrate, clearly separated from basal portion; uncus prolonged, slightly longer than gnathos, about two times narrower than gnathos in its basal third; gnathos distinctly broadened at 1/3 length, then gradually narrowed towards strongly sclerotized pointed apex, apical hook very small; tegumen subtriangular, lateral lobes broad; cucullus very slender, straight, slightly shorter than phallus; phallus tubular, apex weakly tapered.

Female genitalia ( Figs 84–86 , 111–113 ). Segment VIII longer than broad; anterior margin weakly emarginated anteriorly; posterior margin with deep medial incision; posterior subostial sclerite drop-shaped; subostial folds strongly edged; anterior sclerite narrow, digitate; ostium opening rounded; antrum funnel-shaped; ductus bursae long, gradually widened towards globular corpus bursae; signum subhexagonal, longer than broad, finely serrated, medial ridge narrow.

Diagnosis. I. arenicolella is very similar externally to I. myricariella ; for differences see under that species. Besides the morphological differences it should be verified if these two species differ in biology, viz. that the larva of I. myricariella feeds inside shoots of its host plant, whereas the larva of I. arenicolella feeds between spun shoots.

Biology. The larvae feed between spun together shoots of Tamarix gallica L. and probably other Tamarix species ( Tamaricaceae ). Adults have been observed from the last third of May to mid-October.

Distribution. Algeria, France, Spain (new record).

Notes. Teleia myricariella var. arenicolella was described from seven specimens (2 males and 5 females) collected in Biskra ( Algeria). The lectotype was designated by Popescu-Gorj (1992). Later it was re-examined by Park (1996), who recognized it as a female, figured its genitalia and synonymized it with I. myricariella . The lectotype does not bear a label to indicate that a slide with the genitalia was made by K.T. Park. Moreover the slide label indicates that the specimen (lectotype) is a male, although female genitalia are on the slide (M. Stanescu, pers. comm.). So it remains unclear whether the lectotype is male (as stated on all labels) or female (according to the genitalia slide made by Park).

We were able to study one male and two females from the type series. The female genitalia of paralectotypes fit well with those of the female lectotype (?) figured by Park (1996). Both male and female genitalia differ from those of I. myricariella and other Istrianis species and confirm the suggestion by Huemer & Karsholt (1999) about the erroneous synonymy of Teleia myricariella var. arenicolella Caradja, 1920 with I. myricariella . Based on these data we recall arenicolella from synonymy and re-instate it as a valid species: I. arenicolella ( Caradja, 1920) sp. rev.

Teleia amilcarella was described from an unstated number of specimens (probably one), collected in Tunisia in June 1926 ( Lucas 1933). It is listed as a synonym of I. myricariella [spp.] arenicolella by Beccaloni et al. (2005), and this is formalized here.

Both male and female genitalia of two specimens from Chiclana ( Spain) which have been labelled as myricariella , match specimens of I. arenicolella from Biskra. The moths, however, differ in more uniformly greyish forewing with reduced orange spots. Moreover the female looks more broadly winged.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 21. Adults of Istrianis species. 1 — I. myricariella, ♂, LT, Germany (B. M. gen. slide 7302); 2 — I. myricariella, ♂, Germany (gen. slide 98 / 13, O. Bidzilya); 3 — I. myricariella, ♂, Bulgaria (gen. slide 270 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 4 — I. myricariella, ♂, Greece (gen. slide 197 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 5 — I. myricariella, ♀, Spain (gen. slide 255 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 6 — I. myricariella, ♂, Spain (gen. slide 260 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 7 — I. myricariella, ♀, Tunisia (gen. slide 271 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 8 — I. arenicolella, ♂, PLT, Algeria (gen. slide 99 / 13, O. Bidzilya); 9 — I. arenicolella, ♀, Algeria; 10 — I. arenicolella, ♀, France; 11 — I. arenicolella, ♀, Spain (gen. slide 263 / 12); 12 — I. arenicolella, ♂, Spain (gen. slide 268 / 12, O. Bidzilya); 13 — I. arenicolella, ♂ (amilcarella, HT), Tunisia (gen. slide 374 c, K. Sattler); 14 — I. arenicolella, ♂, Tunisia (gen. slide 276 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 15 — I. arenicolella, ♀, Spain (gen. slide 269 / 14); 16 — I. pseudomyricariella, ♀, HT, Kyrgyzstan (gen. slide 70 / 11, O. Bidzilya); 17 — I. pseudomyricariella, ♀, PT, Kyrgyzstan (gen. slide 11 / 13, O. Bidzilya); 18 — I. pseudomyricariella, ♂, Greece (gen. slide 96 / 592, P. Huemer); 19 — I. nilssoni, ♀, HT, Greece (gen. slide 5519, H. Hendriksen); 20 — I. nilssoni, ♂, PT, Greece (gen. slide 254 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 21 — I. nilssoni, ♂, PT, Greece (gen. slide 5543, H. Hendriksen).

FIGURES 53 – 56. Male genitalia of Istrianis species. 53 — I. myricariella, Germany, LT (B. M. gen. slide 7302); 54 — I. arenicolella, France (gen. slide B. M. 23291); 55 — I. myricariella, Bulgaria (gen. slide 270 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 56 — I. arenicolella, PLT, Biskra (gen. slide 99 / 13, O. Bidzilya).

FIGURES 57 – 62. Male genitalia of Istrianis species. 57 — I. myricariella, Tunisia (gen. slide 276 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 58 — I. myricariella, Turkey (gen. slide 6112, H. Hendriksen); 59 — I. myricariella, Spain (gen. slide 260 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 60 — I. arenicolella, Spain (gen. slide 268 / 12, O. Bidzilya); 61 — I. pseudomyricariella, Greece (gen. slide 96 / 592, P. Huemer); 62 — I. nilssoni, Greece (gen. slide 5543, H. Hendriksen).

FIGURES 84 – 86. Female genitalia of Istrianis species. 84 — I. arenicolella, PLT, Algeria (gen. slide 64 / 13, O. Bidzilya); 85 — I. arenicolella, Spain (gen. slide 263 / 12, O. Bidzilya); 86 — I. arenicolella, Spain (gen. slide 269 / 14, O. Bidzilya).

FIGURES 108 – 125. Female genitalia of Istrianis species, sternite VIII. 108 — I. myricariella, Germany (B. M. gen. slide 6255); 109 — I. myricariella, Bulgaria (gen. slide 179 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 110 — I. myricariella, Tunisia (gen. slide 271 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 111 — I. arenicolella, PLT, Algeria (gen. slide 64 / 13, O. Bidzilya); 112 — I. arenicolella, Spain (gen. slide 263 / 12, O. Bidzilya); 113 — I. arenicolella, Spain (gen. slide 269 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 114 — I. pseudomyricariella, PT, Kyrgyzstan (gen. slide 11 / 13, O. Bidzilya); 115 — I. pseudomyricariella, HT, Kyrgyzstan (gen. slide 70 / 11, O. Bidzilya); 116 — I. pseudomyricariella, PT, Tadzhikistan (gen. slide 351 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 117 — I. nilssoni, HT, Greece (gen. slide 5519, H. Hendriksen); 118 — I. nilssoni, PT, Greece (gen. slide 6147, H. Hendriksen); 119 — I. kravchenkoi, PT, Greece (gen. slide 5947, H. Hendriksen); 120 — I. wachtlii, Egypt (gen. slide 62 / 10, O. Bidzilya); 121 — I. brucinella, Egypt (gen. slide 266 / 12, O. Bidzilya); 122 — I. brucinella, Pakistan (gen. slide 185 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 123 — I. sattleri, PT, Pakistan (B. M. gen. slide 14359); 124 — I. armatus, PT, Pakistan (gen. slide 568 / 14, O. Bidzilya); 125 — I. femoralis, Kyrgyzstan (gen. slide 100 / 13, O. Bidzilya);