Elachista niphadophanes Meyrick, 1937

Kaila, Lauri & Huemer, Peter, 2024, Elachista dimicatella sensu auctt. — a complex of neglected species diversity (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae) from European mountain systems, ZooKeys 1212, pp. 179-194 : 179-194

Elachista niphadophanes Meyrick, 1937 sp. rev.

Elachista niphadophanes Meyrick, 1937: 100. Type locality: France, Forges d’Abel. Lectotype ♂, designated by Parenti (1972: 39) ( MNHN). Synonymized by Steuer (1976: 174). [pictures of adult and genitalia examined].

Material examined.

France • 2 ♂; Pyrenees Orientales, Mosset, Col de Jau ; 1450 m a. s. l.; 42.72 ° N, 2.25 ° E; 24 Jun. 1998 [one without abdomen]; genitalia slide 7419 JN; coll. Thierry Varenne • 1 ♂; Départment des Hautes-Pyrénees, Gripp, Col de Jau , Gripp; 42.96 ° N, 0.21 ° E; 8 Jul 1982; C. Gielis leg; MZH .

Diagnosis.

Elachista niphadophanes is overall very similar to E. dimicatella , but the known specimens are somewhat smaller than males of E. dimicatella . They differ by the distally lighter colour of the antenna and the broader median fascia of the forewing in E. niphadophanes . From the similar E. cottiella it furthermore differs by several characters, particularly the colour of the antenna, white tipped tegulae, larger extension and white colour of forewing markings, and the white termen of the forewing. In the male genitalia the most distinctive difference between E. niphadophanes and E. cottiella is the much larger phallus in E. cottiella . The male genitalia are similar to those of E. dimicatella , but the phallus is somewhat smaller in E. niphadophanes .

Redescription.

Habitus [based on two worn male specimens and figure of lectotype] (Fig. 4 ). Wingspan 8–9 mm. Labial palpus ascending, approximately as long as diameter of head, off-white to silvery grey above, fuscous below; 3 rd segment purely off-white. Head white; neck tuft creamy white, thorax dark grey, tegula in basal half dark grey, white in distal half. Antenna dark grey-brown in basal 2 / 5, distal part can be paler grey. Mid- and hindlegs outwards grey, inwards off-white with also spurs, tibia and tarsal articles distally off-white. Ground colour of forewing dark brown; base white on dorsal side; broad white transverse fascia at 1 / 3 forewing length; similarly coloured subcostal and tornal spot at 3 / 4 forewing length, weakly confluent forming medially outward directed fascia; fringe as ground colour, at termen white. Underside of fore- and hindwing dark grey with concolourous fringe. Female unknown.

Male genitalia (Fig. 8 ). Uncus lobes apart from each other, separated by convex posterior margin of tegumen, ventrolaterally directed, tongue-shaped, 2 × as long as wide, distally round. Spinose knob of gnathos very small as compared to average size within the E. bifasciella group, round. Valva straight, slightly broadest in middle, basal fold of costa extended to distal 3 / 4 of valva where meeting distal lobe and forming distinct hump. Digitate process 1 / 4 × as long as valva, distally somewhat oblique with a few setae. Mesial margin of juxta lobes straight, meeting distal margin at a right angle, distal margin somewhat convex, laterally setose. Vinculum distally tapered into short saccus, no median ridge present. Phallus 0.6 × as long as valva, broadest in basal 1 / 4, straight, distal end bifurcated; without cornuti; caecum short, bulbous, posterior opening dorsally projected.

Female unknown.

Molecular analysis.

Unfortunately, no DNA barcode could be retrieved for this species.

Biology.

Host-plant and early stages are unknown. Host-plants from the Polish Tatra Mountains attributed to the former senior synonym E. dimicatella are not applicable for E. niphadophanes . Furthermore, host-plants published by Parenti and Varalda (1994) cannot be attributed to this species and likely most of them belong to the south-western alpine E. cottiella .

Distribution.

Pyrenees. With certainty only known from the type locality Forges d’Abel, from Col de Jau and Gripp (Pyrenees, France), from Cole de Jau published as E. dimicatella ( Peslier et al. 2023) (Fig. 13 ).

Remarks.

Elachista niphadophanes was described from two specimens (suggesting male and female sex) collected by Lhomme in the French Pyrenees (Forges d’Abel). Parenti (1972) dissected the only available syntype in MNHN and designated this specimen as lectotype. He furthermore mentioned three male specimens in coll. Lhomme. Later, Steuer (1976) incorrectly synonymized E. niphadophanes with E. dimicatella solely from an overall similarity of the male genitalia as figured by Parenti (1972) and based on written information from Parenti, that there would be no differences between the adults of the two taxa.

Figures

Figure 13. Proved records of Elachista cottiella sp. nov. (red dots), E. dimicatella (yellow dots) and E. niphadophanes (green dots).

Figures 2–6. Adults. 2 Elachista dimicatella, male, Poland 3 E. dimicatella, female, Poland 4 E. niphadophanes, male, France 5 E. cottiella sp. nov., male, paratype, Italy 6 E. cottiella sp. nov., female, paratype, Italy.

Figures 7–9. Male genitalia, with details enlarged 7 Elachista dimicatella, Ukraine, slide 4827 L. Kaila 8 E. niphadophanes, France, slide 7419 J. Nel 9 E. cottiella sp. nov., paratype, Italy, slide 6347 L. Kaila.