Megacraspedus argyroneurellus Staudinger, 1871

Huemer, Peter & Karsholt, Ole, 2018, Revision of the genus Megacraspedus Zeller, 1839, a challenging taxonomic tightrope of species delimitation (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), ZooKeys 800, pp. 1-278 : 145-147

Megacraspedus argyroneurellus Staudinger, 1871

Megacraspedus argyroneurellus Staudinger, 1871: 316.

Examined material.

Lectotype ♂, here designated, [Russia, Volgograd oblast] “Lecto-type” "Sarepta [Krasnoamreysk] Chr.[istoph]" “Origin.” "Lectotype ♂ Megacraspedus argyroneurellus Stdgr teste K. Sattler, 1986" "ex coll. Staudinger" (ZMHU) [photographs examined]. Paralectotype, 1 ♀, “Para-lecto-type” “Origin.” "ex coll. Staudinger" (ZMHU) [photographs examined]. Non-type material. Armenia. 1 ♂, 40 km E Eriwan [Yerevan], Geghard, 1700 m, 24-25.vii.1976, leg. F. Kasy & E. Vartian; 1 ♂, same data, but 30-31.vii.1976 (NHMW). Iran. 1 ♀, Alborz mts, Nesa [Nissa], 25.vii.[no year given], leg. F. Brandt (ZMUC); 1 ♂, Elburs mts, Pelur, 2000 m, 27-28.vii.1936, leg. L. Schwingenschuss, genitalia slide Mus. Vind. 16.658; 1 ♀, same data, but 18-19.vii, coll. Wagner, genitalia slide Mus. Vind. 16.659 (NHMW); 4 ♂, 1 ♀, Elburs mts, southern part, 50 km N Tehran, Shemshak, 2300 m, 1-22.vii.1970, leg. E. Vartian (SMNK). Kyrgyzstan. 7 ♂, Zhetim-Bel Range, Eki-Naryn, 2800 m, 4.viii.2010, leg. A. Pototski (RZAP, ZMUC); 1 ♂, Tien-Shan, Moldo-Too mts, Min-Kush, circuitus, 2350 m, 1.viii.2000, leg. E. Rutjan, genitalia prep. (in glycerin) (RCAB); 1 ♂, Tien-Shan mts, Eki-Naryn, 2500 m, 4.viii.2010, leg. K. Nupponen & R. Haverinen (RCKN). Romania. 1 ♂, Dobrogea, Podişul Casimcei, Cheiele Dobrogei, 16.vii.2010, leg. S. & Z. Kovács (RCKO). Russia. 1 ♂, Volgograd oblast, Butkul Salt Lake, 18.vi.1999, leg. V. Karalius & J. Miatleuski (ECKU); 1 ♂, S-Ural, Orenburg oblast, Orenburgskij zap., Burtinskil step, 12-17.vi.2007, leg. J. Kullberg & M. Zalewski (MZH); 2 ♂, S-Ural, Orenburg oblast, 20 km S Pokrovka village, Schibendy valley, 17.vii.1998, leg. K. Nupponen (RCKN); 3 ♂, same data, but 1-2.vii.2003, leg. K. Nupponen (RCKN, ZMUC); 1 ♂, same data, but 7.vi.1998; 1 ♂, Orenburg oblast, near Burannoe vill., 20.vi.1999, leg. K. Nupponen (RCKN); 2 ♂, Orenburg oblast, near Burannoe, 3.vii.2003, leg. K. Nupponen; 1 ♂, Orenburg oblast, 40 km W Orsk, near Guberlja village, 26.vi.2003, leg. K. Nupponen (all ZMUC); 4 ♂, same data, but 12-13.vii.2015, leg. H. Roweck & N. Savenkov; 4 ♂, same data, but 25-26.vi.2017 (all ECKU); 4 ♂, Orenburg oblast, 6 km W Donskoje village, mount Verbljushka 24-28.vi.2009, leg. J. Šumpich (NMPC, ZMUC); 1 ♂, 2 ♀, same data, but 22-24.vii.2011 (NMPC, TLMF); 1 ♂, Orenburg oblast, 6 km W Donskoje village, mount Verbljushka, 19.vi.1999, leg. K. Nupponen (RCKN); 2 ♂, same data, but 3 km W, 7-8.vii.2015, leg. H. Roweck & N. Savenkov (ECKU); 4 ♂, Orenburg distr., Akbulak, Pokrovka village, 9-11.vii.2015, leg. H. Roweck & N. Savenkov; 5 ♂, same data, but 28-30.vi.2017 (all ECKU). Turkey. 4 ♂, prov. Adana, 18 km N Saimbeyli, 1700 m, 6.vii.1997, leg. K. Larsen; 2 ♂, prov. Agri, Tahir Geçidi, 2550 m, 29.vii.1984, leg. G. Derra; 3 ♂, prov. Antalya, Beydağlari, 17 km E Göltaria, 1800 m, 8.viii.1997, leg. K. Larsen; 1 ♂, prov. Çorum, Çekerek, 1300 m, 17.vii.1989, leg. N. Esser & M. Fibiger; 2 ♂, prov. Erzincan, 40 km SW Erzincan, Kemah, 1100 m, 2.viii.1997, leg. Larsen, genitalia in tube; 1 ♀, prov. Erzurum, Kizilirmak, Köprüköy, 750 m, 20-22.vi.1969, leg. F. Hahn; 1 ♂, prov. Kayseri, 25 km S Kayseri, Erciyes Daği, 2200 m, 29.vii.1989, leg. N. Esser & M. Fibiger; 2 ♂, prov. Kayseri, İncesu, 1100 m, 28.vii.1996, leg. K. E. Stovgaard; 2 ♂, 2 ♀, prov. Kayseri, Ala Dağlar, Ulupinar, 1600 m, 30.vii.1998, leg. Larsen, genitalia in tube; 2 ♂, prov. Malatya, 20 km E. Elbistan, Nurhak Daği, 1900 m, 7.vii.1987, leg. M. Fibiger; 6 ♂, prov. Malatya, Gündüzbey, 1300 m, 26.vii.1998, leg. K. Larsen; 2 ♂, prov. Niğde, Aladağlar, Demirkazik, 2500 m, 24.vii.1994, leg. K. Larsen; 4 ♂, same data, but, 1600 m, 24-25.vii.1994; 1 ♂, same data, but 1700 m, 30.vii.1997; 2 ♂, prov. Niğde, Çiftlik, 1650 m, 24.vii.1996, leg. K. E. Stovgaard; 8 ♂, prov. Sivas, 5 km W Gürün, 1700 m, 5.vii.1987, leg. M. Fibiger, genitalia slide 6515 Hendriksen; 1 ♂, prov. Sivas, 10 km W Gürün, 1650 m, 27.vii.1989, leg. N. Esser & M. Fibiger; 2 ♂, prov. Sivas, 10 km S Gürün, Gökpinar, 1500 m, 1.vii.1997, leg. Larsen; 4 ♂, same data, but 12 km S Gürün, 25.vii.1998, genitalia in tube; 1 ♂, same data, but 11.vii.2000 (all ZMUC) 1 ♂, W Gürün, 1300 m, 22.vi.1969, leg. E. Arenberger, genitalia slide GU/16/1415 Huemer; 1 ♂, Tuz Gölü, N beach, 3.vii.1968, leg. E. Arenberger (all RCEA). Ukraine. Crimea, genitalia slide GU 16/1427 Huemer (RCAB).

Redescription.

Adult. Male (Figs 121, 123-124). Wingspan 18-25 mm. Labial palpus long, segment 2 with long scale brush, light brown, whitish on lower and upper surface; segment 3 narrow, rather short, cream coloured. Antennal scape with one soft hair pecten; flagellum whitish brown at base, becoming ringed white and brown towards apex. Head yellowish white; thorax and tegula as forewing. Costal part of forewing yellow-brown, middle part brown, dorsal part light yellow; indistinct dark brown dots along termen; veins silvery white; fringes light grey. Hindwing white with cream-white fringes.

Female (Figure 122). Wingspan 19-22 mm. Similar to male.

Variation. The size of the brownish area in the middle of the forewing varies and can extend into the apical area or alternatively be largely reduced. Specimens from the south-eastern part of the distribution range have no brown area in the middle of the forewing (see remarks below). The hair at the base of the antennal scape is easily broken.

Male genitalia (Figs 243-244). Uncus sub-triangular, short, with sub-basal lateral flaps, moderately broad rod-like apex; gnathos hook massive, much longer and broader than uncus, distal part curved with shovel-shaped apex, pointed in lateral view; tegumen with medially converging sclerotised anterior ridges, anterior margin with moderately shallow emargination, medially additional U-shaped excavation; pedunculi weakly demarcated, large suboval; valva straight, basal part wider than distal part, extending slightly beyond apex of uncus, apically pointed, distal area covered with setae, without separated sacculus; posterior margin of vinculum with weakly developed oblique lateral humps, vincular sclerites broadly suboval; saccus with some variation, sub-triangular, with evenly tapered to moderately broad apex, ratio maximum width to length approximately 0.8, posterior margin arched, with shallow medial emargination, medial part without sclerotised ridge, lateral sclerites long, approximately 0.8 times length of maximum width of saccus; phallus moderately slender, almost straight, suboval coecum large, about three times width and half length of slender distal part, with weakly sclerotised ridge distally.

Female genitalia (Figure 297). Papilla analis laterally compressed, extruding from tip of abdomen, strongly sclerotised, with fine longitudinal lines, large, approximately 1.6 mm long, ventral edge convex, dorsal margin straight, apically narrowing and pointed; apophysis posterior stout, rod-like, approximately 2.6 mm long, posterior quarter weakly widened, anterior end rounded; segment VIII approximately 0.8 mm long, strongly sclerotised except for ventromedial zone, posterioventral part with fine longitudinal lines; subgenital plate with broad sub-triangular sub-ostial sclerotisation, posteriorly extended into short, pointed sclerites, medial flaps delimiting ostium bursae, anterior margin with rod-like edge connected with apophysis anterioris, medially with broad and shallow sinusoid projection; apophysis anterioris rod-like, nearly length of segment VIII; colliculum small, sclerotised; ductus bursae gradually widening to weakly delimited suboval corpus bursae; entire length of ductus and corpus bursae approximately 3.1 mm; signum almost completely reduced, spiny plate.

Diagnosis.

Megacraspedus argyroneurellus is characterised by its large size, its long scale brush on segment 2 of the labial palps and by its yellowish forewings with silvery white veins and its white hindwings. It is similar to M. lagopellus (p 146), M. coleophorodes (p 148), and M. feminensis sp. n. (p 149). The male genitalia are similar to M. kirgizicus sp. n. (Figs 241-242) but differ in several characters such as the broader apex of the uncus and the comparatively stout phallus. The female genitalia differ from other species of the M. lagopellus species group in several characters such as the distinct sub-ostial sclerotisations.

Molecular data.

BIN BOLD:ACB3166 (n = 5). The intraspecific divergence of the barcode region is moderate with mean 1.2% and maximum divergence 2.2%. The distance to the nearest neighbour M. kirgizicus sp. n. is 7.6% (p-dist).

Distribution.

Armenia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Russia (S. Ural), Turkey. Also recorded from China (Xinjiang: Kuldja) ( Rebel 1914: 277), but we have not been able to check if the record refers to this or the following species or more likely belongs to the similar M. coleophorodes described from China. According to Piskunov (1990: 988) also in the Caucasus.

Biology.

Host plant and early stages are unknown. The adults have been collected from the second half of June to early August at altitudes ranging from lowland in Europe to 2550 m in Turkey.

Remarks.

Megacraspedus argyroneurellus was described from an unspecified number of specimens (probably more than one as the wingspan is given as “19– 21 mm") collected at Sarepta, now Krasnaormeysk, in south-western Russia by H. Christoph (Staudinger 1871). A lectotype, already labelled as such by K. Sattler, is here designated in order to fix the identity of the species and conserve stability of nomenclature. Anikin and Zolotuhin (2017: 469, pl. 35, fig. 6) figured the lectotype but did not designate it following ICZN (1999) Art. 74.7.3.

This species has a distinct geographical variation: Specimens from southern areas (Armenia, Turkey and Iran) are larger on average and have lighter, slightly broader forewings with no brown area in the middle of the forewing compared with specimens from the north (Romania, Russia and Kyrgyzstan). The male genitalia from Iran are similar to those of a specimen from Ukraine (apart from a differently shaped saccus). Unfortunately we have no DNA barcode data of specimens from the south-eastern part of the distribution area, and therefore we leave it open for future studies as to whether one or two species or subspecies are involved.