Depressaria libanotidella Schläger, 1848

Buchner, Peter & Šumpich, Jan, 2020, Depressariidae (Lepidoptera) of the Russian Altai Mountains: new species, new records and updated checklist, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 60 (1), pp. 201-244 : 232-239

Depressaria libanotidella Schläger, 1848 ( Figs 157–165 )

Material examined. RUSSIA: ALTAI REPUBLIC: Kosh-Agach Distr., Kurai env. (15 km SW), Dzhangyskol lake, 50°10′49″N, 87°44′19″E, coniferous forest/steppe, 1830 m, 24.–25.vi.2015, 1 ♀ (gen.prep. DEEUR 7672 P.Buchner), (Barcode NMPC-LEP-0161), J. Šumpich leg.( NMPC); 45 km N of Ulagan vill., Chulyshman valley, 51°01′03″N, 88°00′39″E, grassy steppe, rocks, 600 m, 27.–28.vi.2015, 1 ♀ (gen. prep. DEEUR 7665 P.Buchner), (Barcode NMPC-LEP-0162), J. Šumpich leg. ( NMPC).

Molecular data. BIN BOLD: ADR8049 (n = 2, 2 public, 2 from Altai, with divergence of 0.16%). The nearest neighbour with 1.83% p-distance is D. libanotidella from

Europe in a cluster with BIN BOLD AAF 8171 (n = 17). Depressaria libanotidella (n = 2) is also present in a separated cluster with BIN BOLD ABY 4795, together with D. bantiella (Rocci, 1934) (n = 4), D. platytaeniella Hannemann, 1977 (n = 3), D. velox Staudinger, 1859 (n = 9), and 1 ♀ with genitalia closest to D. bantiella, but without final determination. Distance of BIN BOLD ADR8049 to ABY 4795 is 3.36%, AAF 8171 to ABY 4795 3.29%. The barcode situation is reminiscent of that in the Agonopterix putridella group.

Depressaria paraleucocephala sp. nov. (Figs 166–173, 180)

Type material. HOLOTYPE: Ƌ ( NMPC), RUSSIA: ALTAI REPUBLIC: Chulyshman valley , 45 km N of Ulagan vill., 51°01′03″N; 88°00′39″E, grassy steppe, rocks, 600 m, 27.–28.vi.2015 (Barcode TLMF Lep 23280), Jan Šumpich leg. PARATYPES: 10 ƋƋ 7 ♀♀ ( NMPC):the same data as holotype but 2 ƋƋ 1 ♀, M. Dvořák leg. (Barcode NMPC-LEP-0163); 2 ƋƋ 1 ♀ ( NMPC), the same data as holotype but 26.–27.vi.2019, J. Šumpich leg.; 1 Ƌ ( NMPC), the same data as holotype but 4.–5.vii.2019, J. Šumpich leg.; Belyashi (Dzhazator) env. (25 km NW), confluence of Argut and Karagem rivers, 49°51′56″N, 87°10′22″E, rocky steppe, 1400 m, 27.–28.vii.2017, 1 ♀ (Barcode NMPC-LEP-0164), J. Šumpich leg. ( NMPC).

Description. Adult (Figs 166–172). Wingspan 20–25 mm. Head with raised whitish to pale yellowish scales on neck and crown, mixed with medium brown or medium reddish scales in different proportions; face of the same colours. Labial palp segment 3 with 3/5 length of segment 2; segment 2 with broad scales, protruding on ventral and adpressed on lateral and dorsal sides, outer side with dark brown scales at base and with mix of whitish, reddish and medium brown scales on upper part, forming distinct contrast on outer side at 1/3 to 1/2, inner side whitish, ventral side medium brown; segment 3 slender with adpressed, medium brown to reddish brown scales, blackish ring in distal half, not reaching tip (Figs 170–172). Antenna dark brown. Colour of thorax similar to head, but with darker median line, especially in anterior half, in general forming distinct contrast against dark brown tegulae and forewings. Forewing dark brown or dark reddish brown, in some specimens less dark near costa, with about 7–8 black vein-associated streaks, more distinct in distal half, whitish scales scattered throughout forewing in low but variable number, in larger number at 1/ 3 in some specimens, forming diffuse longitudinal streak; at 1/2 distinct round white spot with diameter of about 0.5 mm; angled transverse line with tip at about 4/5, common feature in genus Depressaria , is present and fairly distinct, paler than ground colour; interneural dots blackish, distinct, in some specimens nearly confluent and forming interrupted dark line; basal row of fringe scales dark brown, distal row paler, medium greyish brown; underside uniformly grey, only at costa paler and with nearly confluent dark interneural dots. Hindwing grey, becoming darker posteriorly, with narrow blackish line at fringe-base; fringe similar to ground colour, but with distinct darker band at basal 1/3; underside similar to upper side, only in distal 1/3 more mottled (Fig. 169). Legs without distinct patterns, predominantly dark grey, but tibia and tarsus of hindlegs paler, with mix of brown and yellowish brown scales.Abdomen without patterns, predominantly light grey on upper side and dark grey on underside.

No sex associated differences could be found.

Variation. Number of whitish scales and distinctness of forewing patterns vary to some extent as shown by examples in Fig. 167 for rich and in Fig. 168 for poor contrast.

Male genitalia ( Figs 173, 178 ). Uncompressed gnathos broad elliptic in lateral view ( Fig. 178 ), 0.5 mm long and 0.7 mm wide (may appear globose in standard preparation), socii triangular, length of each about half of longest gnathos diameter. Tegumen slightly tapering from 1.1 mm width at base to 0.9 mm before bulging at posterior end, length 1.4 mm. Valva about 3.0 mm long and 1.0 mm wide, evenly curved and almost parallel-sided up to rounded end. Clavus absent, sacculus broadest at about 1/10 from valva base with about 1/3 of valva width, from here gradually tapering, ending at 3/5 of valva length in stout cuiller, which is covered with short adpressed spinulae and directed towards costa, bent inwards slightly at base and ending in more strongly bent tip at about 4/5 of valva width. Anellus broad elliptic, evenly rounded at anterior margin, posterior margin with pair of triangular processes diverging about 120°, lateral margin with semicircular bulge just anterior to triangular process on either side. Transtilla with transverse length of about 1.0 mm, gradually expanding towards middle where it reaches width of about 0.3 mm. Aedeagus rather stout, 1.5 mm long and 0.20–0.25 mm wide, almost parallel-sided except for slightly swollen base and oblique tip, evenly curved in lateral view with bend of about 80° from base to tip on convex side, at this side basal part with 0.1 mm long, narrow triangular process, cornuti absent.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 180 ). Papilla analis about 1.2 mm long, elliptical in lateral view with maximum width of 0.75 mm, posterior apophysis 1.6 mm long. Length of sternite VIII 1.1 mm laterally and 0.6 mm centrally, maximum width 2.0 mm in standard preparation, anterior apophysis 0.6 mm long; proximal edge of sternite VIII concave, ostium dumbbell-shaped, 0.6 mm wide, 0.25 mm long at sides but 0.1 mm long in centre, located in middle of sternite VIII. Between centre of ostium and posterior edge of sternite VIII small area covered with tiny spinulae. Antrum triangular, 0.4 mm wide and 0.3 mm long, exceeding anterior margin of sternite VIII. Segment VIII with intersegmental skin somewhat thickened antero-laterally, not forming lobes characteristic for e.g. D. douglasella Stainton, 1849 , but reminiscent of this structure. Ductus bursae about 4 mm long, diameter 0.3 mm near antrum, slightly widening in its course to 0.5 mm, with irregular, predominantly longitudinal folds throughout its whole length, predominantly straight throughout most of its course, but with semicircular loop before meeting corpus bursae. Corpus bursae with elliptic outline, about 3.0 mm long and 1.5 mm wide, signum at end of distal 1/3, oval, 0.3 mm long and 0.4 mm wide, with numerous teeth of different sizes, largest along transverse axis; ductus spermathecae with about 8 turns.

Differential diagnosis. Very similar to D. leucocephala Snellen, 1884 ( Fig. 183 ) and D. emeritella Stainton, 1849 ( Fig. 184 ), which correspond in whitish to pale brownish thorax, contrasting against dark tegulae and forewings. Depressaria alienella Busck, 1904 ( Fig. 185 ) also belongs to this group and we mention this North American species here because it is the nearest neighbour in the DNA-barcode. Externally the most distinct difference is the dark longitudinal stripe in the middle of thorax, not present in the compared species, and often also the larger and therefore much more prominent white central dot in D. paraleucocephala , but the latter feature may be indistinct in some specimens. Additionally, the dark area at base of the outer side of the second labial palp segment and the black ring of its third segment tend to be larger and clearer than in D. leucocephala . In D. emeritella , the dark colour on the inner side of the third labial segment tends to extend to its base, and D. alienella is distinctly smaller. In cases of doubt dissection of genitalia is necessary.

The species D. sibirella Lvovsky, 1981 , D. spectrocentra Meyrick, 1935 , and D. filipjevi Lvovsky, 1981 , which are close in DNA-barcoding, are excluded from a detailed comparison here, because they do not have a pale thorax contrasting against dark tegulae and forewings, and in male genitalia these three species differ from D. paraleucocephala in the presence of a clavus.

In male genitalia, D. emeritella is very distinct by the presence of clavus, absence of semicircular bulges of anellus and much longer cuiller ( Fig. 177 ). Genitalia of D. leucocephala ( Figs 175, 179 ) are more similar, the differences are best compared in Table 3. Male genitalia of D. alienella are similar to those of D. leucocephala , but cuiller is even shorter, straight and stouter, so this feature is sufficient to separate this species from D. paraleucocephala (in the slide gnathos may be damaged, cf. Fig. 176 ).

Female genitalia of D. paraleucocephala ( Fig. 180 ) are most similar to those of D. leucocephala ( Fig. 181 ), but differ in several details (comparison given in brackets): proximal edge of sternite VIII distinctly concave (vs. moderately concave), medio-ventral length 0.6 mm (vs. 0.4 mm), ostium dumbbell-shaped (vs. not widened laterally), ductus spermathecae with about 8 turns (vs. 6 turns) and signum small, 0.3 × 0.4 mm (vs. 0.6 × 0.8 mm). Depressaria emeritella ( Fig. 182 ) differs clearly in field of microtrichia much larger, nearly covering the whole sternite VIII and antrum opening in a wide funnel and reaching the caudal edge of sternite VIII.

Molecular data. BIN BOLD: ADM4194 (n = 3, 3 public, 3 from Altai). The average intraspecific divergence of the barcode region is 0.21% (maximum 0.32%). The nearest neighbour is the North American species D. alienella with 3.38% p-distance, the nearest Palaearctic species is D. sibirella with 3.52% p-distance, followed by D. spectrocentra (4.13%), D. filipjevi (4.25%), and D. leucocephala (4.29%).

Etymology. The species name paraleucocephala recognises the high similarity with D. leucocephala ; adjective.

Biology. Unknown. The closest related species feed on Asteraceae ( Artemisia L., Achillea L.) as far as known, so D. paraleucocephala can be expected to feed on Asteraceae too.

Distribution. Russia (the Altai Republic).

Remark. Because D. paraleucocephala can be easily confused with D. leucocephala we examined also some Russian material identified as D. leucocephala (incl. specimens from the Far East), but we can confirm their correct identification.At present it seems that D. paraleucocephala may be endemic to the Altai Mountains.

Figures

Figs 157–165. Depressaria libanotidella group. 157–162 – Depressaria libanotidella Schläger, 1848: 157–158 – habitus, Russia, Altai Mts. (details in the text): 157 – Chulyshman; 158 – Dzhangyskol; 159–162 – female genitalia: 159 – data as fig. 157; 160 – data as fig. 158; 161 – Switzerland, Jura, Soulce, 1.ix.2008, e.l. Seseli libanotis, P.Sonderegger leg. (NMBE); 162 – Italy, Ortler, Passo di Stelvio, 18.–19.vi.2004, J. Skyva leg.(NMPC). 163–164 – D. bantiella (Rocci, 1934): 163 – Montenegro, Humsko Blato, 15.vii.–5.viii.2014, e.l.Apiaceae sp., F. Graf leg. (RCFG); 164 – Greece, Troodos Mts., Olympus, 23.–28.vi.1997, D. Nilsson, A. Madsen, M. Fibiger & P. Svendsen leg. (ZMUC). 165 – D. velox Staudinger, 1859, Bulgaria, Slavyanka Mts. Livade, 15.vi.2010, B. Zlatkov & O. Sivilov leg. (RCBZ).

Figs 173–179.Male genitalia of Depressaria paraleucocephala sp. nov.and related taxa. 173 – D. paraleucocephala, holotype.174–175 – D. leucocephala Snellen, 1884: 174 – Russia, Orenburg Oblast, Donskoe, 6 km W Mt. Verbljushka, 17.viii.2006, K. Nupponen leg. (RCKN); 175 – Russia, Primorsky Krai, Ussuri, Kazakevich, without further data (MGAB). 176 – D. alienella Busck, 1904, USA, Colorado, viii.1891, genitalia slide JFCG4753, without further data (NHMUK). 177 – D. emeritella Stainton, 1849, Kazakhstan, Emba, 10.x.2013, K. Nupponen leg. (RCKN). 178–179 – detail of gnathos in free floating position: 178 – D. paraleucocephala sp. nov., holotype; 179 – D. leucocephala, data as fig. 174.

Figs 180–182. Female genitalia of Depressaria paraleucocephala sp. nov. and related taxa. 180 – D. paraleucocephala, paratype (Chulyshman); 181 – D. leucocephala Snellen, 1884, Italy, South Tyrol, Laas, end of vi.1977, e.l. Artemisia vulgaris, K. Burmann leg. (TLMF); 182 – D. emeritella Stainton, 1849, Romania, Sarerdö Szatmar, 14.ix.1992, without further data (MGAB).

Figs 183–188. Habitus of Depressaria species related to D. paraleucocephala sp. nov. 183 – D. leucocephala Snellen, 1884, Italy.South Tyrol, Laas, end of vi.1976, e.l. Artemisia vulgaris, K. Burmann leg. (TLMF); 184 – D. emeritella Stainton, 1849, Austria, Schwarzau am Steinfeld, 9.vi.–16.vii.2009, e.l. Tanacetum vulgare, P. Buchner leg. (RCPB); 185 – D. alienella Busck, 1904, USA, Oregon, Josephine Co., Rouge River, vi.1872, e.l. Artemisia sp., NHMUK010891375, T. Walsingham leg. (NHMUK). 186–188 – detail of labial palpi: 186 – D. paraleucocephala sp. nov., paratype (Chulyshman); 187 – D. leucocephala, Russia, Primorsky krai, Slavyanki Ryasaiovka, 7.viii.1983, A. Lvovsky leg. (ZMHB); 188 – D. emeritella, data as fig. 184.