Lygephila lusoria glycyrrhizae (Rambur, 1866)

Pekarsky, Oleg, 2013, Taxonomic and morphological survey of the Lygephila lusoria (Linnaeus, 1758) species-group with description of a new species (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Toxocampinae), ZooKeys 351, pp. 49-81 : 52-53

Lygephila lusoria glycyrrhizae (Rambur, 1866) Figs 5-7

Material examined.

1 ♂, Andalusien, Sierra de Alfacar, 1905, C. Ribbe, coll. MNHU Berlin, slide No: OP1977m; 1 ♀, Andalusien, Sierra de Alfacar, 1905, C. Ribbe, coll. MNHU Berlin, slide No.: OP1978f; 1 ♀, Espania, S. Albarracin, 1500m, (Teruel), 8.7.1987, leg. Fidel Fernandez-Rubio, coll. P. Gyulai, slide No.: OP2128f; 1 ♀, Spain, Sierra de Bata, Sta Barbara, Granada, 1800 m, 30.vi.1994, leg. B. Goater, coll. G. Ronkay, slide No.: OP2137f; 1 ♀, Spanien, Granada, Sierra Nevada, Pico Valeta, 2500 m, 4.7.1987, leg. P. Kuhna, coll. ZFMK, slide No.: OP2137f.

Note.

The name of this taxon is unavailable from Rambur, 1866, and there is some debate as to the correct authorship and date of this subspecies. This issue will be dealt with in a separate publication.

Diagnosis.

This taxon was downgraded to a subspecies of Lygephila lusoria by Bertaccini et al. (2008). It is interesting that, despite the remarkable external differences between Lygephila lusoria lusoria and Lygephila lusoria glycyrrhizae ,no valuable differences can be recognised in the male and female genitalia of the two taxa. The most significant distinctive feature of Lygephila lusoria glycyrrhizae is, in comparison with Lygephila lusoria lusoria , the small size of the genitalia of both sexes. The genitalia of the Spanish moths are approximately 1.3 times smaller than those of Lygephila lusoria lusoria from Central and Eastern Europe, Crimea and Urals. In addition, there are a few hardly recognisable differences in the shape of uncus, valva and aedeagus: Lygephila lusoria glycyrrhizae has somewhat shorter uncus stem and valvae with costal dilatation medially and less curved aedeagus, whereas the plan of the female genitalia of the two taxa is practically the same.

Male genitalia (Figs 26, 41, 42). Uncus stem narrow and relatively short, dilated distally with fine tip; scaphium membranous with sclerotized plate on subscaphium; valva elongated, narrowed at base, margins not parallel due to large costal dilatation medially, valval apex rather acute; ampulla almost straight, spine-like with symmetrical base. Aedeagus a straight tube with heavily sclerotized field on carina. Vesica globular, everted forward and recurved laterally; medial part membranous; subbasal diverticulum oblate with heavily sclerotized crest contacting carina; 1st medial diverticulum small; 2nd and 3rd medial diverticula elongated, tube-like, rising from extension of main vesica chamber, located opposite to each other; 4th medial diverticulum on opposite side topped with large, rounded, plate-like cornutus with two teeth; 1st terminal diverticulum tapered, with large basal swelling; 2nd terminal diverticulum bears three small pockets; terminal tube membranous with weak scobination at distal end near gonopore (starting point of ductus ejaculatorius); opening point of terminal tube located at base of medial part of vesica near to carina. Female genitalia (Figs 78-80). Ovipositor relatively short, broad, papillae anales hairy with long setae on apical edges. Apophyses anteriores slender, apophyses posteriores longer than apophyses anteriores, thin with acute tips. Antrum tapering, ostium bursae broad with acute lateral edges, posterior margin incised showing shallow triangular cleft with almost straight margins; ductus bursae large, wide with coarse well-sclerotized wrinkles laterally. Appendix bursae small with ductus seminalis located near ductus bursae. Corpus bursae membranous, large, elongated, ellipsoidal.

Distribution.

Spain.