Krutzschius, Mey, 2025

Mey, Wolfram, 2025, First records of species of Gelechioidae from Bitterfeld amber (Insecta, Lepidoptera) and notes on two gelechioid species from Baltic amber, Zitteliana 99, pp. 63-73 : 63-73

Krutzschius gen. nov.

Gender.

Masculine.

Type species.

K. nanarius sp. nov.

Etymology.

The name is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Wilfried Krutzsch, esteemed colleague, palaeo-palynologist and one of the first professional researchers examining Bitterfeld amber (see Daber et al. 1993).

Diagnosis.

The assignment of Krutzschius gen. nov. to Gelechioidea is based on (1) the heteroneurous wing venation, (2) up-curved labial palpi, (3) absent maxillary palpi and (4) scaled proboscis. In a first attempt to assign the new genus to one of the gelechioid families, the Autostichidae were identified as possible candidate, based on the visible parts of the male genitalia with elongate valvae, spine-like sacculus with dorsally curved apex, and paw-like tip of uncus. This character pattern occurs in many species of extant genera of Autostichidae (see Gozmány 2008: figs 71–74, 89–91, 132–139, 178, 194). However, the wings of these genera differ in shape and some venational aspects from Krutzschius gen. nov. The wings of K. nanarius sp. nov. are more lanceolate than in most genera of the family, but the wing venation with four R and three M veins in the forewing and with the apical fork formed by R + RS and M 1 in the hindwing agree with many genera of Autostichidae .