Agonopterix perezi WALSINGHAM, 1908

Buchner, Peter & Karsholt, Ole, 2019, Depressariinae of Madeira and the Azores Islands (Lepidoptera: Depressariidae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 69 (2), pp. 331-353 : 341-342

Agonopterix perezi WALSINGHAM, 1908

( Figs 19–22 )

Agonopterix perezi WALSINGHAM, 1908: 957 , pl. 52, fig. 8.

Depressaria applana auct. (not Fabricius). See remarks.

Examined types: Holotype , Funchal, 7.ii., leg. T. V. Wollaston ( NHMUK) ; Paratype , “ Madeira, B.- Baker coll.” ( NHMUK) .

Other examined material: Madeira. 2 , 1 , Ponta de São Lourenço , 0–10 m, 26.vi.1993, leg. O. Karsholt ; 1 , Porto Santo , 0–10 m, 14.iv.1996, leg. O. Karsholt (all ZMUC) ; 1 , Funchal, Santo António, Casas Próximas , 12.i.2003, leg. J. Jesus ; 1 , Ribeira Brava, Campanário,

Corujeira, 10.iii.2003, leg. Y. Gonçalves; 6 , Santa Cruz, Caniço, Assomada, 9.iv.2010, Ruta chalepensis , leg. C. Brazão (all ICLAM); 1 , Funchal, 12.ix.2004, leg. M. Corley, genitalia slide Corley 2276 ( RCMC).

Description: Adult ( Figs 19 –20). Wingspan 18–21 mm. Ground colour greyish brown ( Fig. 19 ) or warm brown to reddish brown (Fig. 20). Oblique pair of dots at 1/3 accompanied by pale yellowish scales especially on outer margin, the dark part of the dots usually confluent. Diffuse dark spot present. Pair of dots at 1/2 usually present and with pale yellowish scales in the centre, but these dots may be weak or even invisible. Basal field pale, with distinct contrast against a rather broad dark line in rear 2/3, confluent with ground colour in front 1/3. Outer margin (termen) concave or at least straight.

Diagnosis: Externally very similar to the form of A. vendettella with the warm brown ground colour and confluent dots at 1/3. Best feature to separate these two specimen of perezi from the same locality and date. We have not examined Carvalho´s specimens, but these two species are very similar, and we find it likely that records of both belong to one species: perezi , and we agree with AGUIAR & KARSHOLT (2006: 46–47) that A. heracliana should be removed from the list of Madeiran Lepidoptera until its presence there is confirmed. This case is extraordinarily confusing because the name heracliana (LINNAEUS, 1758) was used until about 1970 for a widespread species of Depressaria (see next note), but now it is considered the valid name of one of the most common species of European Agonopterix ( KARSHOLT et al., 2006) .

The paratype listed above has an additional label “ Paralectotype ”, but to our knowledge no lectotype has been published.

species is the wing shape: outer margin evenly rounded in A. vendettella , convex or at least straight in some part in A. perezi . The dark line which separates the rear 2/3 of basal field from ground colour is markedly more distinct in A. perezi than in A. vendettella . Genitalia ( Figs 21 , 22 ) are clearly different, which indicates there is no close relationship between the two species.

Bionomics: A. perezi has been reared from Ruta pinnata L. on Canary Islands (Klimesch). The record from Oenanthe divaricate R.Br. (Mabb.) (a synonym of O. pteridifolia LOWE ) by AGUIAR & KARSHOLT (2006: 47) refers to A. vendettella .

Distribution: Canary Islands and Madeira.

Remarks: Agonopterix heracliana (LINNAEUS) was recorded from Madeira by WALSINGHAM (1894, 1908), REBEL (1901, 1911) and CARVALHO (1995). These literature records are based on two specimens: one found by Wollaston and recorded as Depressaria applana (FABRICIUS) by WALSINGHAM (1894: 546). Later, when describing A. perezi WALSINGHAM (1908: 957–958) pointed out that Wollaston´s specimen of ‘ applana ’ belongs to perezi . CARVALHO (1995: 563) recorded a second specimen of heracliana from Curral das Freiras, 11.vi.1980, but on the same page he also recorded a

Figures

Fig. 19: A. perezi , Spain, Puerto de la Cruz, 6.iv.1971, e. l. Ruta pinnata, leg.J.Klimesch, coll. ZSM.– Fig. 20: A. perezi , Portugal, Madeira, Ponto de São Laurenco, 0 m, 26.vi.1993, leg. O. Karsholt, coll. ZMUC.

Fig. 21: A. perezi , Portugal, Madeira, Porto Santo, 14.iv.1996, leg. O. Karsholt, coll. ZMUC.

Fig. 22: A. perezi , Spain, Puerto de la Cruz, 5.iv.1971, e. l. Ruta pinnata, leg. J. Klimesch, coll. ZSM.