Elachista ripai Kaila

Kaila, Lauri, Baran, Tomasz & Mutanen, Marko, 2015, A revision of the Elachista dispilella complex (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Elachistidae), Zootaxa 3963 (4), pp. 517-560 : 542-543

Elachista ripai Kaila , sp. nov.

Figs. 21 , 71

Type material. Holotype ♂, Kyrgyzstan, Trans-Alai Mts., 3010 m, 3922’45.5’’N, 7216.30’E, Altyn-Dara River valley, 27.VII.2010, K. Nupponen & R. Haverinen leg., L. Kaila prep. 5911, DNA sample 22563 Lepid. Phyl. (Coll. Nupponen). Paratypes (20 ♂): same collecting data as in holotype, L. Kaila prep. 5827, 5867, 5913, 5914, DNA samples 22529–31, 22539, 22540, 22548, 22550–22554, 22556, 22557, 22563, 22564 Lepid. Phyl. (Coll. Nupponen, MZH); Alai Mts., 3220 m, 3940’57’’N, 7232’32’’E, nr. Kashka-Suu village, 21. VII.2010, 1 ♂, K. Nupponen & R. Haverinen leg., L. Kaila prep. 5913 (Coll. Nupponen); 3949’51’’N, 7316’15’’E, 31. VII.2010, 1 ♂, K. Nupponen & R. Haverinen leg. (Coll. Nupponen).

Diagnosis. Elachista ripai is a small or medium-sized species in the E. dispilella complex. Its forewings are unicolorous, dirty or creamy white. The distal spine in the cornutus group is very long and bent. The genitalia most resemble those of E. turkensis , with similarly very long distal spine of the cornutus group; the spine is, however, even longer in E. ripai than in E. turkensis . These species are externally different— E. turkensis is a large and dirty ochreous white species. The juxta lobes of E. ripai have laterally-arranged, distally-projecting tongue-shaped lobes that are lacking in E. turkensis ; similar lobes are also present in the otherwise easily distinguishable E. laterotis . The phallus of E. ripai is smaller than that of E. turkensis , and it is not basally dilated. The female is unknown.

Molecular characterization. The analyzed 15 specimens of E. ripai showed a maximum variability of 0.31 %. Average distance between the specimens was 0.04 %. The genetically closest species was E. turkensis with 2.5 % minimum distance to E. ripai .

Description. Wingspan 7–10 mm. Labial palpus creamy white to fuscous, length equal to, or slightly longer than diameter of head, scales of second segment distally somewhat raised. Head, neck tuft, thorax, scape, pedicel and base of flagellum white, flagellum otherwise grey. Foreleg inwardly leaden grey, legs otherwise varying from ochreous white to pale grey, spurs and tarsal articles of hindleg grey. Forewing unicolorous, chalky white with concolorous fringe, costa basally narrowly black. Hindwing pale grey with concolorous fringe. Underside of wings pale grey with concolorous fringe.

Male genitalia. Uncus lobes elongate, twice as long as wide, mesial margin slightly convex, apex outward directed, pointed, lateral margin straight. Spinose knob of gnathos elongate, oval-shaped. Valva 1.25 times as long as tegumen + uncus, 5 times as long as broad, sacculus basally somewhat dilated, valva otherwise parallel-sided; cucullus elongate, slightly tapered in costal margin. Digitate process broad, tongue-shaped, 0.2 times as long as valva, medially and distally with stout setae. Mesial margin of juxta lobes convex, joining distal margin without an angle; distal margin mesially straight, laterally with distally projected lobe that bears a few setae. Phallus 9/10 as long as valva, bent; distally tapered toward pointed and reinforced apex; cornutus group formed of several small and closely set spines and one apical very long, slender and curved spine; length of apical spine three times the diameter of phallus at its median part.

Female. Unknown.

Biology. Specimens have been collected by net diurnally above tree line in a meadow characterized by rock outcrops on the ground surface.

Distribution. Kyrgyzstan, Alai Mts.

Figures

FIGURES 14 – 25. Adults of Elachista spp. Scale 2 mm. 14. E. bruuni Traugott-Olsen, ♂, holotype. 15. E. bruuni Traugott- Olsen, ♂ (Finland). 16. E. bruuni Traugott-Olsen, ♀ (Finland). 17. E. nitidulella Herrich-Schäffer ♂ (Austria). 18. E. turkensis Traugott-Olsen, ♂ (Turkey). 19. E. turkensis Traugott-Olsen, ♀ (Turkey). 20. E. turkensis Parenti, ♀ (Turkey). 21. E. ripai Kaila, sp. nov., ♂ holotype. 22. E. flavescens Parenti, ♂ (Turkey). 23. E. implana Kaila, sp. nov., ♂ holotype. 24. E. filicornella Kaila, ♂ holotype. 25. E. levasi Sruoga, ♂ holotype, head (courtesy by V. Sruoga).

FIGURES 70 – 71. Male genitalia of Elachista spp. Left: general image of genitalia, phallus in same scale. Right top: juxta and digitate process. Right bottom: cornutus as enlarged. 70. E. turkensis Traugott-Olsen, Turkey, L. Kaila prep. 4325. 71. E. ripai Kaila, sp. nov., holotype, L. Kaila prep. 5911.