Eulamprotes atrifrontella Karsholt & Huemer

Huemer, Peter, Elsner, Gustav & Karsholt, Ole, 2013, Review of the Eulamprotes wilkella species-group based on morphology and DNA barcodes, with descriptions of new taxa (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), Zootaxa 3746 (1), pp. 69-100 : 90-92

Eulamprotes atrifrontella Karsholt & Huemer sp. nov.

Examined material. Holotype. ♂. “ Turkey Ankara Kizilcahaman, 20 km NW 1200m, 1.VII.1987 M. Fibiger” “Gen. prep. nr. 5181 ♂ O. Karsholt” (ZMUC).

Paratypes. Turkey: 2 ♂, same data as holotype, but one with genitalia slide GU 13/1345 P. Huemer (TLMF, ZMUC).

DESCRIPTION.—Adult ( Fig. 15 ). Male. Wingspan 11–12 mm. Segment 2 of labial palpus blackish brown with some cream-white at distal end; segment 3 cream-white slightly mottled with black, especially at apex. Antenna ringed with blackish and greyish white to tip. Head, thorax and tegula black, frons slightly lighter. Forewing black with golden white markings: an oblique fascia from 1/6 reaching almost to fold; a fascia from middle of costa reaching two-thirds towards dorsum; pre-apical costal spot not connected with more inwards placed tornal spot; termen with some golden white scales; cilia blackish grey, whitish yellow at tip of apex. Hindwing about as broad as forewing, dark grey. Abdomen black with yellow-grey tip.

Female. Unknown.

Variation. One of the three examined specimens has the fascia from the middle of costa divided.

Male genitalia ( Figs 34–35 ).—Segment VIII with two pairs of coremata in intersegmental membrane, grouped into short tufts of moderately broad and rather lanceolate scales, respectively. Uncus indistinctly hump-shaped, apically with long setae; tegumen short, sub-rectangular, a sclerotized belt (gnathos) connects the dorsolateral corners of the tegumen, from these corners two moderately long and rather stout setae are arising, each arising from the dorsolateral corner of the tegumen, anterior margin weakly cut-out, pedunculi small; valva long and moderately slender, weakly curved with convex dorsal (outer) and weakly concave ventral (inner) margin, distally tapered to pointed apex, valva in large part covered with setae; separate plate-like sclerite at base of valva, covered with few setae; sacculus a distinct, moderately small and setose lobe; saccus about as long as distance from anterior margin of vinculum to tip of valva, basally moderately broad, distally strongly tapered; phallus sub-cylindrical, apical fifth abruptly tapered, about one-third width of its anterior part; vesica with a number of small grains.

Female genitalia.—Unknown.

DIAGNOSIS.— E. atrifrontella sp. nov. is characterized by having a black head and the antennae ringed blackish and greyish white towards tip. It is most similar to E. gemerensis sp. nov. which can be separated by the antennae divided into a black basal part and a whitish grey apical part, and to E. occidentella but that species has a lighter frons and differently ringed antennae. The male genitalia are virtually indistinguishable from those of E. occidentella and extremely similar to E. baldizzonei sp. nov. from which they differ in the more slender phallus.

GENETIC DATA.—The intraspecific divergence of the barcode is unknown (n=1). The distance to the nearest neighbour E. baldizzonei sp. nov. is 8.35%.

DISTRIBUTION.—Hitherto only known from the Kizilcahamam area in the province of Ankara ( Turkey).

BIOLOGY.—Host-plant and early stages unknown. The type-series was collected in early July at light. REMARKS.—The species status of E. atrifrontella sp. nov. is supported by phenotypical characters and the distinct DNA-Barcode, whereas the (male) genitalia morphology is of limited diagnostic value.

ETYMOLOGY.—The name is derived from the genitive singular of the Latin adjective ater (black) and the noun frons referring to the characteristic black forehead of the adult.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 21. Adults of Eulamprotes spp. 13, E. occidentella Huemer & Karsholt, paratype, ♂ (Italy); 14, ditto, paratype, ♀ (Italy); 15, E. atrifrontella sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (Turkey); 16, E. wieseri sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (Kirgizia); 17, E. altaicella sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (Russia, Altai); 18, E. kailai sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (Kirgizia); 19, E. libertinella (Zeller), ♂ (Italy); 20, ditto, ♀ (Switzerland); 21, E. gemerensis sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (Slovakia). Scale bar = 2 mm.

FIGURES 34 – 39. Male genitalia of Eulamprotes spp. 34, E. atrifrontella sp. nov., paratype, (Turkey) gen. slide GU 13 / 1345 P. Huemer; 35, ditto, phallus; 36, E. wieseri sp. nov., holotype, (Kirgizia) gen. slide GU 13 / 1355 P. Huemer; 37, ditto, phallus; 38, E. altaicella sp. nov., holotype, (Russia, Altai) gen. slide GEL 1212 P. Huemer; 39, ditto, phallus.