Platyptilia galicicaensis, Junnilainen, Jari & Kaitila, Jari-Pekka, 2017

Junnilainen, Jari & Kaitila, Jari-Pekka, 2017, A new species of Platyptilia Huebner, 1825 (Lepidoptera, Pterophoridae) from Europe, Nota Lepidopterologica 40 (1), pp. 109-117 : 110-113

Platyptilia galicicaensis sp. n.

Type material.

Holotype: ♂, Macedonia, Ohrid, Galičica National Park, Old Ski Center Oteshevo 1450 m a.s.l., 40.980°N; 20.860°E, 26.vi.2014. J. Junnilainen leg. & coll. with red label "HOLOTYPE of Platyptilia galicicaensis Junnilainen & Kaitila". - Paratypes 16♂, 7♀: 1♂, 3♀ same locality and data as holotype, 1♀ with label Gen. Prep. No: GPJJ201604 and 1♀ with green label DNA sample 24208 Lepid phyl. and Gen. Prep. No: GPJJ201705; 8♂, 3♀ same locality as holotype but dates 3♂ 24.vi.2014, 2♂ genitalia preserved in glycerol; 1♂ 25.vi.2014 with label Gen. Prep. No: GPJJ201607; 2♀ 28.vi.2014; 3♂, 1♀ 14.vi.2015, 1♂ with label Gen. Prep. No: GPJJ201602; 2♂ 15.vi.2015; same data as holotype 4♂ except J-P. Kaitila leg. & coll.; same data except dates 1♂ 24.vi.2014 and 1♂, 1♀ 25.vi.2014. All paratypes with red labels "PARATYPE of Platyptilia galicicaensis Junnilainen & Kaitila".

Deposition of types.

The holotype of Platyptilia galicicaensis sp. n. is deposited in the private collection of J. Junnilainen. All paratypes of P. galicicaensis sp. n. are deposited in the private collections of J. Junnilainen & J-P. Kaitila. The type specimens can be borrowed by request through the Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki or directly from the authors.

Description.

Adult (Figs 1-3). Based on the holotype ♂ and 23 paratypes (16 ♂ and 7 ♀). Wingspan 19.5-25.5 mm. Labial palpus porrect, apex slightly turned down, twice as long as diameter of eye, covered with white, brown-tipped scales. Antenna relatively short, less than half length of forewing, slightly ciliate along its length, upper surface mottled with white and brown groups of scales, lower surface unicolorous pale brown, upper surface of scape and pedicel covered with scales of various colours, usually white or pale brown but sometimes even entirely brown, lower surface of scape and pedicel consistently more whitish. Head, thorax and tegula covered with white, brown-tipped scales, frons pure white. Ground colour of forewing ochreous-white mixed with grey scales, costa dark brown, female clearly darker than male. Base of cleft of forewing lobe almost reaching well-developed dark brown costal triangular spot. Pre-apical transverse white line distinct on both lobes. Termen of 1st lobe blunt, apex somewhat rounded; 2nd lobe with dark brown costal and dorsal spots connected to dark brown termen. Fringe white, with slightly fuscous at apex and termen of both forewing lobes; dorsum with three dark brown scale-teeth, 1st at 2/3 from base, 2nd below base of cleft and 3rd close to termen. Underside of forewing fuscous with sparse white scales along costa and both lobes mainly ochreous medially, ochreous colour reaching costa on 1st lobe at base of cleft, ochreous area on 2nd lobe divided by fuscous scales along Cu1 vein. Triangular costal spot, pre-apical costal spot, termen and two scale-teeth on dorsal margin dark brown. Hindwing fuscous, 3rd lobe with dark brown dorsomedial scale-tooth and row of dark brown scales in basal half. Fringe on 1st and 2nd lobes with two types of scales, shorter and fuscous scales cover basal half of fringe, long and whitish hair-scales cover distal half of fringe, fringe in 3rd lobe fuscous. Underside of hindwing fuscous except 1st lobe pre-apically ochreous and 3rd lobe distinctly paler with dark brown scales along both margins, dorsomedial scale-tooth dark brown. Fringe of hindwing lobes dorsally fuscous. Abdomen speckled with white and brown scales. Legs ochreous-white. Femur and tibia of foreleg brown, inner surface of midleg brown. Hindleg ringed brown around tibial spurs, distal half of 1st tarsomere fuscous, tarsomeres 2-4 fuscous distally, 5th tarsomere brown.

Male genitalia (Figs 4-7). Five specimens examined. Uncus skittle broad basally with numerous setae, narrowing distally, with rounded apex, slightly curved towards valva. Tegumen a broad suboval plate, anterior margin with broad obtusely V-shaped cleft with both sides rounded, lateral margins rounded, posterior margin with broad medial cleft, both sides medially concave. Valva symmetrical, parallel-sided, 4 × longer than wide, with numerous, long setae, apex rounded. Sacculus extending nearly to apex of valva, basal third broad, parallel-sided, medial third tapering to narrow apical third. Saccus a broad quadrangular plate, anterior margin broadly U-shaped. Anellus arms relatively stout and strongly sclerotized, strong lateral projection 1/3 from base, apical half gradually tapered to digitate apex. Phallus strongly curved throughout its length, basally inflated with sub-basal process, distal part tube-like slightly tapered towards blunt apex, large group of spinule-like cornuti in vesica.

Female genitalia (Figs 8-9). Two specimens examined. Papillae anales oval, with few setae. Apophyses posteriores 2 × longer than 8th tergite. Apophyses anteriores short, broadening basally. 8th sternite consisting of pair of oval plates just posteriad of ostium bursae. Ostium bursae cup-shaped. Antrum tubular, sclerotized part 8 × longer than membranous part of ductus bursae, posterior half almost parallel-sided, anterior half slightly tapering towards bursa. Membranous part of ductus bursae posteriorly narrow then widening towards corpus bursae. Corpus bursae roundish with pair of hook-shaped signa. Signa basally wide, basal half strongly narrowing toward spinous and strongly curved distal half. Area surrounding signa base spiculate.

Variation.

Females are overall much darker than males.

Diagnosis.

Externally the new species differs from the most similar looking species in having a narrower, brownish forewing and the apex of the 1st lobe is more rounded. Also, transverse line near the forewing apex is white and more distinct. The most similar looking species, P. gonodactyla and calodactyla , have broader forewings and a sharper apex to the 1st lobe. The ground colour of P. gonodactyla is more greyish while that of P. calodactyla is paler yellowish with more reddish brown markings. The transverse line near the forewing apex is more yellowish in both those species. The male genitalia of the new species differ from those of its relatives in having a more parallel-sided valva, the tegumen having the posterior margin medially concave, the broader and quadrangular saccus, the spine on the anellus arm located closer to the base, at 1/3 from base. The female genitalia differ in having a more cup-shaped ostium bursae, the sclerotized part of the antrum is 8 × the length of the membranous part of the ductus bursae compared with 7 × in P. gonodactyla and 6 × in P. calodactyla . Also, the signa are more curved and narrowly hook-shaped than in its nearest relatives which have broader, straighter, and more horn-shaped signa.

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality, Galičica National Park, Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia.

Biology

(Figs 10-11). Unknown, although it is expected that at least one or both Helichrysum species, H. zivojini and H. stoechas , which grow at the type locality are host plants of P. galicicaensis because the type series was captured near those plants.

Etymology.

The name of the new species is dedicated to the famous Galičica National Park.