Megacraspedus monolorellus Rebel, 1905

Huemer, Peter & Karsholt, Ole, 2018, Revision of the genus Megacraspedus Zeller, 1839, a challenging taxonomic tightrope of species delimitation (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), ZooKeys 800, pp. 1-278 : 35-36

Megacraspedus monolorellus Rebel, 1905

Megacraspedus monolorellus Rebel, 1905: 213.

Examined material.

Lectotype ♂, here designated, "Asia min. Penther '02 Ilgin." "Megacraspedus monolorellus Type Rbl." "BC TLMF Lep 06704" "NM 16.649 ♂" (NHMW). Paralectotypes. 1 ♂, 1 ♀, [in copula] “Ilgün '02 Penther" "Megacrasp Monolorellus Rbl Type" (NHMW). Turkey. 1 ♂, Silifke, Mut, 400 m, 31.v.1996, leg. F. Schepler, genitalia slide 5338 Karsholt (ZMUC); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 30 km NE Konya, 27.v.1969, leg. E. Arenberger (RCEA); 16 ♂, prov. Konya, 25 km E Konya, 23.v.1997, leg. K. Nupponen & J. Junnilainen (RCKN).

Redescription.

Adult. Male (Figure 21). Wingspan 14-16 mm. Segment 2 of labial palpus with scale brush of same length as segment 3, brown on outer surface, whitish brown on inner surface, otherwise white; segment 3 about same length as segment 2, white mottled with light brown. Antennal scape with pecten of one hair; flagellum black, indistinctly ringed with grey. Head, thorax and tegula whitish brown. Forewing brown, slightly mottled with white scales; a distinct white stripe along costa, broadest in middle; base of costa blackish; fringes light grey. Hindwing grey with light grey fringes.

Female (Figure 22). Wingspan 11 mm. Labial palpus cream-white, segment 2 finely mottled with brown. Antennal scape with pecten of one hair; flagellum blackish brown, ringed with white. Forewing broadest in middle, apical half tapering into lanceolate, blackish tip. Hindwing very short (about one-fifth length of forewing), slender with rounded apex, whitish. Abdomen as long as forewing, whitish brown, becoming white at apical segments. Ovipositor long, protruding. Otherwise similar to male.

Variation. The examined specimens show only slight variation.

Male genitalia (Figure 160). Uncus moderately broad, approximately 1.6 times longer than maximum basal width, weakly tapered from base to distal third, apically constricted with rounded apex; gnathos hook moderately stout, about length of uncus, weakly curved, narrowing towards pointed apex; anterior margin of tegumen with moderately deep and broadly V-shaped emargination, medial ridge from anterior edge to middle, anteriolateral edge with small peg-like sclerite; pedunculi distinct, irregular shape; valva evenly broad, short, stout, about maximum width of uncus, apex rounded, extending slightly beyond middle of uncus; saccular area covered with numerous setae, without separated sacculus; posterior margin of vinculum with moderately deep medial emargination, lateral humps weakly developed, vincular sclerite oblong, with broadly sclerotised posteriomedial edges; saccus nearly V-shaped, apical half strongly narrowing, with pointed apex, ratio maximum width to length approximately 0.8, posterior margin arched, with small medial incision, medial part with short, furcated ridge from posterior edge almost extended to medial part, lateral sclerites nearly length of maximum width of saccus; phallus moderately stout, with globular coecum, distal portion nearly straight, with broad dorsal and slender ventral lobes, apically tapered.

Female genitalia (Figure 269). Papilla analis small, apically rounded; apophysis posterior slender rod-like, approximately 3.6 mm long, with short, bifurcate posterior end, bordered by minute sclerotised field, apex weakly widened and rounded; segment VIII approximately 1.8 mm long, membranous; subgenital plate with sub-triangular subostial sclerotisation, posteriorly extended into moderately long, pointed sub-medial sclerites, with weak medial flaps delimiting oblong ostium bursae, anterior margin with rod-like edge connected with apophysis anterior, medially membranous, without anterior projection; apophysis anterior slender, rod-like, 2 mm length, posteriorly becoming rod-like venula of segment VIII, extending to posterior margin of segment VIII; colliculum short, sclerotised; ductus bursae and corpus bursae weakly delimited, moderately short with entire length of approximately 3.1 mm; signum moderately large, suboval spiny plate.

Diagnosis.

Megacraspedus monolorellus is characterised by its brown forewings with white costa and without further markings. It is similar to M. uzunsyrtus (p 45) and M. similellus sp. n. (p 46). The male genitalia are very similar to M. junnilaineni sp. n. (Figure 161) but differ particularly by the broader uncus and gnathos hook, and the shorter and broader valva. From other related species such as M. uzunsyrtus (Figure 162) and M. similellus sp. n. (Figs 163-164) they can be separated e.g., by the gradually tapered uncus. The female genitalia differ from M. similellus sp. n. (Figure 270) and all other species of Megacraspedus with known females in particular by the extraordinarily long apophysis anterior.

Molecular data.

BIN BOLD:ACA8694 (n = 1). The distance to the nearest neighbour M. golestanicus sp. n. is 9.2% (p-dist).

Distribution.

Turkey.

Biology.

Host plant and early stages are unknown. The type series was collected in the first third of May, and also the few additional specimens examined were found in May.

Remarks.

Megacraspedus monolorellus was described from several specimens of both sexes collected on 10.v.1902 near Ilgin ( “Ilgün”), central Turkey ( Rebel 1905: 213). An especially large male mentioned by Rebel is here designated as the lectotype, in order to stabilize nomenclature, and the above description is in first hand based on that well preserved specimen.