Scrobipalpa ergasima (Meyrick, 1916)

(Figs 23a–b)

Phthorimaea tristrigata Meyrick, 1938 — Institut des Parcs Nationaux du Congo belge, 14, 12, syn. nov.

Type material. Holotype ♂, [DR Congo] Musée du Congo, Lac Edouard (Bitshumbi) (925), 9.x–1.xi.1933, G. F. de Witte, Park Nat. Albert | Holotype, Ph. tristrigata M. | Type | Congo Belge: P.N.A, Bitshumbi (Lac Edouard), 925 m, 9.x au 1.xi.1933, G.F.de Witte: 103 | R. 4079 II| E. Meyrick det., 1937: Phthorimaea tristrigata Meyr. | Phthorimaea tristrigata Meyr. (RMCA) .

Remarks. Phthorimaea tristrigata was described based on the male holotype, which is similar in all aspects of external morphology to Scrobipalpa ergasima (Meyrick, 1916) . Scrobipalpa ergasima is broadly distributed serious pest. This species is easy recognizable by its comparatively broad forewing with characteristic longitudinal streaks. The first author has seen and examined many tens of specimens of this species from Africa and other regions and does not doubt that the type of Phthorimaea tristrigata is conspecific with S. ergasima . Therefore, we herewith synonymize Phthorimaea tristrigata with Scrobipalpa ergasima .

Distribution. Canary Islands, South Europe (Portugal, Spain, France (with Corsica), Italy (Sardinia, Sicily), Malta, Greece (with Crete)), northern Africa (Egypt), Middle East (Israel, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia), Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Myanmar, China, Japan, Indonesia, Australia (Povolný 2002; Huemer & Karsholt 2010; Bidzilya et al. 2019). In the Afrotropical region the specie is known from Yemen, Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya, DR Congo, Benin, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa (Bidzilya 2021; De Prins & De Prins 2024). Accidentally introduced into many countries.