Eudarcia armatum (Gaedike, 1985)

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Budashkin, Yury I. & Gaedike, Reinhard, 2016, A revision of the Eudarcia glaseri - species group (Lepidoptera, Meessiidae) with description of two new species from Greece and Crimea, Zootaxa 4179 (3), pp. 547-560 : 558-559

Eudarcia armatum (Gaedike, 1985)

( Figs 8–10 , 18 )

Obesoceras armatum Gaedike, 1985: 178 , Figs 54–56.

Obesoceras glaseri Petersen, 1967: 358 –360, Fig. 2 , partim (females from Greece), (misidentification).

Obesoceras (Abchagleris) glaseri Petersen, 1967 sensu Zagulajev 1979: 379 –382, Fig. 321 (female genitalia), partim ( Greece) (misidentification).

Obesoceras glaseri Petersen, 1967 sensu Petersen & Gaedike 1983: 285 , partim (Mainland Greece) (misidentification).

Eudarcia glaseri ( Petersen, 1967) sensu Petersen & Gaedike 1996: 33 , partim ( Greece) (misidentification).

Eudarcia glaseri ( Petersen, 1967) sensu Gaedike 2015: 107 , Fig. 105 (female genitalia); Pl. 3, Fig. 105b (adult), partim (Mainland Greece) (misidentification).

Material examined. 5♀ paratypes of Obesoceras glaseri : 1♀, „ GRAECIA PELOP [ ONNES] Zachlorou , 26.vi– 2.vii.1963, J. Klimesch [leg.]“, „ Gen. präp. Pet. [genitalia slide Petersen] Nr. 2327 ♀ “ ( SDEI) ; 1♀, „ GRAECIA Pelop [onnes] Kalavryta , 700 m, 13–30.vi.1958, J. Klimesch [leg.]“, „ Gen. präp. Pet. [genitalia slide Petersen] Nr. 1936“ ( SDEI) ; 1♀, same location, but „ 26.vi-2.vii.1963, J. Klimesch [leg.]“ ( ZSM) ; 1♀, same location, same collection date, but „Gen. präp. Pet. [genitalia slide Petersen] Nr. 2165 ♀ “ ( ZSM) ; 1♀, same location, same collection date, but „Gen. präp. Pet. [genitalia slide Petersen] Nr. 2166 ♀ “ ( ZSM) ; 4♀, Graecia, Peloponnisos, Arkadia , Tekn. Ladona, 25.vi.1981, P. Grotenfelt [leg.] ( FMNH; SDEI) ; 1♀, Hellas, Lakonia, Mt. Taygetos , 1000 m, 11.vi.1982 leg. Christensen, Gen. präp. Gaed. Nr 2338 ♀ ( ZMUC) .

Through the courtesy of A. Segerer, we were able to examine the remaining specimens of the series collected in Greece in the collection of J. Klimesch:

1♂, 6♀, „GRAECIA Pelop[onnes] Kalavryta, 700 m, 3–13.vi.1958, J. Klimesch [leg.]“; 1♂, 4♀, same location, but „ 13–30.vi.1958, J. Klimesch [leg.]“ ; 1♂, 1♀, same location, but „ 20–30.vi.1958, J. Klimesch [leg.]“ ; 1♂, same location, but „vi.[19]58, J. Klimesch [leg.]“ ; 4♂, 19♀, same location, but „ 26.vi.–2.vii.1963, J. Klimesch [leg.]“ ( ZSM; SDEI).

As the series contains also males, we consider that the females previously determined as E. glaseri are the females of E. armatum .

Female genitalia ( Fig. 18 ). Ovipositor rather long and narrow. Papilla analis moderately large, narrowed apically, covered with long sparse setae. Apophyses posteriores narrow, weakly dilated apically, 4.5–5 times longer than segment VIII. Segment VIII sub-trapezoid, smooth, caudal portion distinctly wrinkled above the ostium. Apophyses anteriores not bifurcated, weakly curved, more than three times shorter and nearly two times broader than apophyses posteriores, connected with band-shapes sclerotization on base. Antevaginal plate not developed. Ostium opening semi-ovate, at anterior margin of segment VIII. Antrum weakly sclerotized, tubular, slightly asymmetrical in distal portion: left margin longer than right margin. Proximal portion of the ductus bursae weakly narrowed, caudal sclerotized portion of ductus bursae about 3/4 length of ductus bursae, slightly longer than apophyses anteriores. Corpus bursae ovate. Signa forming clusters of 5–6 rows of rather large thorns.

Diagnosis. E. armatum can hardly be separated externally from E. ignorata sp. n. The female genitalia are very similar to those of E. glaseri , but differ in the more strongly developed folds in the caudal portion of sternite VIII above the ostium, and the smaller clusters of signa which consist of larger thorns. Moreover, the antrum of E.

armatum has weakly asymmetrical margins in its distal portion. The male genitalia of E. armatum differ considerably from the remaining Eudarcia -species in their unique gnathos arms, which are strongly sclerotized, separated from the medial plate and armed with broad triangular teeth (Gaedike 1985, Figs 54–56; 2015: Fig. 106).

Remarks. E. armatum was described and remained known from the single male specimen (holotype) collected in Greece, Laconia, Mt. Taygetos. Recently a series of specimens (males, females) was discovered among the material from Greece in the collection of J. Klimesch. The study of male genitalia of these specimens revealed that the series of specimens belongs to E. armatum . So it became clear that the females previously identified as E. glaseri , including the female paratypes from Greece, are representatives of E. armatum . For comments concerning the misinterpretation and the occurring confusion in literature between the females of E. armatum and E. glaseri ( Petersen 1967; Zagulajev 1979; Petersen & Gaedike 1983, 1996; Gaedike 2015), see Remarks under E. glaseri .

Distribution. Greece (continental part): Laconia: Mt. Taygetos; Peloponnese: Zachlorou.

Biology. Adults have been recorded in June–July up to 1000 m elevation.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Adults of Eudarcia spp. 1 – 3. E. glaseri. 1. Holotype, ♂, Spain, gen. slide 2326 ♂, Petersen. 2. Paratype, ♂, Spain. 3. Paratype, ♀, Spain, gen. slide 2179 ♀, Petersen. 4. E. saxatilis, Holotype, ♂, Crimea, gen. slide 74 / 15 ♂, Bidzilya. 5. E. abchasicum, Paratype, ♀, Georgia, gen. slide 127 / 16 ♀, Bidzilya. 6 – 7. E. ignorata. 6. Holotype, ♂, Greece, gen. slide 8742 ♂, Gaedike. 7. Paratype, ♀, Greece, gen. slide 6269 ♀, Sutter. 8 – 10. E. armatum. 8. ♂, Greece, gen. slide 8780 ♂, Gaedike. 9. ♀, Greece. 10. ♀, Greece, gen. slide 2338 ♀, Gaedike.

FIGURES 15 – 18. Female genitalia of Eudarcia spp. 15. E. glaseri, paratype, Spain, gen. slide 2179 ♀, Petersen. 16. E. abchasicum, paratype, Georgia, gen. slide 205 / 15 ♀, Bidzilya. 17. E. ignorata, paratype, Greece, gen. slide 6269 ♀, Sutter. 17 a. E. ignorata, paratype, Greece, gen. slide 5069 ♀, Sutter. 18. E. armatum, Greece, gen. slide 8784 ♀, Gaedike.