Coleophora carsteni Tabell, 2023

Tabell, Jukka, Kullberg, Jaakko, Mutanen, Marko, Tokár, Zdenko & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2023, New and little known Coleophora Hübner, 1822 species from Morocco. Part I (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae), Zootaxa 5374 (2), pp. 151-195 : 160

Coleophora carsteni Tabell , sp. nov.

Barcode Index Number: BOLD:ADL3575

Figs. 6, 21, 36

Type material. Holotype ♂ (GP 6155 J. Tabell): Morocco, Anti-Atlas, Tiznit Prov., Tafraout 24 km SW, 1125 m, 29.5805 N 9.1726 W, 13.IV.2015, J. Tabell leg. http://id.luomus.fi/GBT.15 (coll. MZH) . Paratypes: 1 ♂ (GP 5514 J. Tabell, DNA sample 25785 Lepid Phyl) Morocco, High Atlas, Ljoukak 23 km SW, 1600 m, 2.VI.2015, C. Hviid, O. Karsholt & K. Larsen leg.; 1 ♂ (DNA sample 27507 Lepid Phyl) Anti-Atlas: Souss-Massa-Drâa, Idikl 16 km E Tafraoute , 1580 m, 8.–10.III.2017, C. Hviid, O. Karsholt, K. Larsen, D. Nilsson leg. (all coll. TAB)

Diagnosis. Externally C. carsteni is similar to several members of the C. onobrychiella species group. By male genitalia, it resembles C. sisteronica Toll, 1961 and C. hipponae Baldizzone, 1993. In the male genitalia, longer sacculus and its shorter apex and unevenly curved ventral margin distinguish C. carsteni from these species. Furthermore, the cucullus is shorter in C. hipponae and the abdominal structures different (transverse bar parallel-sided in C. hipponae, medially expanded in C. carsteni and C. sisteronica). The female of C. carsteni is unknown.

Molecular data. Two specimens of C. carsteni were sequenced, resulting in 633 bp and 674 bp barcodes. The nearest neighbour to C. carsteni is C. sisteronica, with a 7.6 % minimum divergence. The barcodes of C. carsteni exhibit 0.46 % intraspecific variation.

In BOLD there are no barcodes for C. hipponae.

Description. Adult. Wingspan 13.5–14 mm. Antenna white, indistinctly annulated with pale grey. Scape white, below ochre and tufted. Labial palp pale ochre mixed with white, second article 1.5x longer than third article. Head and thorax white with a pale ochre median line, tegula white mixed with pale ochre. Forewing ochreous brown, dorsal half slightly paler; costal stripe white, from base to ¾, slightly expanded apically; dorsal stripe distinct only at base. Costal fringe cilia ochreous brown, apically darker, dorsal fringe cilia ochreous brown. Hindwing pale grey, fringe cilia pale brown.

Abdominal structures. No tergal latero-posterior bar. Transverse bar broad, curved, proximal edge medially straight and sclerotized, distal edge strongly arched, sclerotized. Tergal sclerite about 4x as long as wide, weakly sclerotized, covered with 20 conical spines (on T3).

Male genitalia. Gnathos knob round. Tegumen constricted medially, pedunculum short, arched. Transtilla short, triangular. Valvula large, weakly delineated. Cucullus long, very narrow, club-shaped. Sacculus well sclerotized, elongated; ventral margin slightly sinuous, convex, apical half with long bristles, ending in sharp point; dorsal margin slightly concave. Phallotheca a conical tube. Vesica long, with several spiniform cornuti grouped into a tight curved bundle.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology. Early stages unknown.

Distribution. Morocco, known from a few localities in the High and Anti-Atlas Mountains.

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Carsten Hviid, who was a participant of the Danish collecting expedition to Morocco.