Mesophleps ochracella ( Turati, 1926 ) Li & Sattler, 2012

Li, Houhun & Sattler, Klaus, 2012, A taxonomic revision of the genus Mesophleps Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) 3373, Zootaxa 3373, pp. 1-82 : 39-40

Mesophleps ochracella ( Turati, 1926) comb. nov.

( Figs 43–45, 73, 101, 131)

Nothris ochracella Turati, 1926 , Atti Soc. ital. Sci. nat. 65: 69, fig. 32. LECTOTYPE ♀, LIBYA: Cyrenaica , Banghāsi (‘Benghazi’), 15.viii.1923 (Krüger) (slide no. 30954; BMNH), here designated [examined].

Mesophleps orientella Nel & Nel, 2003 , Bull Soc. ent. Fr. 108: 279, figs 2–4, 5C. Holotype ♀, GREECE: Crete, Hersonissos , v–vi.2001 (Nel) (slide no. JN 13836; coll. J. Nel) [not examined]. Syn. nov.

Mesophleps gallicella Varenne & Nel, 2011 , Revue de l'Association Roussillonnaise d'Entomologie 20: 56-58, figs 1-3. Holotype ♀, FRANCE: Alpes-Maritimes, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, Les Pugets, 20 m, 5.ix.2010 (Varenne) (slide no. TV 4874; coll. Varenne, Nice) [not examined]. Syn. n.

♂, ♀. Wingspan 9.0–16.5 mm. Labial palpus segment 2 ventrally with large sub-triangular to sub-quadrate tuft, dark brown, distally with some white scales, segment 3 erect to recurved, about as long as 2, white, sometimes apex black. Antenna with alternating off-white and dark rings. Forewing variable, light yellow to yellowish grey, wing tip around apex and termen darker grey, with white-tipped scales; dark markings more distinct in lighter specimens; typically with grey discal, discocellular, plical and tornal spots, discocellular and tornal often confluent.

Genitalia ♂ ( Fig. 73). Uncus elliptical, basally constricted; gnathos hooks well separate at base, robust, with broad base, tapered, as long as uncus; tegumen and valva narrow, downturned distal part of vinculum almost onehalf its total length, sclerotized posterior margin medially concave; phallus short, ventrally with sclerotized process, basal three-fifths bulbous, distal two-fifths abruptly narrowed, slightly curved.

Genitalia ♀ ( Figs 101, 131). Segment VIII very short, dorso-posterior margin straight, medially not extended, apophyses posteriores almost twice length of apophyses anteriores; subostial plate short, broad, posterior margin weakly concave medially; weakly sclerotized antrum very short; ductus bursae thin, imperceptibly widening towards corpus bursae, about twice length of apophyses anteriores; corpus bursae broadly oval, almost spherical, as long as ductus bursae; ductus seminalis arising from cervix bursae quite close to entrance of ductus bursae.

Remarks. M. ochracella is characterized by the broadly triangular ventral tuft of the labial palpus segment 2. In the genitalia it is very similar to M. trinotella , but differs from the latter in the broader valva and narrower basal part of the uncus in the male and the basally broader ductus seminalis in the female.

N. ochracella was described from three specimens of unspecified sex collected at light at Benghasi on 15.viii.1923; the female bearing Turati’s green label ‘Typus’ is here designated as the lectotype. M. orientella was described from five females collected by A. Nel in Crete near the beach; a paratype was available to us for study .

M. gallicella was described from a single female from southern France; the illustrations of the adult leave no doubt about its identity.

Biology. Host-plant unknown, but on account of the close relationship to M. trinotella some species of Cruciferae is likely.

Distribution. Spain (including Balearic Islands), France (Alpes-Maritimes), Malta, Greece (Lakonia, Crete), Morocco, Algeria, Libya and probably Turkmenistan.

Material examined (20 ♂♂, 17 ♀♀, including 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀ genitalia preparations)

Spain: 8 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Granada , 20–25.v.1901 (Walsingham) ; 1 ♀, Prov. Granada, Baza , 800 m, 8–11.vii.1977 (Arenberger) (coll. Elsner) ; 1 ♀, Alicante , 15.vi.1960 (Sattler) ; 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Prov. Murcia, Sierra de Espuña, near Alhama de Murcia, 6.ix.1972 (Sattler) ; 2 ♀♀, Balearic Islands, Ibiza (‘ Eivissa’), Parc Natural de Ses Salines , Toromar (salicornar), 25.v.2004 (Goberna & Riddiford) ; 1 ♂, Mallorca, Parc Natural de s’Albufera, Sa Roca , 8.v.2005 (Riddiford) . Malta: 1 ♀, Rabat, 15.viii.1983 (Sammut) . Greece: 1 ♂, Hellas mer., Lakonia, Monemvasia , 9.vi.1979 (Gozmány & Christensen) ; 1 ♀, Sámos, Kokkari , 15 m, 6.ix.2002 (Sutter) (coll. Elsner) ; 4 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, Crete, Tavronitis , olive grove/vines, 16–27.viii.1995 (Robinson) ; 1 ♀, Crete, Hersonissos , v–vi.2001 (Nel) (coll. Nel) (paratype of M. orientella ) . Morocco: 1 ♀ Meknès , 8.ix.1931 (unspecified) . Algeria: 3 ♂♂, Batna, 1.v.1903 (Walsingham) . Libya: 1 ♀, lectotype (as above) . Turkmenistan: 1 ♀, Krasnovodsk (‘ Transcaspia, Krasnowodsk’ ), 29.iv.1874 (Christoph) [damaged genitalia, but probably this sp.]