Coleophora trichopterella Baldizzone, 1985

Tabell, Jukka, Mutanen, Marko & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2018, Descriptions of five morphologically and genetically confirmed new species of the Coleophora poecilella Walsingham, 1907 species group (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae) from the Palearctic Region, Zootaxa 4429 (2), pp. 331-347 : 343-346

Coleophora trichopterella Baldizzone, 1985

Figs. 6, 8 , 9 , 24–25 , Table 1

Material examined. 3 ♂ (GP 5197 J. Tabell, DNA sample 23547 Lepid Phyl), 3 ♀ (GP 5241 J. Tabell) Spain, Granada, Cüllar 5.5 km N, 870 m, Suaeda sp. 12.IV.2014, e[x].l[arva]. IX.2014, J. Tabell leg.

Abdominal structures. Latero-posterior bar indistinct. Transverse bar narrow, both edges distinctly sclerotized. Tergal sclerite narrow, 6x longer than wide, covered with 30 conical spines (on T3).

Female genitalia. Papillae anales oval, covered with long bristles. Anterior apophyses as long as sterigma, posterior apophyses twice longer than anterior ones. Sterigma trapezoid, membranous, sclerotized only in two elongate lateral club-shaped patches; proximal margin membranous, indistinct; caudal margin rounded, edged with bristles. T8 sclerotized, subrectangular, with deep emargination, proximal margin concave. Ostium bursae and colliculum membranous. Posterior section of ductus bursae narrow, with a medial sclerotized band; section around ductus seminalis posteriorly slightly swollen, transparent, anteriorly winding, densely covered with small spinacles; anterior section slightly sclerotized, expanded. Corpus bursae oval, small. Signum leaf-like; spine curved, with two shallow ridges.

Biology. The larva feeds on the leaves of Suaeda sp. ( Amaranthaceae ) in the spring. The composite leaf case, 10.5–11.5 mm in length, is constructed of several hollowed pieces of the host plant. The case is gently curved, thin, brownish grey, smooth or longitudinally gently wrinkled, trivalved, mouth opening at 80–85°. The adults emerge in September-October after a summer diapause.

Remarks. The description of C. trichopterella is based on four male specimens collected in southern Spain ( Baldizzone 1985). The biology and female adult have remained unknown until now. Three male and three female adults emerged from cases found on Suaeda sp., and this enables to describe the female genitalia and illustrate the larval case.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Neighbor-joining tree of the barcoded taxa of the C. poecilella species group, based on sequences of COI gene.

FIGURES 1–8. Adults and larval cases of Coleophora spp. 1–6. Adults. 1. C. mirleftensis sp. nov., ♂ holotype. 2. C. nupponeni sp. nov., ♂ holotype. 3. C. embaensis sp. nov., ♂ paratype. 4. C. embaensis sp. nov., ♀ paratype. 5. C. charynensis sp. nov., ♂ holotype. 6. C. trichopterella Baldizzone, ♀. 7–8. Larval cases. 7. C. mirleftensis sp. nov. 8. C. trichopterella Baldizzone.

FIGURES 22–25. Coleophora spp. 22–23. C. charynensis sp. nov. 22. ♂ genitalia, GP 5654 J. Tabell. 23. ♂ abdomen. 24–25. C. trichopterella Baldizzone. 24. ♀ abdomen. 25. ♀ genitalia, GP 5241 J. Tabell.