Acanthopsyche ecksteini ( Lederer, 1855 )

Lovtsova, Julia A. & Kolesnichenko, Kirill A., 2021, On the taxonomical status of Acanthopsyche semiglabra Solyanikov with notes on morphology and distribution of Acanthopsyche ecksteini (Lederer) (Lepidoptera Psychidae), Zootaxa 4908 (1), pp. 102-112 : 103-108

Acanthopsyche ecksteini ( Lederer, 1855)

Psyche ecksteini Lederer, 1855: 755

Acanthopsyche (Amicta) ecksteini: Heylaerts (1881: 70)

Amictoides ecksteini: Gerasimov (1937: 13)

Acanthopsyche ecksteini : Bourgogne (1949: 101)

Acanthopsyche semiglabra Solyanikov, 2004: 58 , syn. n.

Pachythelia semiglabra: Arnscheid & Weidlich (2017: 202)

Material studied. Type material of Acanthopsyche ecksteini ( Lederer, 1855) : lectotype here designated, Ƌ, Ori-gin/ Coll. Led. / ex coll. Staudinger / Zool. Mus. Berlin [ MFB; http>&&coll.mfn/berlin.de&u&fa64c5]; paralectotypes, 3 Ƌ, Origin / Coll. Led. / ex coll. Staudinger) [ MFB] .

Type material of Acanthopsyche semiglabra Solyanikov, 2004 : holotype, Ƌ, Russia, Saratov Region, Djakovskyi Reserve, 19.V.94, V. Anikin/ Holotype Acanthopsyche semiglabra Sln. , Saratov Region [ ZIN]; paratypes, 4 Ƌ, 3 ♀, Saratov Region, Djakovskyi Reserve [ ZIN].

Additional material: ITALY: 50 Ƌ, 17 cases, Monfalcone, Karstgebiet , IV.1960, 5.IV.1961, 6.IV.1961, 14.IV.1961, 17.IV.1967, 18.IV.1967, L. Sieder [leg.] [ SMNK] . HUNGARY: 7 Ƌ, 8 cases, Budapest [ SMNK]; 2 Ƌ, 2 cases, Csepel, Ujhelyi [ SMNK]; 1 Ƌ, 1 case, Somlyohegy , 26.IV.1962, J. Szöcs [leg.] [ SMNK]; 12 Ƌ, 1 case, Hungary [ ZIN] . GEORGIA: 1 Ƌ, Kaukasus Tiflis, E. Koenig [leg.] [ ZIN] . UKRAINE: 2 Ƌ, 1 ♀, 5 cases, Cherson, Tshernomorsky raion, Ivanovo-Rybaltshansky , 25–30.IV.1999, 7–10.IV.2000, 12–17.IV.2001, E. Rutjan [leg.] [ LOV] . RUSSIA: 2 Ƌ, Saratov Region, Krasnokutskij District, Djakovskyi Reserve, 3.V.2010, 4.V.2010, J. Lovtsova [leg.] [ LOV]; 12 cases, Saratov Region, Djakovskyi Reserve [ ZIN]; 1 case (♀), Orenburg Region, Gajskij District , Khmelevka , 4.V.2012, J. Lovtsova [leg.] [ LOV]. 5 Ƌ, 10 cases, without labels [ SMNK]; 2 Ƌ, 13 cases, without labels [ ZIN] .

Redescription. Male ( Plate 1 , Figs 1–7 ; Plate 2 , Figs 1–9 ; Plate 9 , Fig. 1 ):

Head: covered with long multi-colored piliform scales, distantly white to grey, grey-yellow, proximally brown; the longest piliform scales form a large tuft on the front; area near compound eyes with short one-colored brown piliform scales. Compound eyes ovate, brownish; ocelli absent; labial palp reduced. Antenna bipectinate, shorter than half length of forewing costal margin. Antenomeres covered with light white, yellowish-white one- or two dentation scales dorsally. Pectens covered with rare white scales and long brown cilia. Antennae with 27–36 antenomeres (including scapus and pedicellus), most with 30 to 34 ( Plate 3 , Figs 1–2 ).

Thorax: wingspan length from 17.5 to 22 mm. Thorax like head covered with long multi-colored piliform scales, distantly white to grey, grey-yellow, proximally brown. Legs have a common structure, femur and tibia long white-grey haired. Wings more or less hyaline, uniformly greyish brown, venation mostly distinctly visible ( Plate 2 , Figs. 1–9 ). General color of the wings light brown to brown, with small variation ( Plate 2 , Figs. 1–9 ). Forewing scales mostly one-dentated, distantly thickened, some with rounded tip, some two-dentated ( Plate 4 , Fig. 2 ). Fringe forewing scales bi- or tridentate, visually darker than the wing. Hindwing scales distantly uniformly tapered, longer than forewing scales. Hindwing fringe long haired ( Plate 4 , Fig. 1 ). A large concentration of discal vein scales look like a dark discal dash on the fore- and hindwings ( Plate 6 ). Venation ( Plate 5 , Figs 1–5 ; Plate 6 ): Forewing with nine veins arising from discal cell; R4 and R5 connate, R3 and R4+5 stalked, three M (M1, M2 and M3), two CuA (CuA1 and CuA2); two anal veins divide again after anal-loop. Hindwing with five veins arising from discal cell. Sc connecting with R by small vein, two M (M1 and M2+3), two CuA (CuA1 and CuA2), PCu and two A (A1 and A2). PCu fully or partially reduced in many specimens. Small variations in venation are present: forewing M2 and M3 arising from one point ( Plate 5 , Fig. 3 ), or arising distinctly ( Plate 5 , Fig. 5 ), or stalked ( Plate 6 ); forewing R3 and R4+5 arising from one point ( Plate 5 , Fig. 2 ), or stalked ( Plate 5 , Fig. 5 ), or connate ( Plate 5 , Fig. 4 ); hindwing М2+3 fully reduced ( Plate 6 ) or partially reduced ( Plate 5 , Fig. 1 ).

Abdomen: covered with long multi-colored piliform scale hairs, distantly white to grey, grey-yellow, proximally brown like thorax and head.

Male genitalia ( Plate 7 , Figs 1–5 ): tegumen roundish, weakly folded distally, thin haired. Vinculum wide, trapezoidal, wider than tegumen. The saccus is clearly visible, relatively long, slightly enlarged and roundish caudally. Anellus elongate and pointed distally. Valva basally broad, triangular, apically tapered; cucullus rectangular, with thin piliform scales, curved, not extending beyond distal end of tegumen. Clasper of sacculus short and relatively slender, curved, with small spines distally, not extending beyond distal end of cucullus. Phallus relatively thick, caudally weakly curved, three-quarters of genitalia length, narrower caudally.

Female: Habitus typical as described by Arnscheid & Weidlich (2017) for tribe Acanthopsychini , body length 10–14 mm, legs are reduced to small tubercles of the same color with the abdomen, light brown head and thorax dorsally dark brown. Solyanikov (2004) suggested that live specimens have on the abdominal segment II-VII a narrow anal hair-tuft, which probably disappeared in fixed in alcohol specimens.

Case ( Plate 8 , Figs 1–5 ; Plate 9 , Fig. 3 ): Differs in females and males. Males cases: length 29–37 mm, width 4–6 mm, covered longitudinally with dry grass stems, that do not extend beyond the distal end of the case. Females cases overall a little longer, length 32–41 mm, width 4–6 mm, covered with longer pieces of stems that extend beyond distal end of the case.

Distribution. Hungary ( Lederer 1855), Italy ( Pinker 1965, Parenzan & Porcelli 2006), Slovenia ( Štanta 2008, Lesar & Govedič 2010), Bulgaria ( Weidlich 1989), Republic of North Macedonia ( Pinker 1945), Ukraine ( Rutjan 2003), Serbia ( Nahirnič 2012), Croatia ( Koča 1900), Slovakia ( Laštůvka 1998, Pastorális et al. 2013), Romania ( Popescu-Gorj 1984, Rakosy et al. 2003), Greece, Crete ( Arnscheid 2013), Georgia ( Kozhanchikov 1956). Record from Czech Republic is obscure: Sobczyk (2011) indicated, while Laštůvka & Liška (2011) not. Record from Turkmenistan (Turkmenbashi) ( Kozhanchikov 1956) referred to Staudinger & Rebel (1901). In Sauter & Hättenschwiler (1991) recorded from “Central Asia” (probably, Turkmenistan) and “Balkans”.

In Russia recorded in Saratov ( Sinev & Lovtsova 2008, 2019) and Rostov Regions ( Anikin & Rutjan 2004) and Krasnodar District ( Shaposhnikov 1905). Also we found this species from the Orenburg Region for the first time, which is currently the most eastern reliable record ( Plate 10 ).

Remarks. The male lectotype of Psyche ecksteini , hereby designated ( Plate 1 , Fig. 1 ; Plate 7 , Fig. 4 ), shows the following features: i) wingspan: 20.5 mm, ii) antennae with 27 antenomeres, and iii) venation typical, forewing M2 and M3 arising from one point, forewing R3 and R4+5 stalked, and hindwing М2+3 complete. The lectotype does not bear a case. The designation is made to permanently stabilize the identification of the species.

The study of the type series of A. semiglabra revealed some inconsistences in the original description. Thus, Solyanikov (2004) suggested that the number of antenomeres in A. semiglabra as 40 (not indicated with or without scapus and pedicellus), while specimens examined by us including the type series of both species have no more than 36 antenomeres (including scapus and pedicellus). The lectotype of P. ecksteini has 27 antenomeres, while the holotype A. semiglabra has 33 antenomeres ( Plate 3 , Figs 1–2 ). Moreover, the venation of holotype A. semiglabra has some aberrations not mentioned in original description ( Plate 6 ): i) on the left forewing between R4+5 and М1 there is an intercalary vein forming an intercalary cell. Right forewing R4+5 and М1 are typical; ii) both hindwing М2+3 are fully reduced; iii) left hindwing R forming intercalary cell, right hindwing R is normal.

The study of type specimens of both taxa, as well as additional material (topotypes) of A. semiglabra , revealed the conspecifity of both species. Acanthopsyche semiglabra Solyanikov, 2004 , syn. n., is considered as a junior synonym of A. ecksteini .

Figures

PLATE 1, FIGURES 1–7. Acanthopsyche ecksteini, males, dorsal view: 1, Lectotype (MFB); 2–4, Paralectotypes (MFB); 5, Holotype of A. semiglabra (ZIN); 6–7 Paratypes of A. semiglabra (ZIN).

PLATE 2, FIGURES 1–9. Acanthopsyche ecksteini, additional males, dorsal view: 1, Hungary, Budapest (SMNK); 2–3, Hungary (ZIN); 4–5, Italy, Monfalcone (SMNK); 6, Georgia, Tbilisi (ZIN); 7, Ukraine, Tshernomorsky raion (LOV: 491); 8, Russia, Saratov Region (LOV: 1032); 9, Russia, Saratov Region (LOV: 1030).

PLATE 3, FIGURES 1–2. Acanthopsyche ecksteini, antenna: 1, ventral view; 2, dorsal view (holotype of A. semiglabra) (unscaled).

PLATE 4, FIGURES 1–2. Acanthopsyche ecksteini, wings scales: 1, hindwing fringe; 2, medial part of forewing (Russia, Saratov Region).

PLATE 5, FIGURES 1–5. Acanthopsyche ecksteini, venation: 1, Paratype of A. semiglabra (Russia, Saratov Region); 2, Ukraine, Tshernomorsky raion (LOV: 491); 3, Russia, Saratov Region (LOV: 1032); 4–5, Italy, Monfalcone.

PLATE 6. Acanthopsyche ecksteini, venation of the holotype of A. semiglabra (Russia, Saratov Region). Markings discussed within the text.

PLATE 7, FIGURES 1–5. Acanthopsyche ecksteini, male genitalia, ventral view: 1, Holotype of A. semiglabra (Russia, Saratov Region) (ID male genitalia in ZIN: 16113); 2, Ukraine, Tshernomorsky raion (ZIN); 3, Russia, Saratov Region (LOV: 1030); 4, Lectotype of A. ecksteini (Hungary, Budapest) (MFB: http>&&coll.mfn/berlin.de&u&fa64c5); 5, Hungary (ZIN).

PLATE 8, FIGURES 1–5. Acanthopsyche ecksteini, cases: 1, Russia, Orenburg Region; 2, Ukraine, Tshernomorsky raion; 3, Italy, Monfalcone; 4, enlarged exuviae; 5, Russia, Saratov Region.

PLATE 9, FIGURES 1–4. Acanthopsyche ecksteini, biotope, male and case in nature: 1, resting male; 2, Russia, Saratov Region, Krasnokutskij District, Djakovsky Reserve, 3.V.2010; 3, female larval case; 4, Russia, Orenburg Region, Gajskij District, Khmelevka, 4.V.2012.

PLATE 10. Distribution of Acanthopsyche ecksteini within Eurasia.