Spiniphallellus naumanni, Bidzilya & Karsholt, 2019

Bidzilya, Oleksiy & Karsholt, Ole, 2019, Two new species of Spiniphallellus Bidzilya & Karsholt, 2008 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) from Afghanistan and Iran, Nota Lepidopterologica 42 (1), pp. 113-119 : 116-117

Spiniphallellus naumanni sp. nov.

Type material.

Holotype ♂, NO Afghanistan, Wakhan-Tal, 3450 m, Darrah-e-Shaur, 25.vii.1971, UV-Li.[ght], coll. Nr. 263 (Ebert & Naumann) (genitalia slide 46/17, O. Bidzilya) ( SMNK).

Diagnosis.

The new species can hardly be recognized externally without examination of the genitalia. The male genitalia are characterized by a rounded valva densely covered with short, strong setae, very short and broad saccus and phallus with narrow weakly s-curved distal portion and reduced lateral process.

Description.

Adult (Fig. 4 ). Wingspan 15 mm. Head, thorax, tegulae and labial palpus black, segment 2 twice as broad and slightly longer than segment 3; forewing narrow, plain greyish-brown, with diffuse light brown costal spot at ¾ wing length, cilia grey. Hindwing light grey.

Male genitalia (Fig. 8 ). Uncus three times as long as broad, posterior margin weakly rounded, covered with long setae; gnathos reduced; tegumen as broad as long in middle, anteromedial emargination very short; valva rounded, extending to about the tip of uncus, anterolaterally covered with strong setae; transtilla lobes reduced; vinculum 2.5 times broader than long, posterior margin broadly emarginated with very narrow medial incision; saccus four times as broad as long. Caecum rounded, distal part of phallus twice as long as caecum, weakly s-curved and gradually narrowed towards pointed apex, without lateral process.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology.

Host plant unknown. The holotype was collected in late July at an elevation of about 3500 m.

Distribution.

Afghanistan.

Etymology.

The new species is named in the honour of one of its collectors, the late Clas M. Naumann, a famous German lepidopterist.

Note.

The holotype is rather greasy, a situation often seen in other specimens of Spiniphallellus ( Bidzilya and Karsholt 2008). One can argue that a new species should not be based on a single, greasy holotype. Even if the holotype had been in perfect condition it would probably have added little to the diagnosis of this species. As mentioned above most Spiniphallellus species are externally similar, with the diagnostic characters being found in the structures of the genitalia. The male genitalia of S. naumanni sp. nov. show some distinct characters which adds to our knowledge of the diversity of the genus. A further argument for describing this species is that it is very unlikely that additional material will become available in the foreseeable future, if the distribution of S. naumanni is restricted to the high mountains of Afghanistan.

Figures

Figures 1 - 4. Adults of Spiniphallellus spp. 1 - 3. S. eberti sp. nov. 1. Holotype (genitalia slide 64 / 17, O. Bidzilya). 2. Paratype, ♂ (genitalia slide 55 / 17, O. Bidzilya). 3. Paratype, ♀ (genitalia slide 60 / 17, O. Bidzilya). 4. S. naumanni sp. nov., holotype (genitalia slide 46 / 17, O. Bidzilya).

Figures 5 - 8. Genitalia of Spiniphallellus. 5 - 7. Spiniphallellus eberti sp. nov. 5, 6. Male genitalia. 5. Holotype (genitalia slide 64 / 17, O. Bidzilya). 6. Paratype, unrolled (genitalia slide 55 / 17, O. Bidzilya). 7. Female genitalia (genitalia slide 60 / 17, O. Bidzilya). 8. S. naumanni sp. nov., male genitalia, holotype, unrolled (genitalia slide 46 / 17, O. Bidzilya).