Agonopterix broennoeensis (Strand, 1920)

Buchner, Peter & Šumpich, Jan, 2020, Depressariidae (Lepidoptera) of the Russian Altai Mountains: new species, new records and updated checklist, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 60 (1), pp. 201-244 : 210

Agonopterix broennoeensis (Strand, 1920) ( Figs 39 –47)

Material examined. RUSSIA: ALTAI REPUBLIC: Kosh-Agach Distr., Kurai env. (6.5 km SW), 50°10′35″N, 87°53′55″E, grassy steppe, 1550 m, 30.vii.2017, 7 ƋƋ (Barcode NMPC-LEP-0151), J. Šumpich leg. ( NMPC); Kosh-Agach District, Beltir env. (16 km W), Chagan valley, 49°57′06″N; 87°53′39″E, 2150 m, 4.vii.2015, 1 Ƌ (Barcode TLMF Lep 23317), M.Dvořák leg.( NMPC); Kosh-Agach Distr., Chagan-Uzun env., Krasnaya Gorka hill, 50°05′00″N, 88°25′15″E, rocky steppe, 1870 m, 29.vii.2017, 1 Ƌ, J. Šumpich leg. ( NMPC).

Molecular data. BIN BOLD: AAF 7537 (n = 11; 7 public, 4 from Altai); BIN BOLD: ACF4026 (n = 4; 3 public, 1 from Altai). The average intraspecific divergence of the barcode region between both clusters is 1.28%. According to the features of habitus as well as of genitalia characters all specimens belong to the same species with the average intraspecific divergence of the barcode region 0.70% (maximum 1.59%). For comparison, the average intraspecific divergence of the barcode region of all Altaic specimens is 0.73% (maximum 1.10%).

Distribution. Northern Europe, Russia (Altai Mts.) ( LVOVSKY 2006, HUEMER et al. 2017). In the Russian Altai it was recorded for the first time in the surroundings of Kosh-Agach village in the valley of Tabazhok river in 2016 ( HUEMER et al. 2017).

Remark. Two specimens ( Figs 42, 43 ) from the surroundings of Beltir and Chagan-Uzun, both males, differ from the typically coloured specimens ( Figs 39–41 ) in greater size and absence of reddish markings, but without distinct difference in the barcode. One specimen of the same appearance was collected also near Kosh-Agach (Tabazhok valley) in 2016 and subsequently published by HUEMER et al. (2017). Its dissection by the first author confirmed conspecifity with the two mentioned aberrant specimens (DEEUR 7742). At first it seemed possible that they might represent an undescribed species, so further differences were looked for in the genitalia. In fact, in the specimen from Beltir ( Fig. 42 ) such a feature could be found in the shape of anellus lobes (Fig. 46c) (semi-elliptic, not semi-cordate as in typical A. broennoeensis , Fig. 45c). But in the second specimen from Chagan-Uzun ( Fig. 43 ) the anellus lobes were typical for A. broennoeensis (Fig. 47c). This examination also brought to light a further feature, present in both the typical and untypical A. broennoeensis : cornuti are much stouter than in other species of the A. pallorella group. From this point it can only be concluded at the moment that the external differences are part of the intraspecific variability.

Figures

Figs 39–44. Agonopterix broennoeensis (Strand, 1920). 39–43 – habitus: 39–40 – Russia, Altai Mts., Kurai, 30.vii.2017, J. Šumpich leg. (NMPC); 41 – Norway, Kongsvold, 1000 m, O. Karsholt leg. (ZMUC); 42 – Russia, Altai Mts., Beltir, 4.vii.2015, M. Dvořák leg. (NMPC); 43 – Russia, Altai Mts., Krasnaya Gorka, 29.vii.2017, J. Šumpich leg. (NMPC). 44 – structure of cornuti in aedeagi of most similar taxa (a–b – A. broennoeensis, c – A. kaekeritziana (Linnaeus, 1767), d – A. pallorella (Zeller, 1839)).