Pseudopostega matrona Karsholt & Remeikis, 2021

Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Solis, M. Alma & Karsholt, Ole, 2021, Diagnostics and updated checklist of Oriental Pseudopostega (Opostegidae) including the matrona species group with a new, extralimital species discovered in the Mediterranean, Zootaxa 4933 (3), pp. 341-360 : 356

Pseudopostega matrona Karsholt & Remeikis , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C615037C-7B30-4194-9EBE-753415C33E73

Type material. Holotype: ♂, TURKEY, 40 km NE of Antalya, road to Köprülü Canyon, National Park , alt. 200 m, 28–29.iv.1993, Karsholt leg., genitalia slide no. RA1084 ( ZMUC) . Paratypes: 2 ♂, same collection data as for holotype, genitalia slide nos RA1083, Karsholt5083 ( ZMUC) .

Diagnosis. Externally, the new species differs from other members of the matrona species group by the golden glossy, grey-brown, apically ornated forewing ( P. nigrimaculella Puplesis & Robinson and P. alleni Puplesis & Robinson possess a snow-white forewing with very few markings apically). In the male genitalia, P. matrona sp. nov. differs from P. nigrimaculella by the basally very wide and strongly chitinized juxta, and from P. alleni by the large, triangular lobes of uncus, distally pointed gnathos, and very long juxta ( Fig. 2 ).

Male ( Figs. 4–16 ). Forewing length 3.8–4.1 mm; wingspan 8.5–8.8 mm (n = 3). Head: palpus cream, short; frontal tuft large, comprised of piliform, snow-white scales ( Figs. 4, 5 ); collar very large, distally slightly bilobed ( Figs. 4, 6 ), comprised of lamellar, grey-brown scales with strong golden gloss; scape very large, snow-white, distally with some bronze scales; antenna golden glossy, pale grey-brown, exceeding 2/3 of the forewing. Thorax and tegula grey-brown with strong golden gloss and little purple iridescence. Forewing ( Fig. 7 ) grey-brown with golden gloss and little purple iridescence in basal half and with white and dark grey-brown markings in apical half ( Fig. 13 ). Apex of forewing curved up, with a large, black apical dot, three brown-black costal strigulae and one brown-black tornal strigula, and a distinctive tuft of dark piliform scales; fringe grey-brown; forewing underside dark grey-brown, without spots or androconia. Hindwing and fringe dark grey-brown with golden gloss and little purple iridescence on upper side and underside. Legs grey-brown with golden gloss and some cream scales, especially abundant on hindleg underside. Abdomen brown with strong golden gloss and little purple iridescence on upper side, pale brown with golden gloss and many white-tipped scales on underside; genital plates golden cream, contrasting with colour of the abdomen ( Figs. 15, 16 ); anal tufts yellowish cream, short ( Fig. 14 ).

Male genitalia ( Figs. 17–30 ). Capsule 735–770 µm long, 565–590 µm wide. Uncus with two very large lateral lobes and wide median excavation ( Figs. 17 , 26 ). Gnathos inverted V-shaped, with a large central element ( Figs. 2 , 19 , 26 ). Valva 580–610 µm long, with a large, 320–390 µm long cucullar lobe ( Fig. 28 ) and about 110 µm long median process ( Figs. 27, 29 ); transtilla absent. Juxta strongly chitinized, wide, triangular proximally, slender, little chitinized distally ( Figs. 2 , 24, 25 ). Vinculum widely rounded, without lateral lobes.

Female. Unknown.

Bionomics. Based upon specimens available, adults fly in late April. The type specimens were netted during the day by sweeping the vegetation in a moist meadow with low bushes – in an otherwise agricultural area. Otherwise, biology is unknown.

Distribution. This species is known from a single locality in southern Turkey, eastern Mediterranean, at an elevation of about 200 m.

Etymology. The species name is a noun, derived from the Latin matrona (a matron), with reference to the exceptionality of the new species, possessing the most distinctive external as well as internal (genital) characters within the species group. In ancient Rome, matron was applied to a women high status, typically the respected mother of the family or household.

Figures

FIGURES 2–3. Diagnostic tool for species identification of the Pseudopostega matrona group and its distribution. 2, pictorial tool for species differentiation; 3, known distribution (map base, courtesy of T. Patterson, USA)

FIGURES 4–16. Male adult of Pseudopostega matrona Karsholt & Remeikis sp. nov., holotype (ZMUC). 4–6, details of the head, dorsal view; 7, general view, right side; 8, 9, fragments of hindwing, upper side; 10, head, ventral view; 11, general view; 12, white scales of the forewing; 13, apex of forewing, upper side; 14, abdomen; 15, 16, apex of abdomen ap.d. – apical dot; c. str. – costal strigulae; t. str. – tornal strigula; tft. – tuft of piliform scales

FIGURES 17–22. Male genitalia of Pseudopostega matrona Karsholt & Remeikis sp. nov. 17, holotype, genitalia slide no. RA1084, uncus (ZMUC); 18, same, cucullar lobe; 19, same, capsule; 20, same, apex of valva, ventral view; 21, paratype, genitalia slide no. RA1083, capsule (ZMUC); 22, paratype, genitalia slide no. OKarsholt5083, juxta (ZMUC)

FIGURES 23–30. Documentation of abdominal fragment and male genitalia of Pseudopostega matrona Karsholt & Remeikis sp. nov., genitalia slide no. OKarsholt5083 (ZMUC). 23, sternum of 2nd abdominal segment; 24, juxta; 25, capsule, general view; 26, 27, same, at different focus; 28, cucullar lobe; 29, median process, left side of the capsule; 30, same, right side of the capsule, enlarged