Elachista scalpra Kaila, 2018

Kaila, Lauri & Nupponen, Kari, 2018, A review of the Elachista subula Parenti species complex (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae), with descriptions of nine new Palearctic species, Zootaxa 4433 (3), pp. 401-433 : 411-412

Elachista scalpra Kaila , sp. nov.

Figs. 10 , 33, 34

Material examined. Type material: holotype ♂: Turkey, 5 km NW. Ürgüp , 17.vi.1999, J. Junnilainen leg. (J. Tabell prep. 4482; Coll. Junnilainen) . Paratypes (2 ♂): Turkey, 5 km W. Yesilhisar, 20.–21.vi.1999, 1 ♂, J. Junnilainen leg. (L. Kaila prep. 5866; MZH) ; Turkey, 38°40’N 34°53E, 1100 m, 3 km N. Ürgüp, 11.vi.2002, T. Nupponen leg. (L. Kaila prep. 4316, DNA sample 21332 Lepid. Phyl.; Coll. Nupponen) .

Diagnosis. E. scalpra is a chalky white species, with no markings on forewing, externally possibly indistinguishable from E. drepanella and E. ameteria . The chalky white forewing colour, observed in all known specimens, may differentiate E. scalpra from the other species whose forewings are creamy white. The most distinctive trait of E. scalpra is the large, elongate spinose knob of the gnathos. Otherwise, the separation of these species is explained in the diagnosis of E. ameteria .

Molecular characterization. One specimen was barcoded. Of the species included the closest taxon in terms of similarity of barcodes is E. mus (distance 1.61 %).

Description. Forewing length 4.5– 6 mm. Labial palpus straight, white, length equal to diameter of head. Head, neck tuft, thorax, scape and pedicel of antenna creamy white; scape with distinctive pecten formed of elongate, creamy white scales; two basal segments of flagellum cream in basal fifth, flagellum otherwise brown. Fore- and midleg inwardly brownish grey, outwardly white, tarsal articles distally pale; hindleg pale grey, spurs somewhat darker grey, tibia and tarsus above grey with distally pale tibia and tarsal articles. Forewing unicolorous, chalky white, basal third of costa narrowly nearly black. Fringe concolorous with forewing. Hindwing pale grey with concolorous fringe. Underside of forewing grey, in basal third pale longitudinal line along fold; fringe white. Underside of hindwing pale grey, translucent, except on costal side where it is darker grey; fringe pale grey.

Male genitalia. Uncus lobe rounded, as broad as long, sparsely covered by setae along distal and distolateral margins, lobes separated by narrow incision, depth of incision between them 1/3 the length of uncus. Spinose knob of gnathos elongate, oval-shaped, length 1.5x width of uncus lobe. Valva 6x as long as wide in the middle, distal half distinctly narrower than basal half. Valva parallel-sided except the narrowing in costa beyond middle of the length. Cucullus indistinctly delineated, elongate. Digitate process 0.2–0.25x as long as valva; parallel-sided, distally rounded, distal 2/3 with setae. Juxta lobe approximately as long as digitate process; median plate of juxta conical, posteriorly with dorsally projected, curved lobe. Vinculum short and broad, U-shaped. Phallus 0.65–0.7x as long as valva, slightly bent (s-shaped), gradually tapered towards apex; 9x as long as broad at its broadest place at base, tapered into sclerotized, acute-tipped apex. Vesica with cornutus that consists of oval, indistinctly delineated, weakly sclerotized elongate plate with one small, blunt tooth.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology. Holotype and one paratype have been collected by sweeping vegetation at dusk. The habitat is a SE– SW facing, dry, calcareous sandstone slope with sparse vegetation (J. Junnilainen, pers. comm.).

Distribution. Turkey (Cappadokia).

Etymology. The name is derived from the Latin word scalprum, a chisel. This refers to the acute apex of the phallus.

Figures

FIGURES 9–12. Adults of Elachista spp. Scale 2 mm. 9. E. ameteria Kaila, sp. nov., ♂ holotype. 10. E. scalpra Kaila, sp. nov., ♂ holotype. 11. E. mus Parenti, ♂ holotype. 12. E. mus Parenti, ♀ (Kazakhstan, Terektikum sands).

FIGURES 33–34. Male genitalia of E. scalpra Kaila, sp. nov. Left: general image of genitalia, phallus in same scale. Right top: juxta and digitate process. Middle: cornutus as enlarged. Right bottom: phallus as enlarged. 33. Holotype (J. Tabell prep. 4482). 34. Paratype (Turkey: nr. Yesilhisar; L. Kaila prep. 5866).