Catoptria sarplanina, Bassi & Huemer, 2025

Bassi, Graziano & Huemer, Peter, 2025, Taxonomic and nomenclatorial notes on the Catoptria coulonellus (Duponchel) species group with description of five new species from Western Balkans (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea, Crambidae), Zootaxa 5719 (3), pp. 301-326 : 319-320

Catoptria sarplanina sp. nov.

( Figs 19, 20 , 39 , 56 )

Holotype male: Macedon [ien, North Macedonia], Ljuboten, Schar-plan [ina, Šar Mountains], 1800 m., 29.vii.[19]56, leg[it] Jos. Thurner, GS 4447 GB, deposited in SNSB.

Paratypes: 1 female, same labels as the holotype, GS 6976 GB, SNSB ; 1 male, North Macedonia, Prov. Tetovo, Ljuboten S., Staro Selo N, 1964 m,, E 21°07’42’’ / N 42°11’36’’, 30.vii.2022, G.M. & B.E. Tarmann & B. & A. Plössl legunt, GS 7428 GB, BC TLMF _ Lep _37788, TLMF ; 1 male, Yugoslawien, [ Kosovo, Prizren, Kevalla Pass], Prevalxa Pass , Kacania-Prizren, 1540 m, 27.vii.[19]71, P. S. Wagner legit, GS 2060 GB, SMNK .

Etymology: The new species derives its name from that of the type locality and is treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis: The adult ( Fig. 19 ) male is easily distinguishable from allied species in the intense yellow brown colour of the forewing and in the dark hindwing of the same colour, except for the sister species C. plat ( Fig. 21 ), from which the only difference, visible only in fresh material, lies in the veins being more intensely marked off-white in the forewing of C. sarplanina sp. nov. The female ( Fig. 20 ) has reduced wings, but not as much as in C. kasyi ( Fig. 18 ), and is probably capable of short flights. The male genitalia ( Fig. 39 ) differ from those of C. kasyi ( Fig. 37 ), C. korab sp. nov. ( Fig. 38 ) and C. plat sp. nov. ( Fig. 40 ) in the pars basalis with base with arched edge apically rounded; medially, the arm is the narrowest with a width/length ratio of 0.16; its concavity is the most evident among the closely related species and finally the apical bulge is less evident than in C. kasyi but more evident than in C. korab sp. nov. and C. plat sp. nov. The female genitalia ( Fig. 56 ) differ from those of C. kasyi ( Fig. 55 ) in the asymmetrical sterigma and the larger ostium bursae.

Description: Male ( Fig. 19 ): Wingspan of the holotype 28 mm, paratypes 26 and 27 mm. Labial palpi 3.5 X longer than widest diameter of eye, brown sprinkled with off-white with inner and upper side paler. Maxillary palpi brown sprinkled with off-white with apex paler. Antennae thickened, dark brown with yellow costa. Frons subconical, grey brown suffused with off-white. Ocelli and chaetosemata poorly developed. Head grey brown, white around antenna basis. Patagia and tegulae grey brown sprinkled with off-white. Thorax brown sprinkled with pale brown, medially off-white. Wings with pattern and colours as illustrated ( Fig. 19 ). Underside of both wings brown with terminal line off-white. Legs yellow with paler inner side, outer spur half as long as inner spur.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 39 ): Uncus shorter than gnathos, pointed and down curved apically. Gnathos apically subtriangular. Tegumen subtriangular, with arms basally rounded. Vinculum as long as valva, stout. Pseudosaccus subpyramidal. Juxta V-shaped. Valva subrectangular, narrowing distally, with rounded cucullus; pars basalis basally 0.4 as long as valva, medially narrow and concave, and apically hammer-shaped. Phallus shorter than valva, subcylindrical, with vesica with about 30 short cornuti

Female ( Fig. 20 ): Wingspan 25 mm. Antenna filiform, ground colour generally paler than in the male, especially in hindwings. Wings are reduced, narrower and more pointed than the male.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 56 ): Papillae anales subtriangular, with sclerotized section narrowing dorsally and ending rounded.Apophyses posteriores subtriangular, with rather pointed apex.Apophyses anteriores subtriangular. Abdominal segment VIII ring-shaped, with sternite moderately sclerotized. Ostium bursae broadly suboval, with lamella postvaginalis poorly and asymmetrically bilobed. Ductus bursae as long as corpus bursae, sclerotized and wrinkled. Corpus bursae suboval, scobinate up half its length, with a suboval signum.

Distribution: Šar Mountains between Kosovo and North Macedonia.

Figures

FIGURES 17–22. Catoptria spp., habitus. 17–18. C. kasyi Błeszyński, male, North Macedonia, Pelister National Park, Golemo Ezero, 2200 m., 31.vii.2015, I. Richter legit (17); female, North Macedonia, Pelister National Park, Golemo Ezero, 2200 m., 31.vii.2015, I. Richter legit (18); 19–20. C. sarplanina sp. nov., male holotype (19); female paratype (20); 21. C. plat sp. nov., male holotype. 22. C. korab sp. nov., male paratype, North Macedonia, Korab, Kobilino Pole, 1750 m., 26-27.vii.2019, I. Richter legit.

FIGURES 33–40. Catoptria spp., male genitalia. 33. C. lythargyrella ([Denis & Schiffermüller]), Italy, Piemonte, Val Susa (TO), Giaglione, 700 m, 19.ix.2019, G. Bassi legit, GS 6857 GB. 34. C. domaviellus (Rebel), holotype, photo S. Gaal-Haszler and H. Bruckner (NHMW). 35. C. nikai sp. nov., holotype. 36. C. richteri sp. nov., holotype. 37. Catoptria kasyi Błeszyński, paratype, Macedonia Occ., 22.VII-5.VIII.1959, Peristeri Mons, Golemo Ezero, 2200 m, F. Kasy, GS 5123 GB, SNSB. 38. C. korab sp. nov., paratype, North Macedonia, Korab, Kobilino Pole, 26-27.vii.2019, I. Richter legit, GS 7418 GB. 39. C. sarplanina sp. nov., holotype. 40. C. plat sp. nov., paratype.

FIGURES 53–56. Catoptria spp., female genitalia. 53. C. lythargyrella ([Denis & Schiffermüller]), female, Italy, Piedmont, Susa Valley, Giaglione, 630 m, 21.ix.2019, G. Bassi legit, GS 6993 GB. 54. C. domaviellus (Rebel), lectoparatype (Bleszynski’s designation (1960)), Bjelašnica, Hercegow, vii, Rebel, GS 1637 Bł., photo S. Gaal-Haszler and H. Bruckner (NHMW). 55. C. kasyi Błeszyński, female, North Macedonia, Pelister National Park, Golemo Ezero, 2200 m., 31.vii.2015, I. Richter legit, GS 6982 GB. 56. C. sarplanina sp. nov., paratype, same labels as holotype, GS 6976 GB.