Ancylosis Zeller, 1839

Bidzilya, Oleksiy, Budashkin, Yuriy & Yepishin, Viktor, 2019, A review of the genus Ancylosis Zeller, 1839 (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Phycitinae) from Ukraine, Zootaxa 4657 (3), pp. 437-473 : 439-441

Genus Ancylosis Zeller, 1839

Type species: Pyralis dilutella Hübner sensu Treitschke, 1832 [= Phycis cinnamomella Duponchel, 1836 ] by subsequent designation by Hampson 1901, in Ragonot, in Romanoff, Mém. Lépid. 8: 212 (but cited as cinnamomella Zeller , an incorrect authorship).

= Cabotia Ragonot, 1888: 30 , type species: Cabotia semidiscella Ragonot, 1888 , by monotypy (subgen.).

= Canarsiana Strand, 1920: 123 , type species: Canarsiana discocellularis Strand, 1920 , by original designation and monotypy, Roesler 1973: 436 (syn.).

= Encystia Hampson, 1901: 256 , type species: Encystia bonhoti Hampson, 1901 , by monotypy, Heinrich 1956: 200 (syn.).

= Harnocha Dyar, 1914: 337 , type species: Harnocha velessa Dyar, 1914 , by original designation and monotypy, Roesler 1973: 436 (syn.).

= Hulstia Ragonot & Hampson in Ragonot & Hampson, 1901: 127–128 , type species: Nephopterix undulatella Clemens, 1860 , by original designation.

= Gregorempista Roesler, 1969: 23 –24, fig. 7, type species: Nephopterix validella Christoph, 1877 , by original designation and monotypy, Leraut 2014: 392 (syn.).

= Gregormpista Whalley, 1970: 47 (lapsus calami).

= Heterographis Ragonot, 1885: 31 , type species: Euzophera samaritanella Zeller, 1867 , by subsequent designation by Bisset, 1938, in Pierce & Metcalfe, Genitalia Br. Pyrales with Deltoids and Plumes: 59, Shaffer, Nielsen & Horak 1996: 179 (syn.).

= Acornigerula Amsel, 1935: 207 , type species: Acornigerula bilineella Amsel, 1935 , by monotypy, Roesler 1973: 351 (syn.).

= Mona Hulst, 1888: 115 , type species: Mona olbiella Hulst, 1888 , by original designation.

= Hypographia Ragonot, 1890 : cx, type species: Hypographia uncinatella Ragonot, 1890 , by monotypy, Roesler 1973: 312 (syn.).

= Hypogryphia Ragonot, 1890 : cxix.

= Niethammeriodes Roesler, 1969: 263 –264, type species: Ancylosis diremptella Ragonot, 1887 , by original designation, Leraut 2014: 392 (syn.).

= Pseudocabotia Blanchard & Knudson, 1985: 235 , type species: Pseudocabotia balconiensis Blanchard & Knudson, 1985 , by original designation and monotypy, Hayden & Dickel 2014: 7 (subgen.).

= Staudingeria Ragonot, 1887: 249 , type species: Ancylosis morbosella Staudinger, 1879 , by original designation, Leraut 2008: 153, 162 (subgen.).

= Cornigerula Amsel, 1935: 206–207 , type species: Cornigerula eremicola Amsel, 1935 , by monotypy, Roesler 1973: 466–467 (syn.).

= Homoeograpta Hampson, 1930: 67 , type species: Staudingeria spectrifasciella Ragonot, 1887 , by original designation.

= Homeograpta Whalley, 1970: 48 (lapsus calami).

= Syria Ragonot, 1887: 244, type species: Anerastia arenosella Staudinger, 1859 , by original designation (subgen.).

= Hedemannia Ragonot, 1887: 244 , type species: Hedemannia lineatella Ragonot, 1887 , by monotypy, Roesler 1973: 447 (syn.).

= Iransharia Amsel, 1959: 15 , type species: Iransharia nigripunctella Amsel, 1959 , by original designation and monotypy, Roesler 1973: 447 (syn.).

Diagnosis. The species of Ancylosis are small or average, narrow-winged pyralids (wingspan 9–30 mm) with rather variable wing pattern. The Ancylosis species are difficult to separate from other Pyralidae by wing pattern and other external characters. The male genitalia are characterized by conical uncus, narrow elongated (length exceeds width in 3–5 times) simple valva in combination with narrow long aedeagus without cornuti in its vesica. The genera Homoeosoma Curtis, 1833 and Phycitodes Hampson, 1917 remotely resembles Ancylosis in the male genitalia but differ in the shorter aedeagus with sclerotized structures in the vesica, and usually broader uncus; additionally, Homoeosoma differs in having well-developed vincular process. A large number of thorn-shaped signa, that tends to locate both on the wall of the corpus bursae and in the proximal part of the ductus bursae are characteristic for the female genitalia of the most species of Ancylosis . The female genitalia of Phycitodes are most similar to those of Ancylosis . However, signa of Phycitodes are exclusively snowflake- rather than thorn-shaped, gathered in two plates and always located on the wall of the corpus bursae.

Redescription (based on the Palaearctic species). Head smooth, frons weakly convex, slightly protrudes in some species, sometimes with conical tufts of raised scales. Antennae filiform, about length of the forewing, often pubescent on ventral side, white to grey-ringed dorsally and uniformly greyish-brown ventrally, scapus usually weakly widened, last flagellomeres sometimes with short spines, flagellomeres in male usually thicker and covered with longer cilia than in female, male second flagellomeres bears short tooth of scales in some species. Maxillary palpus three-segmented, often shortened but never completely reduced ( Roesler 1973: 309), apex simple or broadened, with brush of long raised setae in male of some species ( A. morbosella ( Staudinger, 1879) , A. bartelella Caradja, 1910 ; A. kaszabi Roesler, 1970 ). Three-segmented labial palpus ranging from porrect, long and broad, covered dorsally with long scales to narrow, smooth-scaled, up-curved, far or little protruded over the head; segment 3 considerably shorter than segment 2, pointed, sometimes weakly down-curved ( A. cinnamomella , A. sareptalla ) and hidden by long scales of segment 2. Proboscis usually well developed. Thorax and tegulae usually same to head and ground colour of the forewing. Forewing narrow, sub-triangular, with rounded apex, both costal and dorsal margins straight. The forewing pattern is rather variable. Many species are greyish-black with more or less developed light brown pattern, with light narrow ante-medial and post-medial lines and with black plical spots. Another group of species has more or less uniformly coloured forewing with white costal margin. Several species ( A. nervosella ( Zerny, 1914) , A. nigronervella Roesler, 1970 , A. sulcatella (Christoph, 1877)) have light grey forewing with contrasting dark veins. Hindwing rather broad, with broadly rounded anterior margin, grey, white or nearly transparent, usually brown-shaded along margins. The wing venation is rather variable, it was described in details by Roesler (1973: 309). Frenulum consisting of one acanthae both in male and female, retinaculum a group of raised scales at base of vein R.

Abdomen. Male. Segments are uniformly greyish-brown, transverse sub-rectangular. Tergum VIII usually tongue-shaped, posterior margin broadly rounded, anterior margin with distinct medial emargination. Sternum VIII sub-rectangular, well sclerotized laterally, membranous posteromedially in some species. Anterior portion of sternum VIII is modified in the sclerotized plate (culcita) that bears lateral paired hair tufts. Culcita ranging in shape from very narrow transversal band to broad sub-rhomboidal sclerite with distinct medial projections. Lateral tufts of hairs are usually paired, but sometimes consist of two pairs of hair pencils or reduced in some species.

Genitalia with uncus conical, longer than broad. Scaphium elongated, with transverse folds in middle. Distal sclerite of gnathos stout, varies from short and broad to long and narrow, apically pointed. Tegumen sub-trapezoidal, usually longer than broad. Vinculum band-shaped, saccus u-shaped or sub-triangular, weakly narrowed anteriorely. Juxta usually U-shaped or V-shaped in some species. Transtilla lobes short, sub-triangular, elongated or comparatively broad, sometimes very long, nearly connected medially. Valva simple, longer than broad, sacculus narrow, extending to ½–⅔ length of the valva; ventral margin with short tooth on ⅔ in A. sareptalla and A. albidella ; costa narrow, extending nearly to the top of valva; elongated narrow sub-costal projection extending towards base of valva and terminated in short sclerotized hump or serrated fold or group of bristles is developed in some species. This structure resembles “fibula” ( Slamka 2013: 11, figs 3–5) or “clasper” ( Roesler 1973: 17, fig. A9; Goater et al. 2005: 13). However, Roesler (1973: 310) did not consider it related to the latter. Aedeagus long and narrow, without cornuti, with very minute spines in the vesica in some species ( A. substratellum ), caecum short.

Female. Segments are transverse subrectangular, except for segment VII that longer than broad, trapezoidal, weakly narrowed distally. In the genitalia the ovipositor is short, both pair of apophyses are moderately short and thick. Papilla analis sub-triangular, strongly edged ventrally, covered with short setae or dense long hairs ( A. rhodochrella ). Segment VIII as broad as long but may be elongated ( A. sareptalla ) or shortened ( A. hellenica , A. rho- dochrella, A. larissae sp. nov.), tergum usually evenly sclerotized, unmodified, but sometimes divided into broad membranous posteromedial area and heavily sclerotized anterior portion ( A. deserticola , A. leucocephala , A. pallida etc.), anterior margin straight or weakly emarginated anteriorely, sternum VIII with medial membranous area that is broadened anteriorely and narrowed posteriorely. Antrum distinct, usually funnel-shaped, separated from ductus bursae by the transverse fold, ring-shaped or rounded sclerite. Ductus bursae membranous, varies considerably in length and width, often with thorn-shaped signa in distal portion, colliculum weakly sclerotized. Ductus seminalis usually narrow, inserted in the proximal half of colliculum. Bursae copulatrix ranging from small rounded to large, broad or elongated, ellipsoidal or pear-shaped, the transition to ductus bursae either distinct or very gradual; signa are usually represented by large number of big triangular or elongated thorns with rounded basal plates, very small indistinct spines in A. substratellum ; in A. oblitella three types of signa occur: torns, conical arch-shaped teeth and snowflake-shaped plates, in some species ( A. convexella ( Lederer, 1855) , A. maculifera Staudinger, 1870 and others) signa reduced; signa are usually randomly spread, but they may be gathered in one or two plates in some species.

Biology. Few host plants are known for Ancylosis . The larvae most of Palaearctic species live on Chenopodiaceae ( Falkovitsh 1969a, b; Robinson et al. 2010 –2019), rest of species—on Crassulaceae , Plantaginaceae , Plumbaginaceae , Asteraceae and Fabaceae . Larva produces silken tubes in the upper layer of the soil (or close to the soil surface) beneath the host plant or lives among spun leaves near the the soil ( Glaser 1960: 157; Sinev 1986: 326; Budashkin pers. obs.). The larva feeds from a tube on the lower leaves of plant. The larva of A. substratellum is an obligate leaf-miner that lives inside big leaves of Limonium scoparium (Pall. ex Willd.) Stank. , pupation occurs in plant debris or within the mine.

The habitats of Ancylosis species are primary open arid landscapes: steppes and deserts in the Mediterranean areas, Southern Europe, Middle East and Central Asia ( Roesler 1973). In Ukraine the species of Ancylosis are most diverse and abudant in sand dunes, in salt marshes along the coast of the See of Azov and in the Eastern Crimea.

Distribution. Worldwide with majority of species in the arid zones of the Palaearctic region. The most northerly localities are in the Scandinavian countries ( A. cinnamomella ). The upper limits of the vertical distribution lie by 2700 m in the mountains of Central Asia ( A. harmoniella ). Six of nine species known from Ukraine are restricted to steppe zone and submideterranean area in Crimea.

Remarks. In the descriptions of three monotypic genera— Ancylosoma , Gregorempista and Niethammeriodes Roesler did not specified the distinguishing features of these genera except little differences in wing venation (m2 and m3 free, or stalked from ⅓ to ½) and the shape of the labial palpus (porrect, weakly curved and up-turned, direct and up-turned etc.). Leraut (2014) synonymized Gregorempista and Niethammeriodes with Ancylosis and reduced the status of Staudingeria to the subgenus of Ancylosis based on general similarity of the male and female genitalia of these genera. Currently, Ancylosis comprises four subgenera in the Palaearctic region ( Ancylosis , Cabotia , Syria, Staudingeria ) that are distinguished by the shape of the labial palpus (porrect, weakly or strongly up-curved) and the forewing venation (m2 and m3 merged, stalked or separated).

Ancylosoma was separated from subgenus Ancylosis based on the forewing venation: “Vfl wie bei Hoeneodes bedingt quadrifin (voll quadrifin bei Asarta , Ancylosis [ Ancylosis ] etc.,…” [“Forewings as in Hoeneodes and are contingently quadrifin (fully quadrifin by Asarta , Ancylosis [ Ancylosis ] etc.,…”] ( Roesler 1973: 298–299). It follows from Roesler’s drawing ( Roesler 1973: 299, fig, 122) that m2 and m 3 in the forewing are stalked to about ⅓–⅖ length in Ancylosoma , being very similar to Cabotia ( Roesler 1973: 436, fig. 190). Additionally, Ancylosoma has short porrect labial paplpus contrary to this of up-curved in Cabotia and Syria, but again direct with weakly down-curved segment 3 in Ancylosis . This short comparative analysis shows that the differences in venation and in the shape of the labial palpus of Ancylosoma fall in range of variation of these characters in Ancylosis . Hence, Ancylosoma should be considered either another one subgenus of the Ancylosis or its junior synonym. To not multiply the number of subgenera with rather unclear diagnosis we propose the following synonymy: Ancylosoma Roesler, 1973 syn. n. of Ancylosis Zeller, 1839 .

The current system of Ancylosis and status of subgenera are in need of revision. In the present contribution we provisionally arrange the species from Ukraine based on genitalia characters without assignment them to the subgenera.