Catoptria biformellus ( Rebel, 1893 )

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 : 320-324

Catoptria biformellus ( Rebel, 1893)

( Figs 23–27 , 43, 43a, 44 , 51, 52 )

Four subspecies:

Catoptria biformellus ( Rebel, 1893) ( Figs 23, 24 ). Type locality: Transkaukasia: Somlya [probably Georgia, Guria region], [see remarks], NHMW. Lectotype examined.

Catoptria biformellus klimeschi ( Ganev, 1983) . Type locality: Bulgaria, Pirin Mts .

Catoptria biformellus majorellus ( Drenowski, 1925) ( Figs 26, 27 ). Type locality: Bulgaria: Stara Planina Mts .

Catoptria biformellus roesleri Ganev, 1983 ( Fig. 25 ). Holotype: Bulgaria, Rila Skakanica , m. 1870, 16.vii.1980, Ganev [legit], GS 4998 GB, SNSB, examined.

Other material examined: C. biformellus biformellus : 1 male, 1 female paralectotypes, Transkauk. , Somlya 873, Haberhauer, GS 2161 Fazekas and 2892 Bł, NHMW ; C. biformellus roesleri : 2 males, Rila Mts , Chalet Granchar, 2150-2200 m, 6-7.vii.2013, Karsholt & Zlatkov leg, GS 6044GB, ZMUC ; 1 male, C. Rila Mts , 42°06’N, 23°26’ E, 1950-2150 m, 1.viii.2013, Karsholt leg, ZMUC ; 1 male, Rila Geb. , 4-9.vii.1974, Dr. G. Richter legit, SNSB ; 1 male, Rila Geb. , 2000 m., 31.vii.1932, GS 7101 GB, RCGB ; 1 male, Rila Planina , 2100 m, Coll. Osthelder, SNSB ; C. biformellus majorellus / klimeschi: 1 male, 1 female, Pirin Gb , 1700 m, 15-25 July 1933, Thurner leg., GS 6988 and 7098 GB, SNSB ; 1 male, Bulgaria, Piringebirge , Liljanovo, 500- 600 m ., 3.vii.1982, J. Gelbrecht legit, SNSB ; 2 males, Bulgaria, Piringebirge , Umg. Begovica, 18-1900 m, 30.vi and 3.vii.1982, GS 4985 GB, J. Gelbrecht legit, SNSB and RCGB ; 2 males, Bulgaria-Macedonia , Pirin, Bašlinski cirkus, 1700 m., 21.vii.1976, Černý legit, SNSB and RCGB ; 2 males, Bulgaria, Pirin , Vihren, 2000 m, 18.vii.1976, Sterba legit, GS 730, 926 and 927 GB, MRSNTO and RCGB ; 1 male, Piringebirge , Umg. Begovitsa hut, 1800-1900 m, 30.vi.1982, leg. J. Gelbrecht, SNSB ;

Diagnosis: Habitus of Catoptria biformellus is characterized by females with strongly reduced wings, even more reduced than in C. kasyi . The males of C. b. majorellus are similar in wingspan to C. ciliciellus and C. profluxellus (about 30 mm) but its patterns are more ill-defined; the nominal subspecies and C. b. klimeschi are smaller ( 24–27 mm) and C. b. biformellus is greyish in forewing ground colour as opposed to brownish forewing ground colour in others subspecies and in the similar species. In the male genitalia the vinculum is longer, the pars basalis is narrower and rounded apically and the vesica has a longer row of thin cornuti than in C. lythargyrella and allied. The female genitalia are different from those of C. lythargyrella and allied in the not produced sterigma.

Distribution: Transcaucasia, Bulgaria, Albania ( Błeszyński 1965). Probably material from Albania, not traced by us, belongs to another species.

Remarks: As already highlighted by Slamka (2008), the problem concerning this species and its subspecies has been, and remains, difficult to solve, mainly due to the lack of fresh material from the type locality (Transcaucasia) and the general lack of females. Judging from the material at our disposal, C. biformellus majorellus ( Figs 26, 27 ) is not distinguishable from C. b. klimeschi ( Slamka 2008, Pl. 16, Figs 120 H, I, J) either in habitus or genitalia, but is different in its genitalia, especially the female ( Fig. 52 ), from subspecies C. b. roesleri ( Fig. 25 ) and from the nominal subspecies ( Figs 23, 24 , 51 ). Catoptria b. roesleri is most similar to the nominal subspecies, with a darker habitus and small differences in genitalia, i.e. the vinculum and phallus being longer. However, a final decision will be made after the examination, including molecular analysis, of new, fresh material. Ganev (1983) considered C. majorellus distinct from C. biformellus and described klimeschi as a subspecies of C. majorellus . Fazekas (1987: 215, Fig. 1 ) considered C. biformellus a single species with three European subspecies. He also considered the lectotype of C. biformellus to be a specimen different from that established by Błeszyński (1965: Pl. 66, Fig. 234). Slamka (2008: 181, Figs 120 and 120a) correctly represented the genitalia GS 2511 Bł. of the lectotype established by Błeszyński, but we must note that in fact, in NHMW the lectotype of Błeszyński is not labelled “Somlya” but ( Fig. 23 ) Gurun (?), IV.1873 Haberhauer, Transkauk. It is possible that the original labels seen by Błeszyński were mixed later.

Figures

FIGURES 23–28. Catoptria spp., habitus. 23–24. C. biformella biformella (Rebel): male lectotype. Transcaucasia, photo S. Gaal-Haszler and H. Bruckner (NHMW) (23); C. biformella biformella (Rebel): female paralectotype (24). Transcaucasia, photo S. Gaal-Haszler and H. Bruckner (NHMW); 25. C. biformella roesleri (Ganev), male, Bulgaria, Rila Mountains, 2000 m., 31.vii.1932, Coll. Osthelder; 26–27. C. biformella majorella (Drenowski), female, Bulgaria, Pirin Mountains, 1700 m, 15-25 July [19]33, legit Thurner (26); male, Bulgaria, Pirin Mountains, Liljanovo, 5-600 m., J. Gelbrecht legit (27); 28. C. spodiellus (Rebel), male holotype.

FIGURES 41–44. Catoptria spp., male genitalia. 41. C. trichostomus (Christoph), Russia, “Sarepta”, GS 1366 GB. 42. C. hannemanni Alberti, Russia Caucasus Sept Occ, Dombai, 2200m, Bu-Ulgen Tal, 26.07.[19]73, B. Muller legit, GS 6974 GB. 43–43a: C. biformella roesleri (Ganev), male, Bulgaria, Rila Mountains, 2000 m., 30.vii.1932, Coll. Osthelder, GS 7101 GB (43); holotype, phallus, Bulg[aria], Rila, Skakavica, 1870 m, 16.vii.[19]80, J. Ganev, GS 4998 GB (43a). 44: C. biformella majorella (Drenowski), male, Bulgaria, Pirin Mountains, 2000 m., 15-25.vii.1933, Thurner legit, GS 7098 GB.

FIGURES 49–52. Catoptria spp., female genitalia. 49. C. trichostomus (Christoph), Russia, Polar Ural, 9.vii.1977, K. F. Sedych legit, GS 4348 GB. 50. C. hannemanni Alberti, Russia, NW Kaukasus, Dombai, 2950m, Mussa-Atachi Tara, GS 4335 GB. 51. C. biformella biformella (Rebel), female lectoparatype (Błeszyński’s designation (1965)), Transcaucasia, GS 2893 Bł., photo S. Gaal-Haszler and H. Bruckner (NHMW). 52. C. biformella majorella (Drenowski), female, Bulgaria, Pirin Mountains, 1700 m, 15-25 July [19]33, legit Thurner, GS 6988 GB.

FIGURES 1–8. Catoptria spp., habitus. 1. Illustration from the original description of Tinea petrificella Hübner; 2. C.coulonellus (Duponchel), male holotype and its labels, photo C. Gibeaux, (NMHN); 3–4. C. combinella ([Denis & Schiffermüller]): male neotype and its labels (3); female neotype of C. petrificella and its labels (4); 5–6. C. orientellus (Herrich-Schäffer): male neotype and its labels (5); female, same labels as the neotype (6); 7–8. C. hannemanni Alberti: male, Dombai, Russian Caucasus, 3000 m., 23.vii.1971, B. Müller legit (7); female, Dombai, Russian Caucasus, 2950 m., 29.vii.1971, B. Müller legit (8).