Catoptria coulonellus ( Duponchel, 1836 )

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 : 305

Catoptria coulonellus ( Duponchel, 1836) , sp. reinst.

( Figs 2 , 30, 30a–c , 46 )

Crambus coulonellus Duponchel, 1836: 128 , 129

Holotype male: labels as in Fig. 2 , “375” means July 12, Chasseral, Jura, Switzerland, M. Coleru legit, as explained in original description, NMHN, examined.

Catoptria petrificella sensu auctt. nec Hübner, 1796.

Other material examined: France: 1 male, Isère, Col des Ayes , 1545 m, 22.vii.1937, Coll. G. Praviel, GS 6986 GB, SNSB ; Italy: 1female, Piemonte: Alpe di Mera ( Scopa ), 1500m, 20.vii.1958, U. Parenti legit, GS 6921 GB, RCGB ; Lombardia: 7 males, 5 females, Ortler, Bormio, val Fraele , 2000 m, 30.vi and 29.vii.1960, F. Hartig legit, GS 518 and 6951 GB, MRSNTO and RCGB ; Trentino Alto Adige : 4 males, 2 females, Passo Sella ( BZ), 18-1900 m, 8.vii.1998, U. Parenti legit, GS 5008 and 6927, RCGB . Switzerland: 1 female, Vallon de Susanfe , 25.vii.1896, G. Audéoud, GS 6969 GB, MHNG ; 1 male, Zermatt , 18.viii.87, Coll. Blanchier, GS 6971 GB, MHNG . Austria: 1 male, N. Tyrol, Vermatal , 1700 m, 31.vii.1969, MRSNTO ; 1 male, N. Tyrol, Vermatal , 2000 m, 22.viii.1954, GS 6933 GB, RCGB . Poland: 1 male, Tatry, Beskid , 2000 m, 30.vii.1948, Błeszyński legit, GS 6977 GB, RCGB ; 1 female, Tatry 1400m, Peretriz Iwanioska , 28.vi.1946. S. Błeszyński legit, GS 6980 GB, RCGB .

Diagnosis. Catoptria coulonellus is similar in habitus ( Fig. 2 ) to C. combinella ( Figs 1, 3, 4 ), but it can be distinguished by the medial white stripe that is interrupted medially, the paler medial area of the forewing, and the relatively uniform end of the stripe, which has a threefold end in C. combinella . The male genitalia ( Fig. 30 ) are similar to those of C. combinella ( Fig. 29 ), C. orientellus ( Fig. 31 ) and C. spodiellus ( Fig. 32 ), however: versus C. combinella pars basalis and vinculum are smaller, shorter row of cornuti with about 5–8 shorter cornuti ( Fig. 30c ); versus C. orientellus pars basalis is slightly more elongated, arched lamella of pars basalis is less developed, vinculum is shorter, short row of cornuti has fewer and shorter cornuti; versus C. spodiellus pars basalis is shorter, arched lamella of pars basalis is more well-built, the cornuti of the main row are stouter. The female genitalia ( Fig. 46 ): versus C. combinella ( Fig. 45 ) ostium bursae more regularly rounded, sterigma forming an irregular sclerotized ring around ostium bursae, thinner above it; ductus bursae proximally curved outward and narrower; versus C. orientellus ( Fig. 47 ) ostium bursae more irregular and on average less wide, ductus bursae proximally shorter and less sclerotized; versus C. spodiellus ( Fig. 48 ) ostium bursae is thinner, ductus bursae sclerotized up to below the ductus seminalis.

Distribution: Central Pyrenees, Swiss Jura, Alps, Carpathian Mts. ( Romania and Ukraine) and Rila Mts ( Bulgaria). Restricted to mountainous areas.

Biology. According to Schmid (2019) [as C. petrificella ], the eggs are dropped onto the ground. The caterpillar lives in a silk tube within the grass layer and feeds on mosses and grasses from there. After overwintering, it pupates either in the silk tube or in a separate cocoon.

Remarks. As we said in the introduction, the study of the holotype of C. coulonellus ( Fig. 2 ) confirms that C. coulonellus is a distinct species with respect to C. petrificella ( Fig. 1 ), and the subsequent misunderstanding of the two taxa in the recent literature is due to a misinterpretation of the two taxa in Microlepidoptera Palaearctica ( Błeszyński 1965).

Figures

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).

FIGURES 29–32. Catoptria spp., male genitalia. Arrows show short row of cornuti. 29–29a. C. combinella ([Denis & Schiffermüller]), Austria Nordkette, Innsbruck, 2200m, 26.vii.[19]71, Burmann legit GS 6926 GB (29); the same, apex of phallus magnified (29a); 30–30c. C. coulonellus (Duponchel): Italy, Alto Adige, (BZ), Passo Sella, 18-1900m, 8.vii.1998, U. Parenti legit, GS 6927 GB (30); the same, right valva, France, Isère, Col des Ayes, 1545 m, 22.vii.1937, Coll. G. Praviel, GS 6986 GB (30a); the same, right valva, Polonia Tatry, Beskid, 2000 m, 30.vii.1948, Bleszynski legit, GS 6977 GB (30b); the same, apex of phallus magnified, Italy,Alto Adige, (BZ), Passo Sella, 18-1900m, 8.vii.1998, U. Parenti legit, GS 6927 GB (30c). 31–31a: C. orientellus (Herrich-Schäffer), neotype, Transylv.Alp., Negoi, 14.7, Sammlung Disqué, GS 6975 GB (31); the same, apex of phallus magnified, Retyezat Mts., 10.vii.23, Uyhelyi, GS 2073 GB (31a). 32: C. spodiellus (Rebel), holotype and apex of phallus magnified, GS 3703 Bł., photo S. Gaal-Haszler and H. Bruckner (NHMW).

FIGURES 45–48. Catoptria spp., female genitalia. 45. C. combinella ([Denis & Schiffermüller]), Italy, Veneto, Monte Baldo, 1300 m., 14.vii.1987, U. Parenti legit, GS 6954 GB. 46. C. coulonellus (Duponchel): Switzerland, Valais, Vallon de Susanfe, 2000 m., 25.vii.1896, G. Audéoud, GS 6969 GB. 47. C. orientellus (Herrich-Schäffer), Transylv. Alp., Negoi, 14.7, Sammlung Disqué, GS 6985 GB. 48. C. spodiellus (Rebel), Russia, Amur Oblast, photo A. N. Streltzov (St. Petersburg, Russia).