Istrianis Meyrick

Lee, Sangmi & Brown, Richard L., 2008, Revision of Holarctic Teleiodini (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Zootaxa 1818, pp. 1-55 : 34

Istrianis Meyrick

Istrianis Meyrick, 1918: 130 .

Type species: Istrianis crauropa Meyrick, 1918 , by monotypy.

Description. Imago. Labial palpus with third segment shorter than second ( Fig. 20 ). Clypeus with ventral margin truncate ( Fig. 4 ). Antenna simple, longer than half forewing length. Ocellus absent. Posterior area of sitophore with four campaniform sensilla in symmetrical trapezoid, posterior pair closer together than anterior pair; anterior area with six campaniform sensilla. Forewing (length/width ratio 4.6) with tufts of raised scales, basal third of male forewing with a subcostal pocket inclosing yellow hair pencils in I. femoralis , with costal fold in I. myricariella ( Huemer and Karsholt 1999) ; M1, M2, and M3 separate, CuA1 and CuA2 present; median fascia directed from apex of costa toward posterior margin. Hindwing (length/width ratio 5.0) with R5 and M1 stalked, M2, M3, and CuA1 separate. Male abdomen with sternum VIII broad with a posterolateral lobe, tergum VIII lingulate with pair of anterolateral hair pencil. Female abdominal segment VIII without distinct modifications.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 36 ): length of uncus subequal to or slightly longer than length of tegumen, basal width/length ratio 0.4, distal margin slightly rounded; ventral part of gnathos extending beyond or not reaching apex of uncus, lingulate, apex with strong dorsal sclerotization; tegumen strongly widening anteriorly, frequently with sclerotized area mesially, basal width/length 1.0; costal part of valva absent; saccular part of valva digitate, subequal in length with phallus; phallus without cornuti.

Female genitalia: apophyses anteriores about 1– 2 x length of abdominal segment VIII; ostium bursae surrounded by variably shaped sclerotization, opening with lateral sclerites or colliculum; ductus bursae longer than length of corpus bursae; corpus bursae moderately small; signum subhexagonal with serrate margins and transverse ridges, anterior ridge sinuous.

Larva. Undescribed.

Pupa. Undescribed.

Diagnosis. Istrianis species resemble Argyrolacia in forewing pattern and Carpatolechia in male genital structures. Istrianis is easily differentiated from Argyrolacia by the shape of male genitalia and from Carpatolechia by having the ventral part of gnathos.

Hosts. Anacardiaceae : Pistacia mutica Fisch. et Mey. ( I. femoralis ), P. v e r a L. ( I. femoralis ). Tamaricaceae : Myricaria germanica (L.) ( I. myricariella ), Tamarix sp. ( I. brucinella , I. myricariella ). ( Budashkin and Piskunov 1990; Huemer and Karsholt 1999; Mann 1872).

Diversity and distribution. The four species of Istrianis occur in India and the western Palaearctic Region ( Fletcher 1929; Huemer and Karsholt 1999; Meyrick 1925).

Figures

FIGURES 19 – 24. Characters of the labial palpi and abdomen. 19 – 20, Third segment of labial palpus. 19, Recurvaria leucatella. 20, Istrianis myricariella. 21 - 22, Male sternum VIII. Telphusa perspicua. 21, Arcutelphusa talladega sp. nov., 22. Coleotechnites sp. 1, 23 – 24. Male tergum VIII. 23, Teleiopsis diffinis. ahp = anterolateral hair pencil. 24, Arogalea cristifasciella.

FIGURES 1 – 6. Characters of the head and thorax. 1, Lateral ocellus (arrow) of Exoteleia anomala. 2, Forewing of Telphusa sedulitella with scale tufts. 3, Male hindwing of Coleotechnites florae with hair pencil on anal area. 4 – 5, Clypeus. 4, Istrianis myricariella. 5, Neotelphusa querciella. 6, Posterior area of sitophore with four campaniform sensilla (arrows) in Stenolechiodes macrolepiellus.

FIGURES 34 – 39. Male genitalia, cucullus (c), phallus (p), ventral part of gnathos (vg), saccus (s), and uncus (u). 34, Parachronistis albiceps (modified from Huemer and Karsholt, 1999). 35, Stenolechia bathrodyas (modified from Huemer and Karsholt, 1999). 36, Istrianis myricariella. 37, Schistophila laurocistella. 38, Coleotechnites florae. 39, Parachronistis albiceps (modified from Huemer and Karsholt, 1999).