Exapate aidasi, Huemer & Mayr, 2023

Huemer, Peter & Mayr, Toni, 2023, A surprising new species of Exapate Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) from Armenia, Zootaxa 5296 (1), pp. 75-82 : 78-81

Exapate aidasi sp. nov.

( Figs 2–4 )

Type material. Holotype ♁, Armenia, Vedi , Goravan Sands reserve, 39°33.4858′N; 44°43.2149′E, 930 m, 29.10.2021, Duda & Saldaitis leg.; DNA barcode ID TLMF _ Lep _32188 ( TLMF) . Paratypes: 7 ♁, Armenia, Areni , Novarank road, 39°41.8978′N; 45°12.6143′E, 1240 m, 5.10.2021, Duda & Saldaitis leg.; genitalia slide TOR 486 ♁ ( RCTM, TLMF). 1 ♁, Armenia, near Garni , Azat riv. valley, 40°06.5280′N; 44°43.4364′E, 1200 m, 6.10.2021, Duda & Saldaitis leg. ( RCTM) .

Diagnosis. The new species differs from both congeners externally by its smaller size and the darker grey hindwings, but to some extent also by the wing pattern ( Figs 2–3 ). In E. congelatella the forewings are rather light brown to brownish grey, usually with well defined markings, whereas in E. duratella the darker coloured veins of the terminal part of the forewing are characteristic. Both species are distinctly larger on average (wingspan c. 21–23 mm in E. congelatella , c. 24–25 mm in E. duratella , c. 17–19 mm in E. aidasi sp. nov.) and the hindwings are light grey to grey-brown. Further, E. aidasi sp. nov. differs from the related species by subtle but diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, particularly the narrower uncus and valva and the absence of a subapical thorn of the pallus and the presence of a medial thorn ( Figs 4–6 ). Finally, the DNA barcode sequence is clearly divergent at a distance of c. 2.5%. E. congelatella and E. duratella are extremely similar in genitalia and hardly discernible ( Bruun & Krogerus 1996, Razowski 2002). Male genitalia differ slightly by the shape of the uncus.

Description. Adult ( Figs 2–3 ). Head, thorax, tegulae and abdomen grey, frons and neck covered with brushlike hairy scales, labial palpi well developed, turned upwards; antenna dark grey, scape scaled, pedicellus and flagellomeres ciliated, with cilia of about half the length of the width of the flagellomeres; wingspan 17.3–19.2 mm; forewing grey with irregular dark grey mottling, particularly in the discal and discocellular area, on veins Sc and R 1, and in the terminal area; base of fringes with dark grey dots at end of veins, basal cilia line light grey-brown, distal part darker grey; hindwings dark greyish, cilia light grey brown and darker grey with darker basal line.

Variation. The extent of the darker markings on the forewing varies considerably and is occasionally largely reduced.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 4 ). Uncus short and with a broad base about two-fifths the width of tegumen, medially abruptly widened with gradually constricted distal half; socii small, haired; gnathos medially short, ovate, lateral arms long, with short thorns; transtilla well developed, band-like, densely covered with medium-sized stiff setae in middle; juxta subtriangular, with long digitate appendices posteriorly; valva long and moderately slender, sacculus more strongly sclortised, with subbasal emargination and short finger-like appendix in middle; phallus long, slender, apically evenly pointed, with small postmedial thorn.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology. Adults have been collected in early and late October at light. Host-plant and early stages are unknown, however, the congeneric species mainly feed on woody plants and the new species probably also feeds on such. One of the localities is a semi-desert with only a few woody plants which may be potential host-plants, e.g. Prunus incana or Rhamnus pallassii . Larix , the main host-plant for E. duratella according to Deutsch (2008), is not present in Armenia ( Schmidt 1995).

Distribution. Armenia. E. congelatella is widespread in temperate Europe, extending its eastern range to Ural mts. ( Sinev et al. 2019) and allegedly Kazakhstan ( Razowski 2002). E. duratella is restricted to European mountain systems: Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians ( Karle-Fendt and Wolf 2015).

Etymology. The new species is named in honour of Aidas Saldaitis, co-collector of the type series, in recognition of his contribution in exploring Lepidoptera in many remote areas.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Exapate aidasi sp. nov., adult, holotype, male. Scale bar = 5 mm.

FIGURE 3. Male adults of Exapate spp.; Exapate aidasi sp. nov. (upper row, holotype left); Exapate duratella (middle row); Exapate congelatella (lower row). Scale bar = 10mm.

FIGURES 4–6. Exapate spp., male genitalia. 4. E. aidasi sp. nov., paratype (gen. slide TOR 486). 5. E. congelatella (gen. slide TOR 487); 6. E. duratella (gen. slide TOR 485). Scale bars = 0.5 mm.