Nothris congressariella (Bruand, 1858)

Karsholt, Ole & Šumpich, Jan, 2015, A review of the genus Nothris Hübner, 1825, with description of new species (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Zootaxa 4059 (3), pp. 471-498 : 474-479

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4059.3.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:29A39F94-77F8-471F-994E-4134C2F03723
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6110715
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/5369867B-4F04-3756-FF34-D346FCC7F97E
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Nothris congressariella (Bruand, 1858)
status

Treatment

Nothris congressariella (Bruand, 1858) View in CoL

( Figs 3–8 View FIGURES 3 – 10 , 41–45 View FIGURES 41 – 51 , 108 View FIGURES 108 – 113 , 114–115 View FIGURES 114 – 128 )

Ypsolopha congressariella Bruand, 1858: 471 , pl. 11, fig. 7, 7a. Nothris declaratella Staudinger, 1859: 238 View in CoL

Other material studied. France (2); Greece (8), Greece, Crete (3), Great Britain (4), Italy (1), Spain (5), Spain, Canary Islands (7).

Croatia. Omiš env., Marušići, 15 ♂, 11 ♀, 130 m, 3.–17.viii.2008, leg. J. Šumpich, gen. prep. Šumpich 14/001 ( NMPC). Macedonia. Galicica NP, 3.4 km NNE Stenje, Oteshevo, 850 m, 1♀, 17.vi.2013, leg. P. Skou ( ZMUC). Slovenia. Nanos Mts., Lovska koča, 700 m, 2♂, 3.vii.2013, leg. J. Šumpich ( NMPC); Tunisia. North of Gafsa, 3♂, 6.iv.1998, leg. F. Iversen ( ZMUC). Turkey. Amasya, Sakarat Dagi, Karatas, 1700 m, 1♂, 1♀, 24.vii.1998, leg. K. Larsen ( ZMUC); Corum, Cekerek, 1300 m, 1♀, 17.vii.1989, leg. M. Fibiger & N. Esser ( ZMUC); Gümüshane, Kop Geçidi, 2400 m, 1♂, 13–14.ix.1993, leg. M. Fibiger ( ZMUC); Kars, Pasli Pass, 2020 m, 1♂, 1♀, 10.ix.1993, leg. M. Fibiger ( ZMUC); Konya, 15 km S Kurukaova, 1100 m, 1♂, 1.viii.1998, leg. K. Larsen ( ZMUC).

Description. Adult ( Figs 3–8 View FIGURES 3 – 10 ). Wingspan 16–21 mm. Segment 2 of labial palpus black at base, apically white; segment 3 cream-white. Scape of antenna black; flagellum light at base, becoming blackish towards tip, indistinctly darker ringed. Head cream-white, greyish in middle; thorax blackish brown; tegula light yellowish brown. Forewing light brown with lighter costa and blackish brown in basal part of the wing, along fold and a streak from base to middle of wing; black dots in fold (followed by white scales) and at ½ and 2/ 3 in middle of wing: veins in apical part of wing black; black spots along termen; cilia grey with dark grey cilia line. Hindwing grey.

Variation. A variable species especially with regard to the amount of black scales in the forewing (specimens from the Canary Islands can be almost without black). The veins are normally black, but they can also be concolorous with the forewing. Sometimes there are white scales before the terminal spots in the forewing.

Male genitalia ( Figs 41–45 View FIGURES 41 – 51 ). Valva comparatively broad, bulging medially, sparsely covered with long setae, more densely only in its medial parts. Sacculus nearly erect, slightly pointed terminally covered with an irregular row of strong spines along the whole of its length (with more spines concentrated basally). Uncus broad, with slightly broadened apex, rounded, sparsely covered with setae. Gnathos markedly arcuate, terminally flattened in lateral view and with a thumb-like termination in frontal view. Saccus broad, subrectangular. Phallus very narrow, only slightly curved terminally, ending with a long flagellum in shape of a double loop. Bulbus ejaculatorius with one elongated lamina.

Female genitalia ( Figs 108 View FIGURES 108 – 113 , 114–115 View FIGURES 114 – 128 ). Papillae anales small, broadly oval. Apophyses posteriores very short, less than twice as long as apophyses anteriores. Subgenital plate broad, in lateral view deeply concave medially. Ductus bursae distally straight and coiled approximately five times proximally. Ductus seminalis arising in the middle of ductus bursae, slightly broadened and membranous proximally, distally with a short, sparsely spined section followed by elongated bulla seminalis. Corpus bursae oval, signum prominent, basal plate elongated, then terminally rounded and bearing two large lateral plates of rounded shape.

Differential diagnosis. N. congressariella is characterized by the brownish forewings with a lighter costa, and with dark scales on the veins. It may resemble N. verbascella , but that species is on average larger and is without blackish brown in basal part of the forewing.

A distinctive species with characteristic shape of gnathos, medially broadened valva, narrow, long and erect sacculus and a very long flagellum in male genitalia and characteristic shape of subgenital plate and ductus seminalis in female genitalia.

Distribution. From the Canary Islands, Tunisia, SW Europe, Greece, Macedonia to Turkey; northwards to south-western part of the British Isles.

Bionomics. The larva has been described by e.g. Emmet & Heckford (2002: 223). It feeds on Scrophularia L., although Inula L. and Vincetoxicum Wolf have also been reported as host plants ( Lhomme 1946 –1949: 635). In early instars the larva feeds between two spun leaves; later under a folded spun leaf. It pupates in a light cocoon among detritus (Emmet & Heckford, op cit.).

Remarks. Ypsolopha congressariella was described from an unstated number of specimens (probably one), bred from a larva found on Inula viscosa (now Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter) at Montpellier in France in June 1857. It is not clear from the description if the larva was feeding on the Inula plant, or it was only found resting there.

Nothris declaratella was described from one female from 29.iv. and one male from 23.vi. collected in Spain (Andalusia: Chiclana).

The figures of N. verbascella and N. congressariella female genitalia are reversed in the work of Emmet & Heckford (2002, 63; fig. 43b belongs to N. congressariella ).