Elachista nitidulella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855), Herrich-Schaffer, 1855

Kaila, Lauri, Baran, Tomasz & Mutanen, Marko, 2015, A revision of the Elachista dispilella complex (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Elachistidae), Zootaxa 3963 (4), pp. 517-560 : 539-540

Elachista nitidulella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855)

Figs. 17 , 68

Poeciloptilia nitidulella Herrich-Schäffer, 1855: 302 , 314.

Material studied. Austria: Austria inf., Herzograd 19.–24.IV.1968 1 ♂ J. Klimesch leg. ( ZSM); [no locality], Hoffmann leg. ( MZH); Kyrgyzstan: nr. Lake Song-Köl, 3050 m, 11. VIII.1987, 1 ♂, V. Mironov leg. ( ZIN). Russia: S. Ural, Arkaim, 14. VI.1996, 1 ♂, K. Nupponen, J.-P. Kaitila, J. Junnilainen & M. Ahola leg. (Coll. Nupponen); Ul’yanovsk obl., Akulovka, Nikolaevka distr., 150 km SWS Ul’yanovsk, limestone steppe, 5306’N, 4729’E, 24. V.1996, 1 ♂, V. V. Zolotuhin leg. ( MZH); Vjazovka, Radishchevo distr., 160 km S Ul’yanovsk, 5253’N, 4826’E, 3. VI.1993, 1 ♂, V. V. Zolotuhin leg. (Coll. Zolotuhin). Ukraine: Homutovskaya step, 15. VI.1996, 1 ♂, A. Bidzilya leg. ( ZMKU).

Diagnosis. Elachista nitidulella is a small species with a dirty white forewing and a relatively dark grey hindwing. The male genitalia are characterized by the narrow and elongate uncus lobes. Superficially, the most similar species is E. curonensis ; for distinguishing these species see the diagnosis of E. curonensis . The male genitalia are most similar to those of E. bruuni . For differentiation of these species, see the diagnosis of E. bruuni . The female genitalia of E. nitidulella were not studied. The illustrations given by Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen (1977) and Traugott-Olsen (1990) are superficial and give little details that would be useful in characterization it. The signum, however, appears to be shorter than in most species according to the illustrations.

Molecular characterization. No material was available for genetic study.

Distribution. Kaila (2009, in FaEU) lists the following European countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Switzerland. In addition, material has now been examined from Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Ukraine.

Remarks. We follow the long accepted identity of this species, which is supported by the identity of the possibly only surviving, apparent syntype that was studied by Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen (1977).

Figures

FIGURES 14 – 25. Adults of Elachista spp. Scale 2 mm. 14. E. bruuni Traugott-Olsen, ♂, holotype. 15. E. bruuni Traugott- Olsen, ♂ (Finland). 16. E. bruuni Traugott-Olsen, ♀ (Finland). 17. E. nitidulella Herrich-Schäffer ♂ (Austria). 18. E. turkensis Traugott-Olsen, ♂ (Turkey). 19. E. turkensis Traugott-Olsen, ♀ (Turkey). 20. E. turkensis Parenti, ♀ (Turkey). 21. E. ripai Kaila, sp. nov., ♂ holotype. 22. E. flavescens Parenti, ♂ (Turkey). 23. E. implana Kaila, sp. nov., ♂ holotype. 24. E. filicornella Kaila, ♂ holotype. 25. E. levasi Sruoga, ♂ holotype, head (courtesy by V. Sruoga).

FIGURES 68 – 69. Male genitalia of Elachista spp. 68. E. nitidulella (Herrich-Schäffer), Kyrgyzstan, L. Kaila prep. 5759. Left: general image of genitalia, phallus in same scale. Right top: juxta and digitate process. Right bottom: phallus as enlarged. 69. E. turkensis Traugott-Olsen, holotype, ETO K. 20.8.87.