Elachista flavescens Parenti, 1981

Kaila, Lauri, Baran, Tomasz & Mutanen, Marko, 2015, A revision of the Elachista dispilella complex (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Elachistidae), Zootaxa 3963 (4), pp. 517-560 : 543-544

Elachista flavescens Parenti, 1981

Figs. 22 , 72

Elachista flavescens Parenti, 1981: 49

Material studied. Type material: Holotype ♂: Asia minore, 5 km a nor-ovest di Gümüschane, 1050 m. F. Kasy leg.; Prep. Gen. ♂ N. 2727 U Parenti ( NHMW); 3 ♂ paratype slides: U. Parenti prep. 3706, Mus. Vind. 11049; U. Parenti prep. 2734, Mus. Vind. 11047, U. Parenti prep. 2741, Mus. Vind. 11099 (all in NHMW). Other material: Russia: S. Ural, Chalk Hills, 3.–7. VI.1998, 2 ♂, J. Junnilainen leg. (Coll. Junnilainen), 1 ♂, T. & K. Nupponen leg., 22. VI.1999, 1 ♂, T. & K. Nupponen leg. (Coll. Nupponen); Volgograd distr., 80 km NW Volgograd nr. Ilovla village, 2. VI.2001, 2 ♂, K. Nupponen leg., L. Kaila prep. 3407 (Coll. Nupponen, MZH); S. Ural, Orenburg dr., 5040–45’N, 5426–28’E, 170–230 m, 20 km S Pokrovka village, Schibendy Valley, 1. VII.2003, 3 ♂, 1 ♀, K. Nupponen leg. (Coll. Nupponen, MZH). Turkey: Ankara Baraje, 900 m, 28. VI.1968, 1 ♂, MM. u. V. Glaser leg. ( SMNK); Asia min, Aksehir, 1200 m, Sultan Daglari, 25.–27. VI.1968, 2 ♂, M. u. W. Glaser leg. ( SMNK); Aksehir, 25 km SW Sultan Daglari, 1500 m, 9. VI. 2002, 3 ♂, T. Nupponen leg., Lepid. Phyl. 15496, 15497, 22263 (Coll. Nupponen); 30 km SW Sultan Daglari, 1200 m, 28. VI.1998, 2 ♂, 29. VI.1998, 1 ♂, T. Nupponen leg., L. Kaila prep. 5865, DNA samples 15495, 22277, 22278 Lepid. Phyl. (Coll. Nupponen); 5 km W. Yesilhisar, 20.– 21. VI.1999, 8 ♂, J. Junnilainen leg., L. Kaila prep. 3446 (Coll. Junnilainen, MZH); 35 km SW Aksehir, Cetince, 1200 m, 15. VI.1999, 4 ♂, J. Junnilainen leg. (L. Kaila prep. 3481), 9.–13. V.2000, 2 ♂, J. Junnilainen leg., L. Kaila prep. 3445, 3483 (Coll. Junnilainen, MZH).

Diagnosis. Elachista flavescens is a unicolorous white or pale yellow species. It is distinguished by the strongly serrate antennae which separate it from all other species of E. dispilella complex, except E. implana . The differences between these two species are presented in the diagnosis of E. implana . The cornutus group is similar to that of E. dispilella , the latter of which has simple antennae and broader valvae than E. flavescens . The female genitalia are characterized by the dilated posterior part of ductus bursae, with the colliculum represented by a strongly sclerotized band.

Molecular characterization. The analyzed 5 specimens of E. flavescens showed a maximum variability of 0.63 %. Average distance between the specimens was 0.25 %. The genetically closest species was E. ripai with 6.54 % minimum distance to E. flavescens .

Redescription. Wingspan 9–11 mm. Labial palpus creamy white, length 1.2 times diameter of head, scales of second segment distally long and somewhat raised. Head, neck tuft, thorax, scape and pedicel of antenna white or creamy white; flagellum dark grey, distinctly serrate. Foreleg inwardly leaden grey, legs otherwise ochreous white.

Forewing ground colour varying from nearly white to pale yellow with concolorous fringe, base of costa narrowly black; sometimes costal and/or tornal spot faintly visible, brown. Hindwing creamy white with concolorous fringe. Underside of forewing dark grey with creamy white fringe, underside of hindwing grey in anterior half, nearly white in posterior half, fringe pale grey along anterior margin, white along posterior margin.

Male genitalia. Uncus lobes twice as long as wide, sickle-shaped, somewhat distally tapered, mesial margin convex, apex acute. Spinose knob of gnathos oval-shaped. Valva 3/4 as long as tegumen + uncus, 4.5 times as long as broad, bent as s-shaped, parallel-sided; sacculus dilated; cucullus elongate, somewhat bent towards costa. Digitate process tongue-shaped, 0.2 times as long as valva, medially and distally with stout setae. Juxta lobes devoid of setae, mesial margin straight, joining the straight distal margin in a right angle. Phallus 1.1 times as long as valva, bent, parallel-sided; cornutus cluster prominent, formed of about ten spines set comb-like, basal spines slightly shorter than distal ones that are as long as diameter of phallus.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Armenia ( Parenti 1981), Russia, Turkey.

Remarks. The apparent length of the cornuti is dependent on the position of the vesica in the phallus.

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 72 – 74. Male genitalia of Elachista spp. Left: general image of genitalia, phallus in same scale. Right top: juxta and digitate process. Right bottom: cornutus as enlarged. 72. E. flavescens Parenti, Turkey, L. Kaila prep. 3483. 73. E. implana Kaila, sp. nov., holotype, L. Kaila prep. 5909. 74. E. implana Kaila, sp. nov., paratype, L. Kaila prep. 5910.