Coleophora ifranensis Tabell & Kullberg, 2023

Tabell, Jukka, Kullberg, Jaakko, Mutanen, Marko, Tokár, Zdenko & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2023, New and little known Coleophora Hübner, 1822 species from Morocco. Part I (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae), Zootaxa 5374 (2), pp. 151-195 : 160-161

Coleophora ifranensis Tabell & Kullberg , sp. nov.

Barcode Index Number: BOLD:AEK8083

Figs. 7, 22, 37

Type material. Holotype ♂ (GP 6209 J. Tabell, DNA sample 27140 Lepid Phyl): Morocco, Meknès-Tafilalet, [33.4556 N 5.0383 W], Ifrane 1920 m, 9.V.2011, J. & A. Kullberg leg. http://id.luomus.fi/GBT.16 (coll. MZH).

Diagnosis. Externally C. ifranensis is similar to several members of the C. onobrychiella species group, such as C. sisteronica, C. carsteni and C. hipponae. Darkly ringed antenna distinguishes C. ifranensis from C. carsteni and C. hipponae; discrimination from C. sisteronica requires the study of genitalia. In the male genitalia, the cucullus is slightly broader, the sacculus is longer and its dorsal margin straighter, the valvula is larger and the cornuti are fewer and longer than in C. sisteronica. The female of C. ifranensis is unknown.

Molecular data. The single sample resulted in a 654 bp barcode. The nearest neighbour is C. carsteni , with a 5.46 % divergence.

Description. Adult. Wingspan 13 mm. Antenna white, annulated with dark brown. Scape pale ochre, tufted below. Labial palp pale ochre mixed with white, second article as long as third article. Head white, thorax and tegula white with a pale ochre tinge. Forewing yellowish ochre, basally and dorsally slightly paler; costal stripe white, from base to ¾, at basal half edged by brown scales. Costal fringe cilia pale ochre, dorsal fringe cilia pale brown. Hindwing pale grey, fringe cilia pale brown.

Abdominal structures. No tergal latero-posterior bar. Transverse bar slightly curved, proximal edge weakly sclerotized, distal edge slightly arched, sclerotized medially. Tergal sclerite very narrow, about 8x as long as wide, covered with 16–17 conical spines (on T3).

Male genitalia. Gnathos knob round. Tegumen long, parallel-sided, pedunculum short. Transtilla narrow, wedge-shaped. Valvula large, weakly delineated. Cucullus long, very narrow, club-shaped. Sacculus well sclerotized, elongated; ventral margin evenly rounded, apical third lined with bristles, ending in sharp, narrow point; dorsal margin slightly concave, oblique. Phallotheca elongated, tubular. Vesica with several spiniform cornuti grouped into a tight curved bundle.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Morocco, known only from the type locality.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the collecting region.