Coleophora afrofrischella Tabell, 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 : 158-159

Coleophora afrofrischella Tabell , sp. nov.

Barcode Index Number: BOLD:ACT4013

Figs. 3, 4, 19, 33, 34, 55

Type material. Holotype ♀ (GP 5087 J. Tabell, DNA sample 21845 Lepid Phyl): Morocco, Middle Atlas, Azrou 3 km NW, 1240 m, [33.4734 N 5.2481 W] 6.V.2013, J. Tabell leg. (coll. MZH) http://id.luomus.fi/GBT. 14 Paratypes: 1 ♂ (GP 5086 J. Tabell, DNA sample 21844 Lepid Phyl) same collecting data as holotype, but 7.V.2013 at 7–7.30 am; 1 ♂ same collecting data as holotype, but 14.V.2016; 1 ♀ same collecting data as holotype, but 16.V.2016 (all coll. TAB); 1 ♂ Morocco, Meknès-Tafilalet, Ifrane , 33°27´20´´: -5°2´18´´, 1920 m, 5.–9.V.2011, J. & A. Kullberg leg. (coll. MZH); 1 ♂ (GP Bldz 10584 ) Morocco, Chefchaouén , 600 m, 22.IV.1989, Zool. Mus. Copenagh. Exp. (coll. ZMUC); 1 ♂ same collecting data (coll. Baldizzone); 1 ♂ (GP Bldz 10855 ) Morocco, Str. Meknès-Azrou , 1000 m, 1.V.1990, Exp. Bassi, Olmi & Scaramozzino (coll. Bassi); 1 ♂ (GP NHMUK 28961 ) Morocco, Tangier, 19.IV.1902 Wlsm. 88113 (coll. NHMUK).

Diagnosis. Externally C. afrofrischella is indistinguishable from C. alcyonipennella (Kollar, 1832) and C. frischella (Linnaeus, 1758) . The genitalia resemble those of C. frischella , but in male the cucullus is smaller, the sacculus slightly longer and the bundle of cornuti narrower. In the female genitalia, the main distinguishing characters are the shape of sterigma (trapezoidal in C. afrofrischella , rectangular in C. frischella ), shorter apophysis anterioris and markedly shorter spinulate section of ductus bursae.

Molecular data. Two specimens of C. afrofrischella were sequenced, resulting in 633 bp barcodes for both of them. The nearest neighbour to C. afrofrischella is C. alcyonipennella , with a 3.59 % divergence. The barcodes of C. afrofrischella exhibit no intraspecific variation. The minimum divergence between C. afrofrischella and C. frischella is 4.26 %.

Description. Adult. Wingspan of male 13.5–14 mm, female 10.5–12 mm. Head and thorax brassy green, in female with violet sheen. Labial palpus brassy green, second segment 1.5x as long as third segment. Antenna uniformly dark brown, apical fifth dirty white, scape not tufted. Forewing brassy green, apically more or less widely covered with purple sheen. Cilia grey. Hindwing and cilia grey.

Abdominal structures. Sternal bar long, well sclerotized. No tergal latero-posterior bar. Transverse bar curved, broad, parallel-sided, proximal edge sclerotized only medially, distal edge broadly sclerotized. Tergal sclerite well sclerotized, about 5x (in female 3x) as long as wide, covered with about 30 (in female 40) conical spines (on T3).

Male genitalia. Gnathos knob narrow, oval. Tegumen constricted medially, dorsoanterior margin strongly sclerotized, cone-shaped, pedunculum slightly dilated, moderately broad. Transtilla wedge-shaped. Valvula large. Cucullus club-shaped, slightly tapered basally. Sacculus well sclerotized; ventral margin convex, evenly curved, terminating in a triangular tooth pointing inwards; dorsal margin straight, slightly oblique, edged by a sclerotized ridge. Phallotheca a conical tube, with a dorsal unarmed ridge. Vesica broad, with a narrow bundle of about five spiniform cornuti.

Female genitalia. Papilla analis oval, densely covered with small nodules and short bristles. Apophyses darkly sclerotized, thick and straight; anterior apophysis 1.5x as long as sterigma, posterior apophysis almost 2x as long as anterior one. Sterigma trapezoidal, as wide as long, proximal margin slightly sinuous, distal margin edged by short spines; medial excavation deep, drop-shaped. Tergum 8 T-shaped, long. Ostium U-shaped, situated near proximal margin. Colliculum chaliced, sclerotized, with a sclerotized dark median band. Spinose section of ductus bursae straight, 1.5x as long as sterigma; posterior section with a sclerotized lamina; anterior section densely covered with small dark granules and spines. Corpus bursae small, round, with a large leaf-shaped signum.

Biology. Biology unknown. In Azrou the specimens were netted in the morning between 7:00–7:30 (summer time) and in the afternoon on a hill meadow, pastured by cows.

Distribution. So far known from two closely situated localities in the Middle Atlas Mountains at an elevation of 1240 m and 1920 m.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to an African relative of C. frischella .