Cnephasia kenneli Obraztsov, 1956

Alipanah, Helen, 2019, An overview of the tribe Cnephasiini (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Tortricinae) of Iran with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4661 (3), pp. 501-521 : 508-514

14. Cnephasia kenneli Obraztsov, 1956

Material examined. Zanjân Prov.: 12 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Sohrein Vlg. to Dagâhi Vlg. Rd. , 6 km to Dagâhi Vlg., N 36˚53΄03.8̎ E 048˚28΄08.3̎, 4084 m, 4.vi.2012, Âlipanâh, Falsafi leg. ( GS: HA-2404, HA-2081, HA-2086, HA-2388, HA-2394, HA-2396, HA-2397) .

Diagnosis. Among identified females of the longana species-group, C. kenneli is most similar to C. amseli (D. Lucas, 1942) in the female genitalia (see Razowski 1965: 270, 274; Razowski 2002: 91). In both species the lateral parts of the sterigma are triangular and narrowed distally, with the posterior margins concave medially. In both species the ostium bursae is rounded and antrum is nearly cup-shaped and slightly sclerotized. The relative length of the ductus bursae to the corpus bursae and the size and shape of signum in both species are the same. However, in C. amseli there is a relatively long inner sclerotization at the posterior half of the ductus bursae, whereas in C. kenneli there is a twisted sclerotized structure inside the ductus bursae which is located at its anterior half ( Figs. 8A, C ). Moreover, in C. kenneli the papillae anales are wider than in C. amseli . The male genitalia of C. amseli are still unknown; on the other hand, the forewing pattern of the latter species is different from that of the C. kenneli .

As stated by Razowski (1965), C. kenneli is superficially similar to C. dispersana ; however, the two can be distinguished by their genitalia.

Description of the female. Head ( Fig. 6G ): Scales mostly smooth, elongate, white; white to creamy-light brown on frons; labial palpus sinuate with third segment pointed anterad, creamy-white irregularly admixed with light brown to yellowish-brown scales dorso-laterally, except creamy-white first segment, with length 1.83 times the horizontal diameter of compound eye, second segment longest with slightly elongate and erect scales dorso-apically; antennae nearly white dorsally at one-third, the remaining ringed with white and creamy-light brown scales, sensilla shorter than the male.

Thorax: Creamy-white admixed with light brown scales, with a pair group of erect creamy-white scales admixed with dark brown scales posteriorly. Female slightly larger than male, with forewing length 11.4 mm (n = 1). Forewing shape and pattern similar in males and females ( Figs. 6A – D ), slightly broadened distally, with nearly straight costa finely arched outwards basally, rounded apex, obliquely rounded termen; upperside grayish-cream, with a few scattered brown to pale brown scales at dorsum margin and distal end, cilia creamy-white with a gray brown dividing transverse line; underside light brown except narrow creamy costal margin. Hindwing ( Figs. 6A, B ) upperside darker than the forewing, grayish-light brown, cilia creamy-white with a gray brown dividing transverse line; underside paler than the forewing, cream.

Abdomen: Grayish-cream, with elongate yellowish-cream scales dorsally. Female genitalia ( Figs. 8 A–C) with papillae anales moderate, medially broad, apically rounded; ostium bursae circular, heavily sclerotized ventrolaterally; apophyses posteriores longer than apophyses anteriores, 1.3 times length of apophyses anteriores, both gradually narrowed distally; lateral parts of sterigma broad, gradually tapering laterally, slightly concave medially on posterior margin, with several long setae mostly at median part; antrum cup-shaped, weakly sclerotized ( Figs. 8A, B ); ductus bursae narrow, with a twisted, irregular sclerotized structure at anterior half ( Figs. 8A, C ); ductus seminalis arising from anterior end of ductus bursae, slightly behind connection with corpus bursae ( Figs. 8A, C ); corpus bursae large, pear-shaped, signum moderate.

Distribution. Jordan ( Jordan Valley), Asia Minor (Eibés, Malatya), Syria?, Kulscha? ( Kennel 1901, 1910, Obraztsov 1956, Razowski 1965).

Remarks. Cnephasia obsoletana was described by Kennel (1901) based on a single male specimen from the Jordan Valley, Jordan. Obraztsov (1956) recognized that the name was preoccupied and proposed the replacement name Cnephasia kenneli . In 1910 Kennel described Tortrix obsoletana from a male specimen from Eibés, Malatya in southeastern and eastern Asia Minor. According to Razowski (1965), the latter is considered a synonym of C. kenneli . The female has remained undescribed. During the present study, a female collected at the same locality as C. kenneli males was discovered in the HMIM, both sexes collected by the author in Zanjan Province. Because the female is superficially similar to the males of C. kenneli , the two sexes are considered conspecific.

As revealed in this study, there is considerable intra-specific variation in the male genitalia of C. kenneli , especially in the shape of the valva. As figured by Razowski (1965: 264, 265), the valva of C. kenneli is pointed, while in examined males the apical part of the valva is more rounded ( Figs. 7A, E, H, I ) or obliquely rounded ( Fig. 7J ). In some specimens, the valva is curved internally behind the mid-ventral part ( Fig. 7H ). Also, the width of the valva in examined males is slightly less than that figured by Razowski (1965). Some of this variation may be an artefact of slide mounting. During the preparation of male genitalia, the lower margin of the apical part of the valva usually turns back and thereby the apical part seems narrower than it actually is.

Additionally, the free termination of the sacculus is normally turned more or less upward on the disc of the valva ( Figs. 7A, D, I, J ), but sometimes it may turn downward depending on slide preparation ( Figs. 7E, F, H ).

Cnephasia kenneli has rather moderate, simple socii (see Razowski 1965: 264, 265), however, in the examined males the socii are relatively wide, 1.6 times the width of the uncus at its narrowest point (n = 5). Furthermore, in most of the examined males, the free termination of the socii are nearly straight or very slightly depressed medially, but they often appear bilobed, i.e., a slightly longer apically rounded lateral lobe and a somewhat shorter medial one ( Figs. 7A, C, E ).

The terminal plate of the gnathos in the examined males is wedge-like ( Figs. 7A, C, E ), whereas it appears to be trapezoidal in figures presented by Razowski (1965: 264). The density of spines at the free termination of the sacculus also varies among the specimens ( Figs. 7A, D, E, F , H–J).

Comments. Although males and females are similar superficially, a few differences (except the shorter length of sensilla of female antennae) were observed between them. The female is somewhat larger than male; i.e., forewing length 9.7 – 11.7 mm (= 10.73 mm ± 0.52, n = 12) in males, 11.4 mm (n = 1) in the female. Moreover, the female has a slightly smaller compound eye ( Fig. 6G ) compared to that of males ( Figs. 6E, F ). Also, the dorsal surface of the male antennae is covered with white scales only basally or ringed throughout, whereas in female the white scales extended to the proximal one-third of the antennae. In both male and female, the number of scales in darker rings of the antennae is less than those of the white rings.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Adult of C. kenneli Obraztsov. A) Female upperside, B) Female underside, C) Male upperside, D) Male underside, E, F) Head of the male in frontal (E) and lateral (F) views, G) Head of the female, lateral view.

FIGURE 7. Male genitalia of C. kenneli Obraztsov. A) Male genitalia, B) Uncus in lateral view, C) Male genitalia, socii and gnathos, D) Distal tip of sacculus, E) Male genitalia, F) Distal tip of sacculus, G) Juxta, H–J) Valvae.

FIGURE 8. Female genitalia of C. kenneli Obraztsov. A) General view, B) Ostial area, C) Ductus bursae and colliculum.