Zelleria asiatica Na, Bae & Ponomarenko, 2019

Na, Sol-Moon, Ponomarenko, Margarita G. & Bae, Yang-Seop, 2019, Review of the genus Zelleria Stainton (Lepidoptera, Yponomeutidae, Yponomeutinae) in East Asia, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4576 (3), pp. 559-569 : 564-568

Zelleria asiatica Na, Bae & Ponomarenko , sp. nov.

(Figs. 4a, 4b, 9a, 9b, 13a, 13b)

Zelleria silvicolella auct. nec Moriuti, 1977: 222; Gershenson, 1986: 70; Sinev, 2008: 46; Ponomarenko, 2016: 63.

Holotype: [ INU] 1 ♂, Korea, Gangwon Province, Hongcheon-gun, Gachilbong , 27–30.V.2002 ( YS Bae), genitalia slide no. INU-4658 ; Paratypes: [ INU] 2 ♂, 5 ♀, Korea, Gangwon Province, Taebaek-si, Changjuk-dong, Geomryongso (37°13’43.01’’N, 128°55’30.73’’E), 3.VII.2013 ( YD Ju , BS Park & SM Na), genitalia slide no. INU-4647, -4648, -4651, & -4653 ; 3 ♂, same locality, 3.VII.2015 ( SM Na, DJ Lee, YK Lee & HK Kim), genitalia slide no. INU-4650, -4654, & -4655 ; 1 ♀, Inje-gun, Buk-myeon, Mt. Daeam , 27. VI .2013 ( YS Bae), genitalia slide no. INU-4656 ; 1 ♀, Gangwon Province, Inje-gun, Girin-myeon, Jindong Valley , 24. VI .2010 (NH Ahn), genitalia slide no. INU-4657. 1 ♀, Jeollanam Province, Is. Wan, 20.IX.2014 ( Bae et al.). [ FSCB] 2 ♂, Russia, Jewish Autonomous Region, “Bastak” reserve, 27 km N of Birobidzhan, upper Ikura river, 1– 3.VII,2004 (M Ponomarenko) ; 1 ♂, Jewish Autonomous Region, “Bastak” reserve, 21 km N of Birobidzhan, Ikura river , 4.VII. 0 0 4 (M Ponomarenko) . 2 ♂, Primorskii krai, Nadezhdinskii distr., 7 km NE Razdolnoe, Olenevod , 10–13. VI .1976 (Ermolaev). 11 ♂, 10 ♀, Primorskii krai. Ussurijskii distr., 20 km SE Ussurijsk, Gornotajezhnoe , 27.VI, 2–14.VII, 26–28.VII. 1994 (M Ponomarenko) ; 3 ♂, Primorskii krai, Terneiskii distr., 50 km W Masimovka, upper Maximovka river at the mouth of Bolshaya Lugovaya river , 5–7.VII. 1998 (E Beljaev) ; 2 ♂, Primorskii krai, 18 km SE Spassk Dalnii, “Kalinovka” recreation center, 8.VII.2018 (M Ponomarenko) .

Diagnosis. Z. asiatica is very similar to Z. silvicolella Moriuti but can externally be separated by the absence of dark subcostal stroke before middle on the forewing, and elongated ovate signum, as long as 1/5 of corpus bursae in the female genitalia; Z. silvicolella has a distinct subcostal stroke before middle on the forewing and signum equal to half of corpus bursae in length. Z. asiatica is also externally similar to Z. japonicella Moriuti , but can be distinguished by the absence of violet, lustrous spots at middle of dorsum. Male genitalia are similar to those of Z. silvicolella .

Description. Adult (Figs. 4a, 4b). Wingspan 10–12 mm. Vertex with rough and erect cream white scales extended to dorsal half of frons, frons otherwise with cream white appressed scales, yellow ochreous around compound eyes. Antenna filiform; scape black brown mixed with ochreous, with black brown pecten; flagellum cream white ringed with dark brown. Labial palpus porrect, blunt-tipped; first segment pale yellow brown with dark brown scales densely irrorate, second and third segment black brown and pale yellow brown scales mixed outside and pale yellow brown inside. Thorax brown, mixed with violet luster; tegula dark purple. Fore- and midlegs, from femur to tibia black brown, mixed with ochreous, tarsus pale ochreous, ringed with dark brown; hindleg from femur to tibia dark brown, mixed with pale yellow brown, tarsus pale yellow brown. Abdomen pale shining gray. Forewing elongate, narrowed distally, ground color yellow brown, crescent violet lustrous patch at basal area, continue to 2/3 costa, white streak from 2/3 costa to near apex, violet lustrous scales suffused from about basal 2/3 to termen, purple lustrous scales on termen, fringe black brown, ochreous gray scales on base 1/3 to termen. Hindwing and fringe ochreous gray.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 9a, 9b ). Socius narrow, curved outwardly, with a thorn at apex. Tuba analis membranous. Uncus with flat posterior margin. Valva elongate-ovate, with slightly sickle curved apex, a small ridge before 1/4 of dorsal margin; sacculus without distinct hair tufts at basal 1/4 to half on dorsal margin, dorsal margin of valva with strong thorns from basal 1/4 to the middle. Gnathos elongate, widened as drop-shaped median plate. Saccus narrow, length 1/2 of valva. Aedeagus about 3 times as long as valva, cornuti composed of 2 thorns and 2 rows of short spines.

Female genitalia (Figs. 13a, 13b). Papilla analis arrow-shaped. Apophysis posterioris 0.8 times as long as apophysis anterioris. Apophysis anterioris branched. Lamella postvaginalis setose, with rounded posterior lobes. Antrum cylindrical, sclerotized. Ductus bursae over 2.5 times as long as corpus bursae, tubular, membranous, granulose from ductus seminalis to corpus bursae. Corpus bursae ovate; signum elongated ovate with denticles, 0.2 times as long as corpus bursae.

Distribution. Korea, Russia (Far East).

Host plant. Unknown.

Remark. This species was misidentified as Zelleria silvicolella Moriuti by Gershenson (1986).

Etymology. This species is named after the region “Asia” where it was collected from Korea and Russia Far East.

Figures

FIGURES 7–9. Male genitalia of Zelleria spp.: 7a–b. Z. hepariella Stainton (Redrawing from Moriuti, 1977); 8a–b. Z. japonicella Moriuti, genitalia slide no. INU–4727; 9a–b. Z. asiatica Na, Bae & Ponomarenko, sp. nov., genitalia slide no. INU- 4650.