Dichrorampha melaniana Nel & Varenne, 2016

Huemer, Peter & Van Nieukerken, Erik J., 2021, Identity of some recently described Lepidoptera from France-re-assessed with DNA barcodes and morphology, Zootaxa 4941 (3), pp. 301-337 : 316

Dichrorampha melaniana Nel & Varenne, 2016

Dichrorampha melaniana Nel & Varenne 2016a: 38 , figs. 22, 23a, unnumbered figure.

Examined material. Holotype ♀: France, Alpes-Maritimes , Roubion, Vignols, 11.VI.2015, Th. Varenne leg., genitalia slide JN n°29316 ( RCTV).

BOLD Specimen ID TLMF 22299; BOLD Sequence ID LEASS651-17.

BIN: BOLD:AAA8637

Identity: Dichrorampha melaniana Nel & Varenne, 2016

Remarks. Dichrorampha melaniana was decribed from three female specimens from the French Alps and compared with D. alpigenana Heinemann, 1863 . The male sex was published only a year later by Nel & Varenne (2017a), based on a single specimen. The authors had not been aware of another related species, namely D. tarmanni Huemer, 2009 , which occurs in nearby Italy. Both species are close in genitalia with only subtle differences in the female but seemingly better separated in the male. The successfully sequenced holotype of D. melaniana fully corresponds to D. tarmanni as well as to several other species of Dichrorampha . It appears that barcode sharing is widespread in this group of closely related species. Though the validity of D. melaniana seems well supported from available figures it will be necessary to study the intraspecific variation and to re-assess the species group of D. plumbana (Scopoli, 1763) .