Aethes larissae Budashkin & Richter, 2021

Budashkin, Yuriy & Richter, Ignác, 2021, New records of Cochylini moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) from the Balkans, Zootaxa 5082 (5), pp. 441-456 : 446

Aethes larissae Budashkin & Richter sp. nov.

( Figs. 5–8 )

Type material. Holotype ♂, North Macedonia, Galičica Nacional Park, Asan Gjura , 15–16.vi.2017 (I. R.) GP 30438 IgR . Paratype ♂, North Macedonia, same data as for the holotype (I. R.) DNA Barcode TLMF Lep 28715 .

Diagnosis. Externally and by the structure of male genitalia, the new species most closely resembles Aethes caucasica ( Amsel, 1959) ( Amsel 1959) . However, the new species has wider brown dorsal spot on the forewings. In the male genitalia, it differs from A. caucasica , by the wider socii, broader valva, and aedeagus and, in particular, by the much more stout cornutus. Despite that the COI p-distance of 1.99% between these species lies near the low limit for standard DNA barcode species delimitation (2–4%), they exhibit pronounced morphological characters that clearly separate A. caucasica and A. larissae sp. nov.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 5 ). Sexual dimorphism unknown. Wingspan 17 mm. Head ( Figs. 6, 7 ) and thorax comparatively large, covered with dirty yellow scales, frons lighter, tegulae dirty yellow; labial palpus of middle length, thick, 2 nd segment much longer than 3 rd segment, wide, densely covered with very long scales, upper side dirty yellow, lateral side brownish. Segment 3 short, concolorous with second segment. Scapus brown, remaining antennal segments brown, with dirty–yellow rings and densely ciliated in males. Forewing yellow, relatively long and narrow, apex triangular, tornal angle expressed. The wing pattern consists of relatively wide brown dorsal spot and incomplete subterminal fascia. On subterminal fascia, two large brown spots are visible in lower part of the wing, and one smaller and lighter spot at costal margin of wing. Cilia line not visible, cilia yellow. Hindwing and cilia dark brown.

Male genitalia. ( Fig. 8 ): Tegumen trapezoidal, broad. Socii relatively long and thick. Median part of transtilla relatively strong and medium wide, trapezoidal, terminally narrowing and with large cloves. Valva broad in basal part, markedly narrowed to top, its lower edge evenly rounded.Aedeagus very broad and short, with a large triangular process ventroapically. Cornutus aciculate, stout, large (longer than half length of the aedeagus), narrow oval with a pointed apex.

Molecular data. BIN BOLD: BOLD ACG2061 (n=2). The nearest neighbour is Ae. caucasica with 1.99% pdistance.

Bionomy. Bionomy and early stages are unknown. Habitat ( Fig. 9 ).

Distribution. Known from North Macedonia only.

Etymology. The new species is named in honour the wife of the first author, Larisa Vadimovna Streltsova, a charming woman, a great soul of a person and a major professional specialist in her work field.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Fig. 1. Adult of Phtheochroa amasiana (North Macedonia). Fig. 2. Male genitalia of Phtheochroa amasiana (North Macedonia). Fig. 3. Adult of Cochylimorpha erlebachi (Croatia). Fig. 4. Female genitalia of Cochylimorpha erlebachi (Croatia). Fig. 5. Adult of Aethes larissae sp. nov. holotype, (North Macedonia). Figs 6-7. Head of Aethes larissae sp. nov. holotype, (North Macedonia). Fig. 8. Male genitalia of Aethes larissae sp. nov. holotype, (North Macedonia). Fig. 9. Habitat of Aethes larissae sp. nov. and Aethes kindermanniana macedonica ssp. nov. (North Macedonia Galičica Nacional Park, Asan Gjura,).