Perittia junnilaisella, Kaila, Lauri, 2009

Kaila, Lauri, 2009, Notes on the genus Perittia of the West Palaearctic region with descriptions of three new species (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae), Zootaxa 2230, pp. 16-28 : 21-22

Perittia junnilaisella sp. n.

( Figs. 5, 6 , 15, 16 )

Holotype: 3, Turkey, Sultan Daglari 30 km SW Aksehir, 1500 m, 29.V.1997, K. Nupponen & J. Junnilainen leg. (L. Kaila prep. 3015, in Coll. MZH). Paratypes (5 3): Turkey, Cetince, 35 km SW Aksehir, 1200 m, 15.VI. 1999, 1 3, J. Junnilainen leg. (L. Kaila prep. 4279, in Coll. Junnilainen). 3 3 with the same collecting data as holotype except dates 13.VI.1999 (2 3) and 14.VI.1999 (1 3) (L. Kaila prep. 3133, in Coll’s MZH & Junnilainen).

Diagnosis. Perittia junnilaisella is a broad-winged species externally similar to P. farinella (Thunberg) and P. huemeri ( Figs. 5, 6 .). P. farinella is externally distinguished by its longer labial palpus and the very broad and blunt-tipped hindwing. P. huemeri has paler foreleg than P. junnilaisella , and its hindwing is somewhat more blunt-tipped than that of P. junnilaisella . P. junnilaisella also appears to be smaller than P. huemeri . Basal 0.1 of forewing costa is grey in P. junnilaisella , and nearly white in P. huemeri . The male genitalia of P. junnilaisella is characterised by the distinctive, largely separate costa of the valva that is similar only to P. huemeri among the known Palaearctic taxa. In North America, there are two described species that have similar structure in the costa of valva. These species, however, have the termen of the valva as prolonged, pointed apex ( Kaila 1995). The male genitalia of P. junnilaisella and P. huemeri differ from each other as follows: the phallus of P. junnilaisella is shorter than that of P. huemeri (1.2 times length of costa of valva in P. junnilaisella as measured with the cusp of the manica, and 1.5-1.7 times length of costa of valva in P. huemeri ); along the distal opening of the phallus there is a row of carina in P. huemeri that is missing in P. junnilaisella .

Description ( Figs. 5, 6 ). Forewing length 5.8–7.6 mm. Length of labial palpus 0.6 times diameter of head; second segment weakly ascending, otherwise drooping, white. Head, neck tuft, scape and pedicel of antenna white, flagellum white above, grey below; scape with pecten consisting of dense row of white stiff scales. Tegula and thorax white. Foreleg leaden grey, legs otherwise white with pale ochreous tibia and tarsal segments. Forewing broad lanceolate, base of costa narrowly grey, otherwise unicolorous snow white, with concolorous fringe scales. Underside of forewing pale grey, fringe scales white. Hindwing pale grey above and below, fringe scales white. Male genitalia ( Figs. 15, 16 ): Uncus reduced to pair of small setose swellings. Basal arms of gnathos distally fused, gnathos with large, oval and spinose mesal knob. Costa of valva slightly concave, distally prolonged as tongue-shaped appendix gradually tapering to pointed apex, length 1.6 times maximal width of valva; sacculus evenly convex, length about 1.5 times maximal width of valva; termen of valva deeply incised. Ventral shield of juxta large, U-shaped, setose; dorsal shield small, triangular. Phallus (without manica) 0.9 times length of costa of valva, 1.2 times length of costa of valva with cusp of manica included, straight; basal half overlaid by distinctive manica extending as bilobed cusp; basal opening of phallus posteriorly directed, coecum absent. Cornuti absent. Female: Unknown.

Distribution. Only known from Turkey.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. External appearance of Perittia species. Fig. 1. P. mucronata 3 (Turkey: Aksehir region); Fig. 2. P. mucronata ♀ (Turkey: Aksehir region); Fig. 3. P. huemeri holotype 3 (Croatia); Fig. 4. P. huemeri ♀ (Hungary); Fig. 5. P. junnilaisella sp. n., 3 holotype; Fig. 6. P. junnilaisella sp. n., 3 paratype (Turkey: Aksehir region).

FIGURES 15 – 17. Male genitalia of Perittia junnilaisella sp. n. Fig. 15. Holotype (L. Kaila prep. 3015); Fig. 16. Paratype (L. Kaila prep. 4279); Fig. 17. P. karadaghella (Turkey, L. Kaila prep. 3911).