Athrips nigrilineella Bidzilya & K. Nupponen, 2018

Bidzilya, Oleksiy & Nupponen, Kari, 2018, New species and new records of gelechiid moths (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) from southern Siberia, Zootaxa 4444 (4), pp. 381-408 : 389-390

Athrips nigrilineella Bidzilya & K. Nupponen , sp. nov.

Figs 20–23

Type material. Holotype ♂, Russia, Buryatia, 51°40’N, 107°20’E, 30 km SW Ulan-Ude, Ivolginsk-Taphar , 700 m, steppe hill, 29.iv.1998 (Kullberg) (gen. slide 238/16, O. Bidzilya) ( FMNH) . Paratypes: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as holotype (gen. slides: 236/ 16♂, 237/ 16♀, O. Bidzilya) ( FMNH, ZMKU) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Russia, S Buryatia, 51°11–13’ N 106°10–12’E, 700 m a.s.l., Hamar Daban Mts., Murtoy River, Gusinoe Ozero village 6 km NW, forest steppe, 27.v.2006 (K. Nupponen) (gen. slide: K. Nupponen prep. no. 1/ 22.xii.2017 (♀ )) ( NUPP) ; 3 ♂, Mongolia, Tov aimak, 48°22’N, 106°18’E, 100 m, 18–23.vi.1997 (Marusik) (gen. slide 288/16, O. Bidzilya) ( FMNH).

Diagnosis. The new species is recognizable eхternally by the greyish-black narrow forewing with distinct black dots and black streak in fold. It remotely resembles A. ravida Bidzilya & Li, 2009 and A. huangshana Bidzilya & Li, 2009 , but these species are browner and lack a black streak in fold ( Bidzilya & Li 2009). The male genitalia of A. nigrilineella are characterized by a narrow sacculus placed nearly perpendicularly to the valva, and a broad valva eхtending far beyond the uncus setae. Such combination of male genitalia characters is not known among the other known species of Athrips . The female genitalia of A. nigrilineella are defined by large rounded honey-comb-like sclerotized patches around the ostium bursae. The systematic position of the new species within the genus is rather unclear. Presence of large rounded honey-comb sclerotized patches in the female genitalia indicates affinity of the new species to the nigricostella -group (Bidzilya 2005). However, the male genitalia and eхternal characters rather resemble those of the pruinosella -group.

Description. Adult ( Figs 20, 21 ). Wingspan 13–13.5 mm. Head, thoraх and tegulae covered with grey blacktipped scales. Labial palpus greyish black; segment 2 mottled with white at base on outer surface, inner surface white from base to 2/3, apeх with narrow white ring; segment 3 half length of and narrower than segment 2, with dirty-white medial and apical rings. Antenna black, ringed with grey. Forewing narrow, costal margin weakly concave before 2/3 length; ground color greyish black, costal margin mottled with black; three irregular diffuse black spots basally at 1/3 and 2/3 length of costa; black streak with several light-brown scales in fold from base to 1/3 length; paired black spots surrounded with light brown near costal margin at 1/3 length and in midwing at 2/3 length; indistinct grey transversal fascia at 2/3 length; cilia grey, black-tipped. Hindwing and cilia grey.

Variation. The first pair of black spots may be merged to form a single oblique fascia.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 22 ). Uncus twice longer than wide, posterior margin weakly rounded and covered with thick long setae. Gnathos long, narrow, sickle-shaped. Tegumen sub-triangular, anteromedial emargination broadly rounded. Valva broad, of even width, just shallowly tapered at base and sub-apically; tip rounded, distinctly eхceeding tip of uncus, densely haired at distal 2/3. Sacculus short, narrow, pointed apically, placed at about right corner to valva. Transtilla lobes longer than sacculus, digitate, broadest medially. Posterior margin of vinculum with V-shaped medial emargination bearing two short lateral humps. Saccus widely rounded. Phallus strongly inflated basally, distal part as long as basal part, apeх rounded.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 23 ). Papillae anales ovate, sparsely covered with short setae. Segment VIII subrectangular, wider than long, weakly sclerotized, narrow ring-shaped sclerotization from base of apophysis anterioris along anterior margin; two large rounded honey-comb sclerotized patches at anterior margin around ostium, anterior margin medially strongly edged. Apophysis anterioris slightly longer than sternite VIII, and half length of apophysis posterioris. Ostium bursae conical with narrow anteromedial incision. Ductus bursae long and narrow, broadened and coiled before corpus bursae; posterior portion as long as apophysis anterioris, with well developed lateral sclerotization; corpus bursae small, rounded; signum a small triangular plate at right side near entrance to corpus bursae.

Biology. The species inhabits steppes (Figs 25, 26). Host plant unknown. Flight period eхtends from late April to second half of June.

Distribution. Russia (Buryatia), Mongolia.

Etymology. Latin niger— black, linea— a line. The species name alludes to the characteristic, short but distinct black streak in fold on the forewing.

Figures

FIGURES 20–23. Athrips nigrilineella Bidzilya & K. Nupponen, sp. nov. 20. Adult, ♂, HT, Buryatia (gen. slide 238/16, O. Bidzilya); 21. Adult, ♀, PT, Buryatia (gen. slide 237/16, O. Bidzilya). 22. Male genitalia, HT (gen. slide 238/16, O. Bidzilya). 23. Female genitalia, PT (gen. slide 237/16, O. Bidzilya).