Eupithecia conquesta Tabell & Junnilainen, 2024

Tabell, Jukka, Junnilainen, Jari & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2024, Eupithecia conquesta Tabell & Junnilainen, a new species from Cyprus (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentiinae), Nota Lepidopterologica 47, pp. 11-18 : 11

Eupithecia conquesta Tabell & Junnilainen sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 5 , 8

Barcode Index Number.

BOLD:AFC0556.

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (GP 6222 J. Tabell, DNA sample 27549 Lepid Phyl) Cyprus, Paphos, 1.5 km N of Peyia [coordinates 34.90, 32.38], 10.xi.2021, about 400 m above sea-level], Leg.: Attila Szabó & Zsuzsi V.B. 350 m (coll. MZH), BOLD sample ID: MM27549, http://id.luomus.fi/GBT.24. Paratypes: 2 ♂, 2 ♀, same data as holotype; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ same collecting data, but 5.xi.2021; 7 ♂ (DNA sample 27544 Lepid Phyl; DNA sample 27548 Lepid Phyl), 6 ♀ Cyprus, Limassol, Salt lake Akrotiri 10 m, 34.601, 32.976, 30.x.2019, J. Junnilainen leg.; 5 ♂ (GP 2882 Sihvonen), 3 ♀ same collecting data, but 2.xi.2019; 3 ♂, 6 ♀ (GP 6236 J. Tabell, DNA sample 27545 Lepid Phyl) Cyprus, Limassol, Salt lake Akrotiri 10 m, 34.625, 32.948, 31.x.2019, J. Junnilainen leg. (colls. JUJ, TAB and SZA).

Diagnosis.

E. conquesta belongs to the E. interruptofasciata species group, which comprises 14 species in Europe, two in northern Africa, four in Asia, and two in North America ( Mironov 2003). Externally E. conquesta is similar to E. oxycedrata (Rambur, 1833) and E. phoeniceata (Figs 1-4 ). Compared to E. oxycedrata , the forewing is paler and more uniform, the wedge-shaped area between antemedial and medial lines is not or only slightly darker than rest of the wing, and it is apically wider, medial line is angled inwards near dorsum (forewing darker and vivid, wedge-shaped area darker and apically narrower, medial line angled outward in E. oxycedrata ). In E. phoeniceata the antemedial and medial lines are more oblique, the wedge-shaped area is absent and the medial line is not angled near dorsum.

The male genitalia (Figs 5-7 ) are similar to those of E. phoeniceata , but the uncus is slightly longer, the gnathos is narrower, laterally parallel-sided (rounded in E. phoeniceata ), the valva is broader and its lateral margin slightly concave (almost straight in E. phoeniceata ), the juxta is wider, the vesica has three long cornuti and the basal diverticulum is tiny (juxta narrower, vesica has two long cornuti and basal diverticulum is large in E. phoeniceata ). The female genitalia (Figs 8-10 ) are quite different from those of E. phoeniceata , and they are more similar to those of E. oxycedrata , but the colliculum is narrower than the bursa copulatrix, which is markedly longer than in E. oxycedrata , the robust spines are shorter, the anterior half of corpus bursae is less rounded and the base of corpus bursae is spineless (in E. oxycedrata the colliculum is as broad as bursa copulatrix, the bursa copulatrix shorter, robust spines longer, the anterior half of corpus bursae round, and base of corpus bursae with minute spines).

Wing patterns of adults and the female genitalia are the most similar in E. conquesta and E. oxycedrata , while the male genitalia and DNA barcodes are the most similar in E. conquesta and E. phoeniceata .

Molecular data.

Four samples were sent for sequencing, resulting in 653 bp (n = 2) and 652 bp (n = 2) barcodes. The nearest neighbour is E. phoeniceata , with 4.07% minimum divergence (n = 5, public records). The barcodes of E. conquesta exhibit no intraspecific variation. The genetic distance to E. oxycedrata is 5.94%.

Description.

Adult. Wingspan 16.5-20.0 mm. Labial palpus equal to diameter of eye, covered with brown and white scales. Frons and vertex pale brown, mixed off-white. Thorax mixed with pale brown and brown scales, with a transverse blackish brown frontal band. Antenna filiform, brown, basal third chequered brown and pale brown. Spur formula in male and female tibia 0-2-4 (hind leg with 2 + 2 spurs). Forewing elongate, costa slightly arched, terminal margin slightly curved; ground color pale brown, basal half sometimes slightly darker; medial lines oblique; basal line distinct, rectangularly angled onto costa, post-basal line indistinct, sharply angled onto costa, antemedial line oblique, sharply angled onto costa, angle touching discal spot and medial line, medial line less oblique, not angled but slightly curved, postmedial line curved, not angled, subterminal line medially angled, distinct only at lower part, terminal line continuous; basal area between base and basal line as well as medial area between antemedial and medial lines darker, terminal area with two dashes on R4 and R5, wavy line inconspicuous; discal spot small, rounded. Hindwing paler than forewing; medial and postmedial lines evenly curved, conspicuous from dorsum to costa, other medial lines visible on dorsal part, terminal line continuous; basal area dark brown dorsally; discal dot small, elongate or dot-like, paler than on the forewing. Fringe on all wings chequered pale brown and brown. Abdomen brown, mixed darker brown, medially pale brown, second segment dark brown, last segment pale brown. Tympanal organs large, almost meeting medially. Ansa bottle-shaped, with hammer-shaped apex. Underside of both wings rather uniform, terminal areas slightly darker, hindwing paler, forewing discal spot elongate, hindwing discal spot rounded.

Male genitalia. Uncus triangular, biapical. Gnathos transversely rectangular. Valva broad, costa sclerotized except apical 1/3, ventral margin ending in obtuse angle, sacculus lightly sclerotized. Papillae on the anterior arms of labides medium sized, apically covered with short setae. Saccus broad. Aedeagus shorter than length of valva. Vesica with three long cornuti and with sclerotized, elongated plate near opening of ductus ejaculatorius, and small sclerotized lobe laterally near apex of aedeagus. Vesica large, opens at 90 degree laterally. Sternite A8 triangular, apex bifurcated, proximal margin concave, medially more sclerotized. Coremata with hair-like setae present on posterolateral corner on membrane between 8th sternite and genitalia capsule.

Female genitalia. Papilla analis oval, densely covered with setae of different lengths. Anterior apophysis as long as tergite A8, posterior apophysis 1.7 × as long as anterior apophysis. Tergite A8 trapezoidal, anterior margin sclerotized, strongly concave. Antrum broad, membranous, cup-like. Colliculum strongly sclerotized, short, parallel-sided, narrower than bursa copulatrix. Bursa copulatrix tubular, long, sclerotized, with several longitudinal ridges and a long strongly sclerotized band armed with several robust spines, opposite to ductus seminalis; base of ductus seminalis expanded, apical part narrower; anterior part of corpus bursae densely covered with long spines; the most anterior part membranous, without spines.

Biology.

Unknown. The collecting localities are salt lakeshores with Juniperus sp. and shrub vegetation. All specimens have been captured in autumn, from late September to mid-November. Caterpillars of closely related species feed on the needles of Juniperus phoenicea L., Hesperocyparis macrocarpa (Hartw.) Bartel and Cupressus sempervirens L. ( E. phoeniceata ) and Juniperus oxycedrus L. ( E. oxycedrata ) ( Mironov 2003).

Derivation of name.

Lat. conquestō = purchase, refers to the origin of the first studied specimen.

Distribution.

Known only in two localities in Cyprus.

Figures

Figures 1 - 4. Adults and labels of Eupithecia spp. 1, 2. E. conquesta sp. nov. 1. ♂ paratype. 2. ♀ paratype. 3. E. phoeniceata (Rambur), France. 4. E. oxycedrata (Rambur), Spain.

Figures 5 - 7. Male genitalia and sternite A 8 of Eupithecia spp. 5. E. conquesta sp. nov., holotype, GP 6222 J. Tabell. Vesica photographed from paratype slide Sihvonen 2882. 6. E. phoeniceata (Rambur), France, Vidauban, 20. ix. 2006, GP 6223 J. Tabell. Vesica photographed from slide Sihvonen 2880 (France: Var, Vidauban, 6. x. 2005, coll. T. Ranki). 7. E. oxycedrata (Rambur), Spain, Mijas, 24. ix. 2012, GP 4 x 2012 J. Tabell. Vesica photographed from slide Sihvonen 2883 (Greece: Olympus, 750 m, 24. iv. 2006, coll. JUJ). Circle indicates the point of origin of ductus ejaculatorius. Vesica of each species photographed from ventral view.

Figures 8 - 10. Female genitalia of Eupithecia spp. 8. E. conquesta sp. nov., paratype, GP 6236 J. Tabell. 9. E. phoeniceata (Rambur), France, La Ciotat, 24. x. 1963, GP 6226 J. Tabell. 10. E. oxycedrata (Rambur), Spain, Mijas, 24. ix. 2012, GP 6237 J. Tabell. Circle indicates the point of origin of the ductus seminalis.