Udea ruckdescheli, Mally, Richard, Segerer, Andreas H. & Nuss, Matthias, 2016

Mally, Richard, Segerer, Andreas H. & Nuss, Matthias, 2016, Udearuckdescheli sp. n. from Crete and its phylogenetic relationships (Pyraloidea, Crambidae, Spilomelinae), Nota Lepidopterologica 39 (2), pp. 123-135 : 126-129

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Crambidae

Udea ruckdescheli sp. n. Figs 1-7, 11-15, 20-21

Type locality.

Greece, Crete, Lasithi, near Moni Kapsa monastery, Perivolakia gorge, 10 m, 35.021555°N 26.050902°E.

Material examined.

Holotype: ♂ "Perivolakia-Schl. 10m | M.Kapsa, N.Lassithi | KRETA/GRAECIA | (Tagf.T F - Lwd./BL) | leg. W. Ruckdeschel | [transverse, handwritten] 20.5.2000", [yellow label] "86509: ZSM | coll. W. Ruckdeschel | Udea | ruckdescheli | det. Segerer", [mint green label] " BC ZSM Lep 61775", [yellow label] "DNA voucher | Lepidoptera | ZMBN 2015 | [transverse] no. 087", "Mally prep. no. | [handwritten] 872 ♂" (ZSM). Paratypes: 1♂ as HT, but “86508” on yellow label, plus [orange label] "DNA voucher | Lepidoptera | ZMBN 2015 | [transverse] no. 129" and "Mally prep. no. | [handwritten] 932 ♂" (ZSM); 1♂ as HT, but “86510” on yellow label, [orange label] "DNA voucher | Lepidoptera | ZMBN 2014 | [transverse] no. 086", and "Mally prep. no. | [handwritten] 863 ♂"; 1♂ "Ano Saktouria | N. Rethymnon, 400m | KRETA/GRAECIA | (Leuchtturm SL+BL) | leg. W. Ruckdeschel | [transverse, handwritten] 18.5.2000", [yellow label] "86529: ZSM | coll. W. Ruckdeschel | Udea | ruckdescheli | det. Segerer", [mint green label] "BC ZSM Lep 61774", [orange label] "DNA voucher | Lepidoptera | MTD 2013 | [transverse] no. 1590", "Mally prep. no. | [handwritten] 663 ♂"; 1♂ "GREECE Crete, | Chania Prov.: Imbros | 35S KU 4170 0122 | 570 m. 11. vi. 2013 | leg. Leif Aarvik", [yellow label] "DNA voucher | Lepidoptera | ZMBN 2015 | [transverse] no. 152", "Mally prep. no. | [handwritten] 982 ♂" (NHMO); 1♀ "GREECE Crete, | Chania Prov.: Imbros | 35S KU 4170 0122 | 570 m. 15. vi. 2014 | leg. Leif Aarvik", [yellow label] "DNA voucher | Lepidoptera | ZMBN 2015 | [transverse] no. 151", "Mally prep. no. | [handwritten] 981 ♀" (NHMO); 1♀ same data except for "20. vi. 2014", [yellow label] "DNA voucher | Lepidoptera | ZMBN 2015 | [transverse] no. 150", "Mally prep. no. | [handwritten] 980 ♀" (NHMO). - Additional material. GREECE. 1♂ "GREECE Crete, | Chania Prov.: | Hora Sfakion | 35S KU 4031 9864 | 9-21. vi. 2014 | leg. Leif Aarvik"; 1♀ "GREECE Crete, | Chania Prov.: Imbros | 35S KU 4170 0122 | 570 m. 11. vi. 2013 | leg. Leif Aarvik"; 2♀ same data except for "20. vi. 2014" (NHMO).

Diagnosis.

In wing pattern elements, Udea ruckdescheli is similar to Udea accolalis (Zeller, 1867), Udea afghanalis (Amsel, 1970), Udea ardekanalis Amsel, 1961, Udea ferrugalis ( Hübner, 1796), Udea fimbriatralis , Udea fulvalis , Udea languidalis (Eversmann, 1842), Udea praefulvalis (Amsel, 1970) and Udea rubigalis ( Guenée, 1854). Udea accolalis , Udea ferrugalis and Udea rubigalis belong to the Udea ferrugalis species group, whose members differ by features of male and female genitalia ( Mally and Nuss 2011).

The other similar species mentioned above belong to the Udea numeralis species group according to the presence of a longitudinal split posteriorly in the sclerotized section of the phallus, an autapomorphic character for this species group ( Mally and Nuss 2011). In Udea afghanalis and Udea praefulvalis the postmedian line forms an evenly arched line parallel to the termen, with the loop below the distal cellular stigma more accentuated and finger-shaped with parallel sides, whereas in Udea ruckdescheli the loop is usually more angled, and anterior and posterior sections of the postmedian line are not aligned, i.e. the postmedian line’s posterior section is further away from the termen than the anterior section. The valvae of Udea afghanalis and Udea ardekanalis are narrower, particularly in Udea ardekanalis where they taper off into a narrow tip. The distal phallus apodeme of Udea afghanalis , Udea fulvalis and Udea praefulvalis lacks the elongate dentate crests of Udea ruckdescheli (Figs 12-15), and the apodeme is shorter in Udea fulvalis (Fig. 17) and Udea praefulvalis . In wing pattern elements, Udea ruckdescheli cannot be distinguished from Udea fulvalis (Fig. 8), but differs in male genitalia in the characters mentioned above as well as by the smaller vinculum saccus and the shorter fibulae (compare Fig. 11 with Fig. 16 of Udea fulvalis ). In the female genitalia, Udea ruckdescheli (Figs 20-21) is distinguished from Udea fulvalis by the conical antrum (tubular in Udea fulvalis , see Fig. 22).

Udea ruckdescheli is different from its sister species Udea fimbriatralis and Udea languidalis (Fig. 9) as the forewings are dorsally brownish with a diffuse ground colour, without a dark brown fringe, and the hindwings are brownish-grey dorsally (Figs 1-5, 7); Udea fimbriatralis and Udea languidalis have an orange, more homogenous forewing ground colour and a contrasting brown fringe as well as a whitish hindwing colour. The new species cannot be reliably distinguished from Udea fimbriatralis and Udea languidalis (Figs 18-19) in the male genitalia. In the female genitalia, Udea ruckdescheli (Figs 20-21) is distinguished from Udea fimbriatralis and Udea languidalis by the sclerotisation of the posterior end of the ductus bursae being shorter than the colliculum (as long as or longer than colliculum in Udea fimbriatralis and Udea languidalis , see Fig. 23).

The DNA barcode (Table 1) of Udea ruckdescheli is unique and does not match any other species barcoded so far. Intraspecific Barcode variation among the six sequenced specimens ranges from 0.00% to 0.65% (p-distance). The nearest neighbour is Udea languidalis , with a p-distance of 1.94% to 2.26%.

Description of adults.

Head: Head greyish to light brown; frons slightly bulged; labial palps porrect, brownish, 1st segment and ventral side of 2nd segment white, 3rd segment in females approximately twice the length compared to males; maxillary palps well developed, with whitish scales; haustellum well developed, with whitish scales on base; eyes large, hemispherical; ocelli present; antennae ciliate, light brown, cilia in males dense and shorter than 1/4 of antennal diameter, ciliation in females shorter than in males; vertex with light brown spatulate scales; chaetosemata absent.

Thorax: Dorsal side light brown; ventral side cream to whitish; forelegs light brown, mid- and hindlegs cream to whitish; tibial spurs on fore-, mid-, hindleg: 0, 2, 4, on hindlegs anterior outer spur minute while inner spur almost reaching base of posterior pair of spurs.

Wings: Forewing ground colour diffuse light brown to orange-brown; diffuse dark brown antemedian line running obliquely distad, after half of length bending and running more or less orthogonally towards dorsum; proximal cellular stigma circular, distal cellular stigma 8-shaped, both stigmata bordered dark brown; postmedian line dark brown, running from costa parallel to termen, at half of length bending proximad, running below distal cellular stigma, then turning in semicircle towards lower end of termen and then half that way approaching dorsum orthogonally; postmedian line distally framed by lighter diffuse band; subterminal band with dark brown spots where it meets with wing veins; fringe dark brown; costa slightly darker than ground colour, with dark spots at ends of costal veins. Hindwings with one frenular bristle in males and two in females, without subcostal retinaculum on forewing, but with basal tuft of filiform scales reaching over the frenular bristle; ground colour brownish-grey, cell with a proximal and a distal brown spot, both often faint; postmedian line brown, clear to diffuse; continuous brown subterminal line with dark spots where it meets with veins; fringe dark brown. Undersides (Fig. 6) pale brown; forewings with prominent dark spots at the vein ends on costa and termen, distal cellular stigma and postmedian line visible as diffuse fuscous patterns; hindwings with the two central spots and postmedian line relatively clear.

Abdomen: Light brown, underside somewhat lighter.

Male genitalia: (Figs 11-15) Uncus base broad, constricted at lateral juncture with tegumen, uncus neck thin, head ovate, ventrally densely studded with bifurcate, anteriad setae. Tegumen rectangular, posteriomesally with a short dorsad, bulged pseudognathos. Vinculum roughly rectangular, with evenly rounded, ventrally keeled saccus. Juxta drop-shaped to elongated triangular, dorsal part tapered and deeply split, apices pointed. Valvae elongate, apex evenly rounded, costa proximally somewhat inflated, ventral edge straight to convex, but slightly concave near distal sacculus; sacculus roughly triangular, reaching distal end of fibula base; fibula elongate, triangular to claw-shaped, straight or slightly curved, posterioventrally directed, with small apical tooth. Transtilla arms short, triangular. Phallus tubular, slightly curved dorsad, without coecum; posterior apodeme dorsally with a short sub-posterior ridge bearing one to three more or less prominent triangular teeth, and a simple stout posterior ending; ventrally with weakly sclerotised strip encircling a strongly sclerotised, longitudinal, dentate sclerite; four to seven small, conical cornuti present.

Female genitalia. (Figs 20-21) Corpus bursae globular to ovoid, membranous, with a lentiform, denticulate (main) signum bearing transverse ridge of larger denticles posterior to its centre. Ductus bursae emerging from posterior centre of corpus bursae, narrowing to thin tube; anterior part of ductus bursae with slim longitudinal accessory signum of approximately half of length of main signum stretching posteriad from junction with corpus bursae; posterior part of ductus bursae slightly widened, with short sclerotized section of approximately half of length of tubular, slightly bent colliculum. Ductus seminalis emerging from short membranous intersection between posterior part of ductus bursae and colliculum. Antrum conically widening posteriad, with central channel flanked by diffuse sclerotisations stretching posteriad into the otherwise membranous ostium bursae; posterior sclerotisation of ductus bursae, colliculum and anterior part of antrum with thickened mesocuticula. Apophyses anteriores slightly angled at broadened section at one third of their length; apophyses posteriores simple, approximately half the length of apophyses anteriores. Papillae anales simple, ventrally and dorsally connected to each other, with long, simple setae.

Immature stages and food plants.

Unknown.

Distribution.

So far only known from the Greek island of Crete, and potentially endemic. The altitudinal distribution ranges from 10 m to 570 m.

Etymology.

The species is named after Walter Ruckdeschel, the collector of the initial part of the type material.

Phylogenetic placement.

The morphological investigation of external and genital characters of the adult moths of Udea ruckdescheli resulted in the following morphomatrix coding based on the characters proposed by Mally and Nuss (2011): (1) 0; (2) 1; (3) 1; (4) 0; (5) 0; (6) 1; (7) 1; (8) 0; (9)?; (10) 0; (11)?; (12) 0; (13) 1; (14) 0; (15) 1; (16) 1; (17) 1; (18) 0; (19) 1; (20) 1; (21) 0; (22) 0; (23) 0; (24) 0.

The phylogenetic analysis of the combined data resulted in the well-supported placement of Udea ruckdescheli in the Udea numeralis species group, where it is sister to the species pair Udea languidalis - Udea fimbriatralis (Fig. 24). This placement is in concordance with the autapomorphic longitudinal strip of the praephallus proposed by Mally and Nuss (2011) for the Udea numeralis species group.

Remarks.

The original specimen of Botys fimbriatalis [sic] ab. veneralis Staudinger, 1870 at ZMBH (Fig. 10) is not conspecific with the specimens discussed and depicted in Slamka (2013: 76, Pl. 15 Figs 107 o–r, Pl. 22 Fig. 107d, Pl. 86 Fig. 107d) as Udea languidalis ab. veneralis. Instead, the specimens and genitalia depicted in Slamka (2013) are conspecific with Udea ruckdescheli sp. n.