Megacraspedus uzunsyrtus, Bidzilya, Oleksiy V. & Budashkin, Yury I., 2015

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V. & Budashkin, Yury I., 2015, New species of Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera) from Ukraine, Zootaxa 3974 (2), pp. 217-230 : 222-223

Megacraspedus uzunsyrtus , sp. n.

Material. Holotype ♂, Crimea, Koktebel vic., SW slope of Uzun-Syrt, evening collection, 17.v.2014 (Budashkin) (gen. slide 414/14, O. Bidzilya) ( ZMKU). Paratypes 3 ♂, same data as holotype (gen. slide 339/14, O. Bidzilya) (all ZMKU).

Comparative material studied. Megacraspedus monolorellus : 1 ♂, Asia min., 30 km NO v. Konya, 27.v.1969 (Arenberger) (gen. slide 396/14, O. Bidzilya) (NHM); 1 ♂, Türkei, Prov. Bingöl, 23 km NW Karliova, 2200 m, 24.vii.1984 (Derra) (gen. slide 4472, G. Derra) (Derra coll.).

Description. Adult ( Figs. 17, 19–21 ). Head: Light grey; labial palpus weakly up-curved, segment 2 brown, base with a few white scales, inner surface white, with triangular tuft of long grey scales apicoventrally, segment 3 whitish, slightly shorter than segment 2, apically acute ( Fig. 19 ); scape brown with single white scale on underside ( Figs. 20, 21 ), other segments brown with whitish basal annulations, finely ciliated.

Thorax: Dorsum and tegulae light grey; wingspan 11.5–13.0 mm; forewing yellowish with grey, brown-tipped scales, costal margin mottled with white along its front edge; cilia grey; hindwing grey.

Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Fig. 22 ) with uncus slightly more than twice as long as broad, parallel-sided, apical 1/3 weakly narrowed, apex rounded; gnathos as long as uncus, stout, apex curved, pointed; tegumen about 2.5 times longer than broad, constricted in 2/3 length, lateral folds developed, anterior margin with deep, broadly rounded emargination; valva straight, of equal width, apex rounded, not extending to top of uncus; posterior margin of vinculum with broad lobes, anteromedial emargination broad, shallow; saccus broad at base, with long, narrow lateral projections, distal portion narrow; phallus as long as tegumen and uncus, base globular, swollen, distal portion weakly sinuate, tapered apically. Female genitalia unknown.

Diagnosis. This new species is externally similar to M. monolorellus ( Figs. 18, 23 ) but differs in its smaller size and shape of segment 2 of the labial palpus, which has a gradual transition to segment 3, without an angle (angled in M. monolorellus ). Moreover, we did not observe the single white scale on the scape in two examined specimens of M. monolorellus . The male genitalia differ from those of M. monolorellus in having a shorter saccus with a broader basal portion, a shorter uncus, and a phallus that is more strongly curved and distinctly pointed apically. The genetic distance of M. uzunsyrtus to the nearest undescribed Megacraspedus species from Iran is about 8% (P. Huemer, pers. comm.).

Biology. Adults have been collected in mid-May in the evening before sunset in xerophytic slopes on shrubs of Jurinea stoechadifolia (Bieb.) DC ( Asteraceae ), which is undoubtedly the larval host plant.

Distribution. Ukraine: Eastern Crimea.

Etymology. The specific name refers to Uzun-Syrt, the hill near to Koktebel settlement, the type locality of new species.

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 23. Megacraspedus spp. 17. M. uzunsyrtus sp. n., paratype. 18. M. monolorellus Rbl. 19. M. uzunsyrtus sp. n., labial palpus. 20. M. uzunsyrtus sp. n., pecten scale. 21. M. uzunsyrtus sp. n., pecten scale. 22. M. uzunsyrtus sp. n., holotype (gen. slide 414 / 14, O. Bidzilya). 23. M. monolorellus Rbl. (gen. slide 396 / 14, O. Bidzilya).