Elachista vartianae Parenti, 1981

Kaila, Lauri, Baran, Tomasz & Mutanen, Marko, 2015, A revision of the Elachista dispilella complex (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Elachistidae), Zootaxa 3963 (4), pp. 517-560 : 551

Elachista vartianae Parenti, 1981

Figs. 30–31 , 83 , 96

Elachista vartianae Parenti, 1981: 84

Material studied. Type material. Paratype slide U. Parenti 974, Mus. Vind. 11057 ( NHMW) [the whole type series is from Syria: 25 km W. Damaskos]. Other material: Lebanon: 3319’33’’N 3547’24’’E Koura, 308 m, NW Beshmezzine, olive orchard, 25. VIII.2010, 1 ♂, J. Kullberg leg., L. Kaila prep.5343, DNA sample 21305 Lepid. Phyl. ( MZH). Morocco: 3324’54’’N, 504’42’’W, Middle Atlas, 1,900 m a.s.l., Ifrane Prov., Michilinen resort, volcanoe crater & mixed forest, 7.–9. V.2010, 2 ♂, 3 ♀, J. Kullberg & Z. Kolev leg., L. Kaila prep. 5275, 5300, DNA samples 16818, 21306 Lepid. Phyl.; 3327’20’’N, 52’18’’W, Meknès-Tafilalet, Ifrane, 1920 m, 9.V.2011, 51 ♂, 5 ♀, J. Kullberg leg. ( MZH).

Diagnosis. Elachista vartianae is a large species in the E. dispilella complex. Its forewings are relatively narrow and unicolorous chalky white. The hindwings are pale grey, with characteristic ochreous fringe. The hindwing fringe colour distinguishes E. vartianae from the otherwise externally similar E. laterotis ; but it is also similar to the sympatric E. catalana Parenti and E. vulcana Kaila (cf. Kaila 2011b). The male genitalia are similar to those of E. bazaensis , but its digitate processes are longer than the juxta lobes, shorter than juxta lobes in E. bazaensis . The female genitalia are diagnostic—there is no distinct junction between the corpus bursae and the ductus bursae. The ductus bursae is also longer in E. vartianae than E. bazaensis .

Molecular characterization. The three specimens of E. vartianae analyzed showed a maximum variability of 0.46 %. Average distance between the specimens was 0.31 %. The genetically closest species was E. ripai with 6.39 % minimum distance to E. vartianae .

Redescription. Wingspan 10–13 mm. Labial palpus white, length 1.2 times diameter of head. Head, neck tuft, thorax, scape and pedicel of antenna white; flagellum grey. Legs grey, hindleg outwardly pale ocherous grey. Forewing chalky white with concolorous fringe. Hindwing almost white or pale grey, translucent; fringe ochreous. Underside of forewing dark grey, fringe white; underside of hindwing dark grey along anterior half, pale grey along posterior half; fringe ochreous grey.

Male genitalia. Uncus lobes broad, 1.5 times as long as wide at their widest point, sickle-shaped, mesial margin convex, apex pointed, lateral margin concave. Spinose knob of gnathos oval-shaped. Valva nearly 1.5 times as long as tegumen + uncus, 4.5 times as broad as long, parallel-sided; cucullus elongate. Digitate process tongue-shaped, 0.25 times as long as valva, medially and distally with stout setae. Juxta lobes devoid of setae, mesial and distal margin rounded without distinct limit. Phallus 0.75 times as long as valva, bent, basally broad, gradually tapered toward pointed and reinforced apex; basal opening posteriorly oriented, caecum absent; one small cornutus with oval and plate-shaped part and apically directed small spine.

Female genitalia. Apophyses posteriores slender, straight, twice as long as papillae anales. Apophyses anteriores about 2/3 the length of apophyses posteriores. Ostium bursae invaginated in sternum 8, narrow; colliculum as wide as ostium bursae, with elongate lateral sclerotzations; distance between ostium bursae and inception point of ductus seminalis 2/3 times as long as apophyses anteriores; ductus bursae + colliculum about 4 times as long as apophyses posteriores, tubular, membranous, anterior half granulose, incepted in corpus bursae without distinct border; corpus bursae fairly small, oval-shaped, with small internal granules in median area; signum dentate, boomerang-shaped.

Biology. Immature stages are unknown. Adults are attracted to artificial light.

Distribution. Lebanon, Morocco, Syria.

Figures

FIGURES 26 – 34. Adults of Elachista spp. Scale 2 mm. 26. E. levasi Sruoga, ♂ holotype (courtesy by V. Sruoga). 27. E. levasi Sruoga, ♂ (Ukraine). 28. E. bazaensis Traugott-Olsen, ♂ holotype. 29. E. bazaensis Traugott-Olsen, ♀ (Spain). 30. E. vartianae Parenti, ♂ (Morocco). 31. E. vartianae Parenti, ♀ (Morocco). 32. E. laterotis Kaila, sp. nov., ♂ holotype. 33. E. cornuta Parenti, ♂ holotype (Iran). 34. E. sitibunda Kaila, sp. nov., ♂ holotype.

FIGURES 83 – 84. Male genitalia of Elachista spp. Left: general image of genitalia, phallus in same scale. Right top: juxta and digitate process. Right bottom: cornutus as enlarged. 83. E. vartianae Parenti, Morocco, L. Kaila prep. 5435. 84. E. laterotis Kaila sp. nov., holotype, L. Kaila prep. 3000.

FIGURES 95 – 96. Female genitalia of Elachista spp. 95. E. bazaensis Traugott-Olsen, Spain, L. Kaila prep. 5260. 96. E. vartianae Parenti, Morocco, L. Kaila prep. 5283.