Coleophora serinipennella Christoph, 1872

Koo, Jun-Mo, Na, Jin-Ho, Paek, Munki & Cho, Soowon, 2023, First report of the genus Semioscopis Hübner and four species of Gelechioidea (Lepidoptera) from Korea with redescriptions, Zootaxa 5325 (4), pp. 509-528 : 510-514

Coleophora serinipennella Christoph, 1872

(Korean name: jeom-nal-gae-tong-na-bang)

( Figs 1A–L , 2A–J )

Coleophora serinipennella Christoph, 1872: 36 . Type locality: Sarepta , Lower Volga, Russia.

Plutella ochroneura Lower, 1897: 59 . Type locality: Semaphore , South Australia.

Coleophora stefanii de Joannis, 1899: 331 . Type locality: Sicily.

Coleophora pudica Lower, 1905: 111 . Type locality: Broken Hill , New South Wales, Australia.

Coleophora novella Chrétien, 1926: 9 . Type locality: France.

Coleophora caliacraella Caradja, 1931: 331 . Type locality: Romania.

Coleophora caliacraella lucidella Caradja, 1932: 43 . Type locality: Romania.

Coleophora jerichoella Amsel, 1935: 306 . Type locality: Palestine.

Coleophora jordanella Amsel, 1935: 306 . Type locality: Palestine.

Coleophora sosisperma Meyrick, 1936: 621 . Type locality: Kyusyu , Japan.

Coleophora deserticola Toll, 1944: 292 . Type locality: Egypt / Tunisia ( Toll (1944) noted that the male syntype is in the Zoological Museum in Berlin, Germany, and the female syntype is in the Istituto Nazionale di Entomologia in Roma , Italy).

Coleophora soffneri Toll, 1944: 292 . Type locality: South Russia.

Coleophora serinipennella ; Baldizzone 1996: 100; Baldizzone et al. 2006: 105; Oku 2013: 236; Baldizzone 2019: 166.

Material examined. 2♁, 1♀, Korea, Songjeol-dong, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si , CB [Chungcheongbuk-do], N36° 39′ 48.51″, E127° 27′ 21.49″, Alt. 55 m, 18.v.2022, coll. T. U. Yu, J.H. Na & H.H. Ki, gen. slide nos. KJM0276 (♁), -0277 (♁), -0278 (♀), wings slide nos. KJM0338 (♁), -0339 (♀), COI barcode CBNU333–335 (GenBank accession nos. OQ573699–OQ573701), specimen accession nos. CBNUPM000025–000027 ; 1♀, Korea, Geumcheon-dong, Sangdang-gu, Cheongju-si , CB [Chungcheongbuk-do], N36° 37′ 25.88″, E127° 30′ 28.67″, Alt. 74 m, 17.vii.2022, coll. J.H. Na, gen. slide no. KJM0265, COI barcode CBNU323 (GenBank accession no. OQ573702), specimen accession no. CBNUPM000028 .

Diagnosis. The species is slightly similar superficially to C. moehringiae Burmann, 1967 , C. salicorniae Heinemann & Wocke, 1876 and C. unipunctella Zeller, 1849 in that there are similarly situated one or two spots on the forewing, but it is clearly distinguished by the following characteristics (the last species is smaller in size with a wingspan of about 10.0–12.0 mm ( Baldizzone 2019)): 1) in the male genitalia of C. serinipennella , they have a depressed globular gnathos knob (2.1× wider than vertical length), a digitiform cucullus, a subtrapezoidal valvula with a conspicuous thick seta on the dorso-distal corner, a prolonged sacculus without any teeth or spines, and a conical phallotheca, while in C. moehringiae (see Baldizzone 2019: Pl. GM XX, Fig. 65) they have a relatively shorter cucullus, the valvula without the thick seta, the dorso-distal corner of sacculus extended into a small pointed triangular shape and in C. salicorniae (see Baldizzone 2019: Pl. GM LXXXVI, Fig. 271) and C. unipunctella (see Baldizzone 2019: Pl. GM LXXXVI, Fig. 272) they have a much smaller and narrower gnathos knob, a completely different shape of sacculus with one and two spines respectively, and the phallotheca with two juxtal rods, and in addition, the genitalia of C. unipunctella have a distinctly broader cucullus; and 2) in the female genitalia of C. serinipennella , they have elongated ovoidal papillae analis, a trapezoidal sterigma, a finely dotted ductus bursae without a spinous zone, the ductus seminalis arising from near the posterior end of the ductus bursae, and a lunate leaf-shaped signum, while in C. moehringiae (see Baldizzone 2019: Pl. GF XXII, Fig. 66) they have the ductus bursae having a spinous zone in the posterior portion, and the ductus seminalis arising from the anterior portion of ductus bursae where it is dotted, in C. salicorniae (see Baldizzone 2019: Pl. GF LXXXIX, Fig. 267) they have pointed and sclerotized papillae analis, a heavily sclerotized sterigma laterally, the ductus bursae having a spinous zone in the posterior portion, the ductus seminalis arising from a dotted area which is in the anterior portion of the ductus bursae, and a transversely elliptic leaf-shaped signum with two marks, and in C. unipunctella (see Baldizzone 2019: Pl. GF XC, Fig. 268) they have the sterigma with a heavily sclerotized transverse line on the sides of the ostium bursae, the ductus bursae with a spinous zone on the posterior portion, the ductus seminalis arising from the central portion of the ductus bursae where it is thickly dotted, and a transversely elliptic leaf-shaped signum with two marks.

Redescription. Adults of both sexes ( Fig. 1 ), forewing length 6.0– 8.5 mm (wingspan 13.0–17.0 mm) (n=4). ( Baldizzone 2019: wingspan 14.0–17.0 mm; Oku 2013: wingspan 14.0–16.0 mm).

Head: Vertex pale orange medially, orangish-white laterally. Postocular scales grayish-orange. Antenna about 0.6–0.8× shorter than length of forewing; scape covered with orangish-white scales on dorsal and inner surfaces, and grayish-orange scales on ventral and outer surfaces; pedicel+flagellum covered with obliquely erect grayish-orange scales on about basal 3/10, then with appressed scales, alternately ringed with white and grayish-brown, grayish-brown rings gradually darker distally. Labial palpus ( Figs 1E, F ) grayish-orange on outer surface, orangish-white on inner surface; second palpomere 1.4× longer than length of third palpomere. Proboscis covered with orangish-white scales.

Thorax: Notum pale orange medially, orangish-white laterally, with pale orange tegula. Forewing orangish-white with pale orange scales mostly along veins (some with indistinct pale orange venous lines); two dots dark brown, one elliptical at distal end of discal cell, other linear posterior to middle of discal cell (some with only elliptical dot or without any dots); fringe grayish-orange; venation ( Figs 1I, K ) with R 1 arising from basal half of discal cell; distance between origins of R 1 and R 2 about 1.7× longer than that of R 2 and R 3; R 4+5 and M 1 stalked at basal 1/4; distance between origins of M 1 and M 2+3 same with that of M 2+3 and CuA 1+2; CuA 1+2 arising from posterior corner of discal cell; 1A+2A forked at basal 1/3; discal cell weakly open. Hindwing orangish-white with grayish-orange fringe; frenulum ( Figs 1J, L ) with two acanthi fused distally into a single acanthus; costa arched at basal 2/5; venation ( Figs 1I, K ) with medially bent Rs; discal cell closed. Hindtibia ( Figs 1G, H ) orangish-white with pale orange medial line on outer surface, entirely orangish-white on inner surface; bristles orangish-white; two pairs of spurs, one pair at basal 2/3, other pair at distal end. Hindtarsus ( Figs 1G, H ) orangish-white.

Abdomen: Abdomen covered with orangish-white scales; tergal disks glabrous. In male ( Fig. 2D ), posterior lateral struts about 0.4× shorter than length of anterior lateral struts. Transverse strut nearly straight; anterior edge weakly sclerotized laterally, strongly sclerotized medially; posterior margin strongly sclerotized with weakly sclerotized medial margin. Terga I–VII with two parallel tergal disks on each tergum; conical spines dense on each tergal disk; tergal disks 3.0–4.6× longer than each width; tergal disks of terga I–II expanded and merged into one in H-shape; anterior margin of tergum VIII sclerotized. Sternum II elongated, densely sclerotized; anterior margin of sternum VIII sclerotized. In female ( Fig. 2J ), posterior lateral struts about 0.4 × shorter than length of anterior lateral struts (posterior lateral struts not very evident in other female specimen, from two female specimens examined in this study). Transverse strut nearly straight; anterior edge strongly sclerotized evenly or only medially; posterior margin strongly sclerotized. Terga I–VII same as male; tergal disks 1.5–5.8× longer than each width; tergal disks of terga I–II expanded and merged as in male; tergum VII sclerotized medially. Sternum II elongated, weakly sclerotized medially; sternum VII gradually sclerotized posteriorly.

Male genitalia ( Figs 2A–C ): See also Baldizzone (2019: Pl. GM XXI, Fig. 67). Gnathos knob depressed globular, 2.1× wider than vertical length; basal arm of gnathos setose, 1.6× longer than vertical length of gnathos knob. Tegumen with well-dilated pedunculus outward; median stem of tegumen subtrapezoidal with convex basal margin, distal width 1.4× wider than basal width; pedunculus setose, same length as basal width of median stem. Transtilla linear, joined at middle. Vinculum well-sclerotized. Valvula subtrapezoidal, setose, with a distinctly thick seta at dorso-distal corner; about dorsal 1/4 of valvula free from sacculus. Cucullus digitiform, setose; setae gradually denser distally. Sacculus with triangular dorsal corner having rounded apical margin and with broadly expanded ventral corner having obtuse apex; ventral margin gently convex with setae; ventro-lateral margin curved inward as shown in Fig. 2C (before slide mounting). Phallotheca sclerotized, conical-shaped. Aedeagus membranous. Annulus indistinct. Longitudinal sclerite of outer tube distinctly visible, occupying half circumference of tube. Vesica without any cornutus.

Female genitalia ( Figs 2E–I ): See also Baldizzone (2019: Pl. GF XXIII, Fig. 68). Papillae analis elliptical with setae. Apophyses posteriores about 2.1–2.3× longer than apophyses anteriores. Sterigma trapezoidal with narrow invagination on mesodistal margin; posterior margin including invagination with setae; width and length of sterigma nearly same. Ostium bursae ovoidal, located at basal 1/4 of sterigma. Colliculum elongated goblet-shaped, twisted at posterior half, about 0.2–0.3× shorter than length of ductus bursae; posterior 1/6 transparent, gradually narrowed anteriorly; anterior 5/6 with thickened lateral walls and median lamina. Ductus bursae spiral, finely dotted, rapidly broadened from anterior end of colliculum to base of ductus seminalis, slightly more broadened right before corpus bursae. Ductus seminalis arising from near posterior end of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae about 0.4× shorter than length of ductus bursae, sac-shaped; signum lunate leaf-shaped, with a curved peduncle; peduncle of signum notched along edge of inner curve.

Host plants. All Chenopodiaceae ( Baldizzone 1996; Oku 2013).

Biology. The species is a stem miner of various plants belonging to the family Chenopodiaceae , and the damaged part of the host plants thickens and becomes a gall ( Common 1990; Baldizzone 1996; Falkovitsh 2004; Oku 2013).

Distribution. Portugal, Spain, Southern France, Italy, Sicily, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Ukraine, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Central Asia, Russia, Australia, Japan ( Baldizzone 1996, 2019; Baldizzone et al. 2006; Oku 2013), Korea (new record).

Remarks. Forewing pattern (such as the sharpness of venous lines of the forewing, the number of dots or the presence or absence of dots) and abdominal structures (such as the sharpness of posterior lateral struts) are variable (see the description above), and among the specimens examined, one female ( Fig. 1C , specimen accession no. CBNUPM000028) has a noticeably smaller size than the other specimens included in this study or those collected from other countries.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Coleophora serinipennella. A, B, male (CBNUPM000025, 000026); C, D, female (CBNUPM000028, 000027); E, outer view of labial palpus; F, inner view of labial palpus; G, outer view of hindleg; H, inner view of hindleg; I, male venation, wings slide no. KJM0338; J, close-up of frenulum; K, female venation, wings slide no. KJM0339; L, close-up of frenulum.

FIGURE 2. Genitalia and abdomen of Coleophora serinipennella. A, male genitalia, gen. slide no. KJM0277; B, phallus; C, part of male genitalia, gen. slide no. KJM0276; D, male abdomen (terga left, sterna right, gen. slide no. KJM0277); E, female genitalia, gen. slide no. KJM0278; F, close-up of sterigma+colliculum; G, close-up of signum, H, close-up of ostium bursae+posterior part of colliculum, gen. slide no. KJM0265; I, close-up of signum; J, female abdomen (terga left, sterna right, gen. slide no. KJM0278).