Pleurota dalilae Tabell, 2021

Tabell, Jukka, Wikström, Bo, Mutanen, Marko, Bruckner, Harald & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2021, Subspecies of Pleurota bicostella (Clerck, 1759) revisited and descriptions of nine new species in the P. bicostella species group (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea Oecophoridae: Pleurotinae), Zootaxa 4941 (4), pp. 451-486 : 469-470

Pleurota dalilae Tabell , sp. nov.

Barcode Index Number:BOLD:ADB1135

Table 1, Figs. 21–22 , 42 , 59 , 65 , 66

Type material. Holotype ♀ (GP 5914 J. Tabell, DNA sample 26143 Lepid Phyl): Tunisia, 2 km E El Kef, N36.1722 E8.7327, 8.V.2018, J. Tabell leg. (coll. MZH), BOLD sample ID: MM26143, http://id.luomus.fi/GBT. 4 Paratypes: 3 ♂ (GP 5920 J. Tabell, DNA sample 26142 Lepid Phyl; DNA sample 26258 Lepid Phyl), same collecting data as holotype (coll. TAB); 4 ♂ (DNA sample 24829 Lepid. Phyl; DNA sample 24828 Lepid Phyl [barcoding failed]; DNA sample 24830 Lepid Phyl [barcoding failed]; DNA sample 24831 Lepid Phyl [barcoding failed]), Tunisia, Atlas Mts, 40 km SE Le Kef, near El Ksour village , 2.V.2000, K. Nupponen leg. (colls. NUP and TAB); 21 ♂ (GP 5910 J. Tabell, DNA sample 26259 Lepid Phyl; DNA sample 26260 Lepid Phyl; GP 5917 J. Tabell, DNA sample 26262 Lepid Phyl), Tunisia, 13.5 km ESE Maktar, 810 m, N35.8022 E9.3386, 7.V.2018, J. Tabell leg. (coll. TAB).

Diagnosis. P. dalilae is externally similar to P. bicostella and P. lepigrei , but it is smaller, and the fringes on forewing are darker. In the male genitalia, the posterior lobe of juxta is longer and narrower than in bicostella , but shorter than in lepigrei . In the female genitalia, the shape of segment 8 (subquadrate in dalilae , quadrate in bicostella , longitudinally rectangular in lepigrei ), the shape of antrum (anteriorly expanded in dalilae , tapered in bicostella , parallel-sided in lepigrei ) and the size of posterior signa, are distinguishing characters.

Molecular data. Seven specimens of dalilae were sequenced successfully, resulting in 658 (n=1), 655 (n=1), 654 (n=3), 622 (n=1) and 621 (n=1) bp barcode sequences. The nearest neighbour to dalilae is lepigrei , with a 2.99 % divergence. The barcodes of dalilae exhibit 0.65 % intraspecific variation.

Description. Adult. Wingspan 17.8–20.8 mm. Labial palpus off-white, ventrally dark brown, 6.4 x as long as diameter of eye (1 st and 2 nd palpomeres), 3 rd palpomere 0.32 x length of 1 st and 2 nd palpomeres.Antenna brown. Head off-white, thorax and tegula off-white, mixed with pale brown. Forewing white, dispersed with pale ochre, pale grey and pale brown scales, discal spot distinct, discocellular spot small, plical streak indistinct, fringe line distinct; costal line white, moderately broad, from near base to 0.8; subcostal line brown, slightly expanded towards apex. Fringe mixed with white and pale grey. Hindwing pale grey, fringe pale grey, apically white. Abdomen pale grey, slightly lustrous, each segment with a transverse row of ochre scales.

Male genitalia. Uncus bell-shaped from ventral view, as long as gnathos, covered with several bristles of different size, apex with long narrow stout protuberance. Gnathos funnel-shaped from ventral view, evenly tapered towards apex, apical third surfaced with scobination, apex stout. Valva slightly upwardly oblique from ventral view, ventral margin medially slightly bulged, costa horizontal, slightly bulged medially; cucullus thimble-shaped; sacculus moderately broad, covered with several bristles; valval lobe well delineated, crescent-shaped, surfaced by several nodules with bristles. Juxta tuning-fork-shaped; posterior lobe exceeding the base of uncus. Phallus slightly arched, parallel-sided, with one plate-shaped weakly sclerotized cornutus and a patch of small spines.

Female genitalia. Papilla analis elongate, narrow, densely covered with bristles of different size. Apophysis posterioris 2.9 x as long as papilla analis and 1.5 x as long as apophysis anterioris, which is 1.3 x as long as segment 8. Segment 8 subquadrate, dorsolaterally sclerotized by a narrow band, proximal margin evenly convex, broadly sclerotized, caudal margin slightly concave, lined with several long bristles; ventral longitudinal sclerotization clubshaped. Antrum as long as segment 8, anteriorly expanded, membranous, with two small sclerotized plates. Ductus bursae short and broad. Corpus bursae ovoid, large, with one wide arched signum bearing two narrow and long protuberances, and two leaf-shaped posterior signa with broad base and narrow spine.

Biology. Unknown. The specimens collected by the first author were netted in Pinus forests, lower vegetation dominated by Cytisus sp. ( Fabaceae ) in El Kef and Salvia rosmarinus (Lamiaceae) near Maktar.

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Tunisian scientist Dr. Dalila Haouas.

Distribution. Tunisia, known from two localities in Kef Governorate near the Algerian border.

Results. The series from near Maktar was collected with P. illucidella .

Figures

FIGURE 65. Neighbor-joining tree based on the barcoding fragment of the COI gene (p-distance model) of all available species of the Pleurota bicostella species group. “MM26262” etc. are BOLD sample IDs.

FIGURE 66. Distribution map of P. illucidella Chrétien, P. lepigrei Lucas and nine new species of the P. bicostella species group. Map based on Google Maps © 2021.

FIGURES 17–24. Adults and labels of Pleurota spp. 17–18. P. agadirensis sp. nov. 17. ♂ holotype. 18. ♀ paratype. 19–20. P. aprilella sp. nov. 19. ♂ paratype. 20. ♀ holotype. 21–22. P. dalilae sp. nov. 21. ♂ paratype. 22. ♀ holotype. 23–24. P. karsholti sp. nov. 23. ♂ paratype. 24. ♀ holotype.

FIGURES 41–42. Male genitalia of Pleurota spp. 41. P. aprilella sp. nov., paratype, GP 5442 J. Tabell. 42. P. dalilae sp. nov., paratype, GP 5920 J. Tabell.

FIGURES 57–59. Female genitalia of Pleurota spp. 57. P. agadirensis sp. nov., paratype, GP 5761 J. Tabell. 58. P. aprilella sp. nov., holotype, GP 5773 J. Tabell. 59. P. dalilae sp. nov., holotype, GP 5914 J. Tabell.