Ekboarmia fascinataria (Staudinger, 1900)

Skou, Peder, Stuening, Dieter & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2017, Revision of the West-Mediterranean geometrid genus Ekboarmia, with description of a new species from Portugal (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Ennominae), Nota Lepidopterologica 40 (1), pp. 39-63 : 48-50

Ekboarmia fascinataria (Staudinger, 1900)

fascinataria Staudinger, 1900, Deutsche entomologische Zeitschrift Iris 12: 395, pl. 6, fig. 3, ( Boarmia ). Holotype female (MNHU), [Algeria]: Teniet el Had (examined externally, illustrated also in Albers & Warnecke (1941), plate II, fig. 10 (on p. 332).

Examined non-type material.

65 specimens (22♂♂, 43♀♀; data provided in Suppl. material 1).

External characters and abdomen

(Figs 10, 14). Generally as Ekboarmia atlanticaria (see above), but with following differences. Wingspan 24-29 mm, large species in the genus. General appearance somewhat rough. Forewing postmedial line distinctly dentate, even zigzagged, angled sharply outwards above posterior margin and medial area wide at that margin.

Variation.

Wingspan varies quite a lot, the holotype female (collected in May/June) with 29 mm wingspan is the biggest specimen encountered so far. Specimens in the ZFMK collection, collected from March to May in Algeria, Hammam Righa are almost of the same size, while a large series from June consists of distinctly smaller specimens (figured as 1st and 2nd generation in Wehrli 1939-1954). Wing colour varies from grey-brown to grey; males of the Algerian 2nd generation are considerably darker than the females. In addition, a small number of specimens are found in which the forewing postmedial line is not distinctly angled outwards at inner margin. Such specimens, in which this character is somewhat transitional between Ekboarmia fascinataria and Ekboarmia atlanticaria , are nevertheless identified as Ekboarmia fascinataria , as all other relevant characters are typical for this species.

Male genitalia

(Fig. 19). Generally somewhat larger and more robust than Ekboarmia atlanticaria (see above), but without any noticeable differences. Base of the juxta tends to be a little longer and narrower, the incision between the furca-arms narrower. The spatulate process at apex of phallus seems to be more elongated and parallel-sided (elongated-oval in Ekboarmia atlanticaria ). Large differences as recently published by Leraut (2009, fig. 96) were not observed.

Female genitalia

(Fig. 23). Generally as Ekboarmia atlanticaria (see above), but little more robust, with slight, rather gradual differences. Apophyses anteriores and posteriores, and lamella antevaginalis are longer and stronger, lamella postvaginalis is a larger, more equally rounded plate, colliculum longer, but narrower, corpus bursae with a shallow and a more strongly rounded side. Signum a little larger, with fewer but larger marginal teeth. However, all or some of these characters may be due to variation and should be verified by study of more material.

Distribution and abundance

(Fig. 17). Maghrebian. In Algeria and Morocco. The abundance of the species is unknown. Apparently it is some decades since it was last collected. No confirmed records from Europe, see Remarks.

Phenology.

Probably bivoltine. Only rather few and imprecise records available: February, March, April, May, June, October. Rungs (1981) gives February to June and September to November. Wehrli (1939-1954) mentions 'several generations’ and figures specimens of a 1st and 2nd generation. Larval time and hibernation are unknown. It is unknown when the adults fly, but probably at night.

Biology.

Unknown.

Habitat.

Unknown.

Genetic data.

No data available.

Similar species.

Ekboarmia atlanticaria , see text above.

Remarks.

Although the genitalia of Ekboarmia atlanticaria and Ekboarmia fascinataria are similar, without distinct diagnostic characters, the validity at species level is supported by distinct external appearance and perhaps sympatric occurrence in Morocco and Algeria. This is not unique, as there are examples among the Geometridae and more widely in other Lepidoptera in which external appearance is distinct but the genitalia are rather homogenous (European examples include for instance Macaria notata - Macaria signaria , Isturgia limbaria - Isturgia roraria , Isturgia sparsaria - Isturgia messapiaria ( Skou and Sihvonen 2015), Nemophora degeerella ( Kozlov et al. 2016)), and DNA barcodes are para- or polyphyletic ( Mutanen et al. 2016 pinpoint numerous Geometridae examples), and yet these taxa are considered valid at species level. The currently available data do not support synonymisation of Ekboarmia atlanticaria and Ekboarmia fascinataria . DNA barcode and life history of Ekboarmia fascinataria are not known at the moment. These, when available, are likely to shed more light on the taxonomy.

Ekboarmia fascinataria has been recorded from France (Llauro, Department Pyrénées-Orientales by Bérard 1995) and it has been included in the French list of Lepidoptera ( Leraut 1997) and in Fauna Europaea ( Hausmann et al. 2011). In our opinion the specimen in Bérard (1995) is Ekboarmia atlanticaria and also Leraut (2009) states in his more recent publication that the species is not yet known from Europe. Expósito Hermosa (2007, p. 270) explains the identity of a male specimen from the Island of Formentera in the Baleares, recorded on 24 August, 1968. The conclusion is vague (our translation from Spanish): "male genitalia concur with the picture of Ekboarmia fascinataria from Morocco as illustrated in Albers and Warnecke (1941, p. 137, fig. 1); however, characters of Ekboarmia atlanticaria and Ekboarmia fascinataria share a sufficient number of correlations and an important number of coincidences, so specimens of Ekboarmia atlanticaria and Ekboarmia fascinataria share the same identity in Spain." Due to lack of confirmed records, we propose removal of Ekboarmia fascinataria from the European list until there is a reliable record.