Pleurota azrouensis Tabell, 2019

Tabell, Jukka, Mutanen, Marko & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2019, Three morphologically and genetically confirmed new Pleurota species from Morocco (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Oecophoridae: Pleurotinae), Zootaxa 4624 (3), pp. 442-450 : 444-445

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4624.3.12

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:409A6946-B3FB-4316-AAC6-E950DBCFFDD5

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BA0A6E-9949-FFBE-03AE-FC273A9CCEC6

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Pleurota azrouensis Tabell
status

sp. nov.

Pleurota azrouensis Tabell , sp. nov.

Barcode Index Number: BOLD:ADI4008

Table 1 View TABLE 1 , Figs. 5‒7 View FIGURES 1–10 , 12 View FIGURES 11–13 , 15 View FIGURES 14–16 , 17

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4A103261-D367-419C-B9B3-FCD7D52AA3B2

Type material. Holotype ♂ (GP 5882 J. Tabell, DNA sample MM25589 Lepid Phyl ): Morocco, Ifrane Prov., 4 km NNW Azrou, 1200 m, N33.47291 W5.24798, 16.V.2016, J. Tabell leg. (coll. MZH), BOLD sample ID: MM25589 GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 22 ♂ (GP 5695 J. Tabell; DNA sample MM25588 Lepid Phyl), 3 ♀ (GP 5883 J. Tabell, DNA sample MM25587 Lepid Phyl; DNA sample MM25586 Lepid Phyl), same collecting data as holotype; 23 ♂ same collect- ing data as holotype, but 14.V.2016 (colls. MZH and TAB) .

Diagnosis. In P. azrouensis , the colour of the forewing is more greyish than in the two closely related new species P. variocolor and P. ternaria . In the male genitalia, P. azrouensis is distinguished from P. variocolor by a narrower base of the uncus and gnathos, a wider cucullus, a shorter anterior extension of juxta, a less round valval lobe with smooth apex, and the presence of a tiny cornutus (robust in P. variocolor ). The posterior pair of signa in the female genitalia are close to each other (distinctly separate in P. variocolor and P. ternaria ). Other male and female genitalia structures of P. azrouensis and P. ternaria are very similar. Potential minor differences (more material is needed to test their validity) include width of uncus base (narrower in P. azrouensis ), length of posterior lobe of juxta (reaches uncus apex in P. azrouensis ), width of valval lobe (narrower in P. azrouensis ), length of phallus (ratio of valva length: phallus length is 0.91 in P. azrouensis and 0.81 in P. ternaria ), width of anterior signum (wider in P. azrouensis ), and distance between posterior signa (narrower in P. azrouensis ). The differences between P. azrouensis and P. variocolor are discussed in the Diagnosis of P. variocolor .

Molecular data. Four specimens of P. azrouensis were sequenced, resulting in 658 bp, full-length barcode fragments for all specimens. The results are presented in the Molecular data section of P. variocolor . The barcodes of P. azrouensis exhibit no intraspecific variation ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ).

Description. Adult. Wingspan 10.5–13.3 mm. Labial palpus grey, mixed with off-white scales, 1 st and 2 nd segments short, 5 x longer than diameter of eye, 3 rd segment 0.3 x length of 1 st and 2 nd segments. Antenna long, 0.84 x length of forewing in male, in female 0.75 x, grey to almost black, underside black and white. Head, thorax and tegula concolorous with forewing. Forewing pale brownish grey, suffused with off-white, ochreous- and browntipped scales; costal line indistinctly edged, narrow, off-white, in female forewing more yellow, black discal spot large, plical and discocellular spots distinct. Fringe concolorous with forewing. Underside dark grey, costa and dorsal margin off-white. Hindwing and fringe grey, with long grey basal scales, underside grey, veins indistinct, median spot elongated. Abdomen slightly lustrous, greyish brown, each segment with a transverse row of ochre scales.

Male genitalia. Uncus bell-shaped in ventral view, narrow, shorter than gnathos, lined with a few long bristles. Gnathos funnel-shaped in ventral view, gradually tapered towards apex, apex blunt, medial surface with small nod- ules. Anterior margin of tegumen arched. Valva upwards oblique, ventral margin medially concave, costa basally slightly bulged; valval lobe very long, slightly oval, nodular apically, strongly sclerotized, lined with a few short bristles; cucullus thimble-shaped; sacculus covered with long bristles. Juxta sclerotized; anterior extension straight, moderately short, dilated basally, median part slightly swollen, posterior lobe reaching apex of uncus. Vinculum U-shaped. Phallus arched, parallel-sided, apex blunt, with a bundle of numerous strongly sclerotized spines and one U-shaped, weakly sclerotized tiny cornutus.

Female genitalia. Papilla analis ovoid, narrow, distal half covered with bristles.Apophyses long; apophysis posterioris 7 x as long as papilla analis and 1.6 x as long as apophysis anterioris, which is twice as long as segment 8. Segment 8 longitudinally elongated, rectangular, membranous, distally sparsely covered with bristles, dorsolaterally reinforced by sclerotized band; left and right branches of apophyses anteriores medially fused, U-shaped; ventral longitudinal sclerotization narrow, shorter than segment 8. Antrum tubular. Ductus bursae membranous, posterior section slightly swollen, with longitudinal ridges. Corpus bursae ovoid, with one arched broad signum bearing two narrow, sclerotized thorn-like protuberances, and two almost fused, minute and narrow signa in posterior position.

Biology. Unknown. All specimens were collected by sweeping low meadow vegetation during the daytime. The flora was dominated by a bright orange unidentified chrysanthemum, which may be the host plant of P. azrouensis .

Distribution. Morocco, Middle Atlas. Known only from the type locality at an altitude of 1200 m.

Derivation of name. The specific epithet refers to the collecting place, near Azrou city.

MZH

Finnish Museum of Natural History

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Lepidoptera

Family

Oecophoridae

Genus

Pleurota

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