Megacraspedus longipalpella Junnilainen

Junnilainen, Jari & Nupponen, Kari, 2010, The gelechiid fauna of the southern Ural Mountains, part I: descriptions of seventeen new species (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Zootaxa 2366, pp. 1-34 : 16-17

Megacraspedus longipalpella Junnilainen sp. n.

Figs. 23 & 29

Type material. Holotype: 3: Russia, S-Ural, Cheliabinsk district, 53°59’N 61°12’E, 250 m, Troizkii reserve near Berlin village, 30.VI.1997, K. Nupponen & J. Junnilainen leg. ( JJ, to be deposited in ZMH). Paratypes (63 3; Fig. 23): same data as holotype except for dates: 30.VI.1997 (16 3), 01.VII.1997 (5 3), 02.VII.1997 (5 3) ( JJ, TKN, ZMH). Same locality as holotype: 01.VII.1997 (2 3), J.-P. Kaitila leg. ( JPK). Russia, S-Ural: Cheliabinsk district: 53°02’N 62°06’E, 200 m, Ajat river near Nikolaevka village, Sokolovskaja Gora, 04.VII.1997 (1 3), K. Nupponen & J. Junnilainen leg. ( TKN); Orenburg district, 50°58’N 54°25’E, 100 m, near Burannoe village, Ilek river valley, 03.VII.2003 (7 3), K. Nupponen leg. ( TKN).; 50°40–45’N 54°26–28’E, 170–230 m, Pokrovka village 20 km S, Schibendy valley, 29.VI.2003 (7 3), 01.VII.2003 (12 3), 02.VII.2003 (3 3), 02.VIII.2005 (1 3), K. Nupponen leg. ( TKN); 51°09–12’N 58°02–08’E, 320 m, Orsk 40 km W, near Guberlja village, 26.VI.2003 (2 3), K. Nupponen leg. ( TKN); Astrahan district: 48°07–11’N 46°48–54’E, 20–30 m, Baskunzak salt lake SW, Bogdo, 03.VI.2001 (2 3), K. Nupponen leg. ( TKN). Genitalia slides: J. Junnilainen prep. no. 0 2012201, 0 2022402, 02022501; K. Nupponen prep. no. 1/ 07.IV.2008.

Diagnosis. The external appearance and the male genitalia of M. longipalpella sp. n. indicate a close relationship to M. albovenata , but the former can be separated by larger size and paler ground color of the adult, distinctly longer labial palps and broader forewings. The male genitalia of M. longipalpella differ from those of M. albovenata by a narrower uncus, a more slender gnathos, a basally broader valva, a distally broader saccus and relatively longer and more robust aedeagus.

Description. Wingspan 18–20 mm. Haustellum, head, thorax and tegulae ochreous white. Antenna whitish and weakly serrate. Pecten a row of hairscales. Labial palp very long and almost straight, covered with greyish brown partly white-tipped scales; upperside pure white. Forewing rather broad, ground colour pale ochreous and sparsely scattered with pale brownish scales, vein lines pure white, fringe yellowish brown. Hindwing pale fuscous, fringe with pale ochreous hue. Female unknown.

Male genitalia (Fig. 29). Uncus relatively narrow, 1.7x as long as wide, apex rounded. Gnathos hook robust and distinctly longer than uncus, strongly curved upwards at middle, apex pointed. Tegumen 2x as long as broad, pedunculi moderately large with rounded apex. Valva clavate, basally broad with cleft on both lateral margins, tapered at middle, relatively broad and rounded apex extending to middle of uncus. Posterior margin of vinculum extended, broadly concave medially. Saccus subtriangular, tapered towards more or less pointed apex. Aedeagus robust, 0.7x as long as the entire genitalia; caecum circular; distal 3/4 almost straight and relatively broad, with longitudinal folds.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Bionomy. The type series was collected by artificial light from early June to early August from grassy lowland steppes.

Distribution. Russia (S Ural, Lower Volga).

Etymology. Latin longus = long; palpus = the labial palp. The species name is derived from the strongly elongate labial palps.

Remarks. M. longipalpella belongs to the balneariellus -group. Systematically it should be placed near M. balneariellus and M. albovenata .