Coleophora parthenica Meyrick, 1891

Koo, Jun-Mo & Cho, Soowon, 2024, Taxonomic revision of the family Coleophoridae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea) in Korea, including seven newly recorded species of the genus Coleophora Hübner, Zootaxa 5558 (1), pp. 1-102 : 18-21

5. Coleophora parthenica Meyrick, 1891

[Korean name: su-song-na-mul-tong-na-bang (newly named)]

( Figs 1E, F ; 2F ; 4E–H ; 7A, B )

Coleophora parthenica Meyrick, 1891: 59 . Type locality: Algeria, Biskra // [holotype (female) deposited in NHMUK].

Coleophora cygnipennella Toll, 1956: 124 . Type locality: North Africa .

Coleophora candidella Toll, 1959a: 341 . Type locality: Iraq.

Coleophora transcaspica Toll, 1959b: 5 . Type locality: Transkaspia , Krasnovodsk [ Turkmenistan, Türkmenbaşy].

Coleophora candidella Toll & Amsel, 1967: 8 [a junior primary homonym of C. candidella Toll, 1959 ]. Type locality: Afghanistan .

Coleophora lashkarella Toll & Amsel, 1967: 11 . Type locality: Afghanistan.

Coleophora hilmendella Amsel, 1968: 49 [a replacement name for C. candidella Toll & Amsel, 1967 ].

Symphypoda parthenica ; Anikin & Falkovitsh 1997: 305; Anikin 2019: 73; Anikin & Knyazev 2024: 92 .

Coleophora parthenica ; Vives 1988: 102; Baldizzone 1994: 55; Baldizzone & Wolf 2000: 399; Baldizzone & Wolf 2003: 2; Baldizzone et al. 2006: 93; Baldizzone 2023: 243.

Material examined. 1♂, 2♀, “ KOREA [Incheon] / Namdong-gu Sorae Wetland Ecological Park [[in Korean ]] / 16. VI. 2018 / 37.411327, 126.743904 [[ N37°24′40.78″, E126°44′38.05″, Alt. 4 m ]] / Paek Munki leg./ Det. // Nonhyeondong, Namdong-gu, Incheon, / KOREA / 37.411327, 126.743904 / Jun 16, 2018 [Alt. 4 m] / Coll. M. K. Paek [[in English, with more detailed information about the label right above in the Korean version]]” // gen.slide nos.KJM0121 (♂), 0108 (♀) & 0122 (♀) // wings slide nos. KJM0197 (♂) & 0196 (♀) // COI barcode nos. CBNU179 , 180 & 176 ( GenBank accession nos. PP229900–PP229902) // specimen accession nos. CBNUPM000018–000020, in CBNU ; 1♂, 1♀, 1ex [[probably male]], “ Hodang-ri , Ipjang-myeon , Seobuk-gu, / Cheonan-si, CN [[ Chungcheongnam-do ]], KOREA / N36°52′26.36″ E127°14′28.50″ / May 20, 2023 Alt. 196 m / Coll. J. M. Koo, J. H. Na ” // gen. slide nos. KJM0476 (♂) & 0477 (♀) // COI barcode nos. CBNU605 , 606 & 608 ( GenBank accession nos. PP229903, PP229904, PP229906) // specimen accession nos. CBNUPM000160, 000161 & 000163, in CBNU ; 1ex [[probably male]], “[[ NIBR specimen accession no.]] PCQAIN0000012027 [[=NIBRIN0001023357]] / KOREA. (CN) [[ Chungcheongnam-do ]] Cheonan-si , Seobuk-gu , Ipjang-myeon [[ Ibjang-myeon ]], / Hodang-ri. / Jun Mo Koo , Jin Ho Na, 20 May / 2023 / [[line]] / NIBR // Coleophora parthenica Meyrick , / 1891 / su-song-na-mul-tong-na-bang [[ Korean name of the species]] / Det.: Jun Mo Koo, 06 Jul 2023 / [[line]] / NIBR ” // COI barcode no. CBNU607 (GenBank accession no. PP229905) , in NIBR; 1ex [[probably female]], “ Songhak-ri , Nam-myeon, Buyeo-gun, / CN [[ Chungcheongnam-do ]], KOREA / N36°13′47.73″ E126°47′54.01″ / May 27, 2023 Alt. 16 m / Coll. B. R. Shin ” // COI barcode no. CBNU620 (GenBank accession no. PP229907) // specimen accession no. CBNUPM000164, in CBNU.

Diagnosis. The species is externally similar to C. namakella Amsel, 1977 , and shares genital characteristics, such as a tongue-shaped median stem of the tegumen, a horn-shaped dorso-distal corner process of the sacculus, and a dorsally sclerotized phallotheca in the male genitalia, and a depressed trapezoidal sterigma, a bowl-shaped colliculum, and the ductus bursae without the spinulate section in the female genitalia. However, the species under discussion can be distinguished from the latter by the following characteristics: 1) in the male genitalia of C. parthenica , a horn-like dorsal corner process of the sacculus without any teeth is present, while in C. namakella (see Amsel 1977: Abb. 2, Figs 4a, b ; Baldizzone 1983b: Figs 21 , 23 ), male genitalia possess a dorsal corner process of the sacculus with a tiny apical tooth; and 2) in the female genitalia of C. parthenica , the ductus bursae with the median lamina in the posterior half, about 1.5× longer than the corpus bursae, and the corpus bursae with a horn-like signum are present, while in C. namakella ( Baldizzone 1983b: Fig. 26 ), female genitalia possess the ductus bursae without the median lamina, about 0.5× shorter than the corpus bursae, and the corpus bursae with a small ovaloid signum or without the signum.

Redescription. Adults of both sexes ( Figs 1E, F ), forewing length 6.0– 8.5 mm (wingspan 12.0–17.0 mm) (n=8) ( Meyrick 1891: wingspan 16.0 mm).

Head: Vertex reddish-white. Postocular scales reddish-brown. Antenna about 0.8–0.9× shorter than the length of the forewing; scape with reddish-brown obliquely erect scales ventrally; in the male, scape+pedicel covered with reddish-grey scales on the dorsal and inner surfaces, and with reddish-brown scales on the ventral and outer surfaces; flagellum covered with appressed scales, alternately ringed with reddish-grey and dark brown, the dark brown rings paler at the base; in the female, antenna covered with reddish-grey scales on the dorsal and inner surfaces, and with reddish-brown scales on the ventral and outer surfaces in the basal 1/4 (including basal flagellomeres), then alternately ringed with reddish-grey and dark brown (ventral dark brown brighter than dorsal one, or evenly reddish-grey ventrally without brighter dark brown). Second palpomere of labial palpus reddish-grey, about 1.5× longer than the length of the third palpomere; in the male, the latter reddish-brown on the outer surface, and reddish-grey on the inner surface, while in the female reddish-grey on both the outer and inner surface. Proboscis covered with white scales.

Thorax: Notum reddish-grey with same-coloured tegula. Forewing reddish-grey with reddish-white between costa and R 1 vein; extreme costa dark brown in the basal 1/3–2/3; venous lines brownish-orange; fringe reddish-grey; venation ( Fig. 2F ) with R 1 arising from the middle of the discal cell; distance between origins of R 1 and R 2 about 1.8× longer than that of R 2 and R 3; R 4+5 and M 1 stalked in the basal 3/10; distance between origins of M 1 and M 2+3 about 0.6× shorter than that of M 2+3 and CuA 1+2; CuA 1+2 arising from the posterior corner of the discal cell; 1A+2A forked at about basal 3/10; discal cell open. Hindwing reddish-white with reddish-grey fringe; frenulum with two acanthi fused distally into a single acanthus; costa slightly arched at the basal 2/5; venation ( Fig. 2F ) with slightly curved Rs; M 1 forked with Rs; discal cell open or weakly closed. Hind tibia reddish-grey on the outer surface, and white on the inner surface; dorsal and ventral bristles reddish-grey; two pairs of spurs, one pair at the basal 7/10, other pair at the distal end. Hind tarsus reddish-grey on the outer surface, and white on the inner surface.

Abdomen: Abdomen covered with reddish-grey scales; tergal disks glabrous. In the male ( Fig. 7A ), posterior lateral struts 0.5–0.6× shorter than anterior lateral struts. Transverse strut straight; anterior and posterior edges sclerotized. Terga I–VII with two parallel tergal disks bearing conical spines on each tergum; tergal disks of the terga I–VI elongated, about 3.6–7.2× longer than each width; tergal disks of the terga I and II expanded and merged into one H-shape structure; anterior margins of the tergum VIII sclerotized. Sternum II well-sclerotized; anterior margin of the sternum VIII sclerotized. In the female ( Fig. 7B ), posterior lateral struts and transverse strut are the same as in the male. Terga I–VII with two parallel tergal disks bearing conical spines on each tergum; tergal disks of the terga I–VI elongated, about 3.4–6.1× longer than each width; tergal disks of the terga I and II expanded and merged into one H-shape structure. Sternum II well-sclerotized.

Male genitalia ( Figs 4E–G ): See also Richter (2022). Gnathos knob depressed globular, 1.2–1.4× wider than its vertical length; the basal arm of gnathos about 1.3× longer than the median stem of tegumen, with setae extending outward in the distal 2/5. Tegumen with medially dilated pedunculus; median stem of tegumen tongue-shaped with rounded ventral margin, about the same length as pedunculus. Transtilla finger-shaped, gradually narrowed toward rounded apex. Vinculum well-sclerotized. Valvula subquadrate bearing setae evenly. Cucullus finger-shaped, setose evenly, about 0.9× shorter than the sacculus. The sacculus rhomboidal, about 1.3–1.4× longer than its width, setose; process of dorsal corner horn-shaped with somewhat pointed apex; setae situated along ventro-distal half and distal margins. Phallotheca conical, slightly curved, linearly sclerotized dorsally, about 1.5× longer than the length of the sacculus. Aedeagus membranous. Annulus well observable. Longitudinal sclerite of outer tube absent. Vesica membranous without any cornutus.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 4H ): See also Richter (2022). Papillae anales elliptical, setose. Apophyses posteriores 1.7× longer than the apophyses anteriores. Sterigma depressed trapezoidal, about 3.3× wider than its length, setose along posterior margin except for the middle. Ostium bursae ovoidal, situated at the middle of sterigma. Colliculum bowl-shaped, well-sclerotized, of the same length as the length of the sterigma. Ductus bursae membranous, about 1.5× longer than the corpus bursae, with median lamina in the posterior half. Ductus seminalis arising from right before the anterior end of the median lamina of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae ovaloid; signum horn-shaped with a rounded signal plate and pointed apex, well-sclerotized.

Host plants. [ Amaranthaceae ] Salsola tragus L. (some recorded as S. iberica Sennen & Pau , S. pestifer A. Nelson, and S. australis R. Br. ), S. collina Pall. , and S. paulsenii Litv. ( Hawkes & Mayfield 1976; Goeden et al. 1978; Goeden & Ricker 1979; Lai et al. 1982; Nuessly & Goeden 1983; Nuessly & Goeden 1984; Müller & Goeden 1990; Müller et al. 1990; McFadyen & Jacob 2004; Falkovitsh 2006). Falkovitsh (2006) also listed Halogeton C.A. Mey. and Atriplex L. ( Amaranthaceae ), but the author noted that these records raise doubts about the host-plant relationship with C. parthenica .

Larva (stem borer): See Ellis (2024).

Biology. The larvae of this species are known to bore the stems of Salsola tragus L., S. collina Pall. , and S. paulsenii Litv. ( Hawkes & Mayfield 1976; Falkovitsh 2006). According to observations by Hawkes & Mayfield (1976), C. parthenica deposits its eggs individually on leaves near the terminal ends of the stems. After hatching, the larvae bore directly through the leaves from the bottom of the eggs, feeding within the leaves for a few days before transitioning into the stems. Each larva can excavate around 15 cm of stem during its developmental stages. Upon reaching maturity, the larva crafts a transparent exit window in the stem, leaving the epidermis intact. Pupation then takes place inside the hollow stems, and the species emerge through the exit windows. The species is multivoltine, with the number of generations contingent on temperature. The mature larvae of the final generation enter diapause and spend the winter within the lifeless, desiccated stems of the Russian thistle. Pupation resumes in the subsequent spring.

Parasitoids. [ Pteromalidae ] Norbanus perplexus (Ashmead, 1904) , Neocatolaccus sp. , [ Eurytomidae ] Eurytoma strigosa Bugbee, 1982 , [ Ichneumonidae ] Calliephialtes notanda (Cresson, 1870) , [ Eulophidae ] Euderus sp. , [ Eupelmidae ] Eupelmus cf. limneriae Howard, 1897 , and [ Torymidae ] Microdontomerus anthonomi (Crawford, 1907) . Among the listed species, the two species, N. perplexus and E. strigosa , are dominant parasitoids ( Goeden et al. 1978; Müller & Goeden 1990; Müller et al. 1990).

Distribution. Romania, Greece, Crete, Cyprus, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ukraine, Russia (Southern European part, Southern and Western Siberia, Far East), Caucasus ( Armenia, Azerbaijan), Mongolia; (deliberately introduced) USA, Hawaii ( Toll 1959a; Toll & Amsel 1967; Lai et al. 1982; Baldizzone 1994; Baldizzone & Wolf 2003; Baldizzone et al. 2006; Anikin 2019; Baldizzone 2023; Anikin & Knyazev 2024), Korea (new record).

Remarks. The Prickly Russian thistle ( Salsola tragus L.), a weedy annual plant, was initially introduced into the United States in 1873 as a contaminant of flaxseed planted near Scotland, South Dakota ( Robbins et al. 1951). It is now widely distributed throughout the country. In response to this, C. parthenica was introduced into the USDA ( United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, California) quarantine in 1971, and a comprehensive host specificity testing program was conducted in 1971–1972. Prior to this, biology and preliminary testing were conducted in the countries of origin, Egypt and Pakistan, under the PL 480 program. The first field releases of C. parthenica in the United States took place during the spring of 1973 at several sites in the southern half of California and one each in Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. Subsequent releases from 1975 onward were primarily concentrated in the southern half of California ( Hawkes & Mayfield 1976). Additionally, in Hawaii, C. parthenica , along with C. klimeschiella Toll, 1952 , was introduced in 1979 and 1980 to assist in the biological control of Prickly Russian thistle, which infested approximately 320 hectares of rangelands ( Lai et al. 1982).

According to the national species list of Korea provided by NIBR (2019), three species of the genus Salsola L., namely, S. collina Pall. , S. komarovii Iljin , and S. tragus L., are documented. In terms of distribution, information from the plant data book for Korea, as provided by NIE (2017), indicates that S. collina Pall. and S. komarovii Iljin are distributed in Incheon and Chungcheongnam-do, where the eight Korean specimens examined here for this species were collected. Although S. tragus L. is not mentioned in the data book, GBIF (2024) shows that it is distributed in Incheon, Chungcheongnam-do, and Jeollanam-do (the last area where C. parthenica has not been found yet), and Chung (2018) notes its distribution in sandy seashores in Jeollanam-do.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Newly recorded Coleophora spp.Adult.A, Coleophora clypeiferella, CBNUPM000333 (female); B, C. kamchatica, CBNUPM000212 (male); C, C. lativittella, OONNIN0000015631 (female); D, C. levantis, OONNIN0000015632 (male); E, C. parthenica, CBNUPM000160 (male); F, C. parthenica, CBNUPM000161 (female); G, C. uliginosella, CBNUPM000214 (male); H, C. vacciniella, CBNUPM000385 (male).

FIGURE 2. Newly recorded Coleophora spp. Venation. A, Coleophora clypeiferella, with close-up of frenulum, slide no. KJM0369 (female, reversed left wings, CBNUPM000333); B, C. kamchatica, with close-up of frenulum, slide no. KJM0478 (male, CBNUPM000212); C, C.lativittella, frenulummissing, slideno.KJM0179(female,OONNIN0000015631);D,C.levantis, frenulum missing, slide no. KJM0178 (male, OONNIN0000015632); E, hindwing of C. levantis, with close-up of frenulum, slide no. KJM0479 (female); F, C. parthenica, with close-up of frenulum, slide no. KJM0484 (female, CBNUPM000161); G, C. uliginosella, with close-up of frenulum, slide no. KJM0482 (female, CBNUPM000215); H, C. vacciniella, with close-up of frenulum, slide no. KJM0483 (male, CBNUPM000385).

FIGURE 4. Newly recorded Coleophora spp. Genitalia. A, male genitalia of Coleophora levantis, with close-up of sacculus, slide no. KJM0091 (OONNIN0000015632); B, male genitalia of C. levantis before slide preparation of A; C, phallus of male genitalia of C. levantis, with close-up of cornutus, slide no. KJM0091 (OONNIN0000015632); D, female genitalia of C. levantis, with close-up of sterigma+colliculum (left) and signum (right), slide no. KJM0420 (in INU); E, male genitalia of C. parthenica, slide no. KJM0476 (CBNUPM000160); F, phallus of male genitalia of C. parthenica, slide no. KJM0476 (CBNUPM000160); G, phallus of male genitalia of C. parthenica, slide no. KJM0121 (CBNUPM000018); H, female genitalia of C. parthenica, with close-up of sterigma+colliculum (top) and signum (bottom), slide no. KJM0477 (CBNUPM000161).

FIGURE 7. Newly recorded Coleophora spp. Abdomen. A, male abdomen of Coleophora parthenica, slide no. KJM0476 (CBNUPM000160); B, female abdomen of C. parthenica, slide no. KJM0477 (CBNUPM000161); C, male abdomen of C. uliginosella, slide no. KJM0461 (CBNUPM000214); D, female abdomen of C. uliginosella, slide no. KJM0462 (CBNUPM000215); E, male abdomen of C. vacciniella, slide no. KJM0366 (CBNUPM000385).

FIGURE 21. Reconfirmed Coleophora spp. Abdomen. A, male abdomen of Coleophora adspersella, slide no. KJM0044 (CBNUPM000378); B, male abdomen of C. albicans, slide no. KJM0364 (CBNUPM000381); C, male abdomen of C. cristata, slide no. KJM0219 (CBNUPM000147); D, female abdomen of C. cristata, slide no. KJM0285 (CBNUPM000145); E, male abdomen of C. elodella, slide no. KJM0383 (CBNUPM000113); F, female abdomen of C. elodella, slide no. KJM0384 (CBNUPM000117); G, female abdomen of C. falkovitshella, slide no. KJM0342 (CBNUPM000229).

FIGURE 23. Reconfirmed Coleophora spp. Abdomen. A, male abdomen of Coleophora mayrella, slide no. KJM0048 (CBNUPM000289); B, female abdomen of C. mayrella, slide no. KJM0474 (CBNUPM000326); C, male abdomen of C. melanograpta, slide no. KJM0225 (CBNUPM000078); D, female abdomen of C. melanograpta, slide no. KJM0184 (CBNUPM000072); E, male abdomen of C. montaniella, slide no. KJM0457 (CBNUPM000132); F, female abdomen of C. montaniella, slide no. KJM0353 (CBNUPM000131); G, male abdomen of C. obducta, slide no. KJM0299 (CBNUPM000203); H, female abdomen of C. obducta, slide no. KJM0281 (CBNUPM000209).

FIGURE 26. Larval tubular silken cases of C. adspersella and C. sternipennella, and their collection site. A, B, concrete walls where the two species were dormant (in May 2023); C, C. adspersella dormant on concrete wall; D, trivalved distal end of larval case of C. adspersella; E, larval case of C. adspersella, indicating lateral (top), dorsal (middle), and ventral (bottom) views; F, C. sternipennella dormant on concrete wall; G, trivalved distal end of larval case of C. sternipennella; H, larval case of C. sternipennella, indicating lateral (top), dorsal (middle), and ventral (bottom) views.