Megacraspedus homochroa Le Cerf, 1932

Huemer, Peter & Karsholt, Ole, 2018, Revision of the genus Megacraspedus Zeller, 1839, a challenging taxonomic tightrope of species delimitation (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), ZooKeys 800, pp. 1-278 : 32-34

Megacraspedus homochroa Le Cerf, 1932

Megacraspedus homochroa Le Cerf, 1932: 165.

Megacraspedus culminicola Le Cerf, 1932: 165, syn. n.

Examined material.

Morocco. 2 ♂, Prov. Al Haouz, Oukaïmeden 1.5 km SE, 2660 m N 31.19340 W 7.85311, 2.vii.2016, leg. J. Tabell, DNA Barcode TLMF Lep 21271, genitalia slide GU 16/1453 Huemer (ZMUC); 7 ♂, same data, but 2400 m, 7-17.vi.1965, leg. Y. de Lajonquière (SMNK, ZMUC); 9 ♂, Middle Atlas, Ifrane, 5.-10.vii.1972, genitalia slide GU 5264 Stübner, leg. F. Hahn (SMNK, TLMF, ZSM).

Redscription.

Adult. Male (Figs 19-20). Wingspan 18-22 mm. Segment 2 of labial palpus with scale brush, light brown, on outer surface mottled with black-tipped scales, white on upper surface; segment 3 thin, longer than scale brush of segment 2, whitish brown mottled with black towards tip. Antennal scape without pecten; flagellum ringed with light brown and black. Head whitish brown; thorax and tegula light brown. Forewing light yellow-brown, mottled with scattered black scales, especially at base of costa and in apical area; veins indistinctly lighter; fringes light grey. Hindwing grey with grey fringes.

Female (based on original description). Wingspan 11-16.5 mm. Forewing lanceolate, shorter than the body, hindwing narrow; both pairs almost entirely reddish at the base.

Variation. A rather variable species as regards the amount of blackish brown scales on the forewings. Specimens with many such scales look greyish yellow. Material from Middle Atlas is rather reddish-brown than yellow-brown.

Male genitalia (Figure 159). Uncus large, approximately 1.3 times longer than wide, elongated suboval with evenly rounded apex; gnathos hook moderately slender, slightly longer than uncus, hardly curved with pointed apex; anterior margin of tegumen with deep V-shaped emargination, sclerotised edge merged mediad in sub-anterior part of tegumen; pedunculi distinct, suboval; valva massive, stout, thumb-shaped, extending slightly beyond base of uncus, apical part weakly divergent, rounded; saccular area densely covered with setae, without separated sacculus; posterior margin of vinculum with deep U-shaped emargination, weakly rounded lateral humps, suboval vincular sclerite with strongly sclerotised posterior edge; saccus long, sub-triangular, evenly tapered to pointed apex, ratio maximum width to length approximately 0.6, posterior margin with rounded mediolateral projections, separated by moderately broad and shallow incision, medial part with strongly sclerotised longitudinal ridge, forked in medial part of saccus and extending to anteriolateral edge, lateral sclerites about length of maximum width of saccus; phallus with weakly bulbous coecum, distal two-thirds stout, straight, medial ridge with small sub-apical spine, ventral edge with larger sub-apical tooth, both pointing ventrad, apex rounded, ductus ejucalatorius with contorted linear interior sclerotisation.

Female genitalia. Undescribed.

Diagnosis.

Megacraspedus homochroa is characterised by its rather large size and its light yellow-brown to reddish-brown forewings without spots. See also M. tenuignathos sp. n. (p 126). The male genitalia are unmistakable due to the combined shape of the large uncus and saccus, and the peculiar structures of the phallus.

Molecular data.

BIN BOLD:ADF2257 (n = 1). The distance to the nearest neighbour M. golestanicus sp. n. is 9.1% (p-dist).

Distribution.

Morocco (Middle Atlas, High Atlas).

Biology.

Host plant and early stages are unknown. The type-series of M. homochroa was collected in the Middle Atlas in August at an altitude of 2400 m, that of M. culminicola at high altitude of 3200 m in the middle of July. Additional samples date from about mid-June to early July and at altitudes from ca. 2400 to 2660 m.

Remarks.

Megacraspedus homochroa was described from two males collected in Morocco, Middle Atlas ( Le Cerf 1932). The type-material could not be traced at MNHN, but the description of the adults leaves no doubt as to the identity of this species.

Megacraspedus culminicola was described from two males and two females taken in copula in Morocco, Middle Atlas ( Le Cerf 1932). Like M. homochroa , the type-material could not be traced at MNHN, but descriptions of the males of both species agree in almost every detail and the type-localities are nearby. We therefore consider M. culminicola to be a junior synonym of M. homochroa (syn. n.).