Ptycerata pudicellus ( Mann, 1861 ) Bidzilya & Karsholt, 2021

Bidzilya, Oleksiy & Karsholt, Ole, 2021, A review of the Palearctic Ptycerata Ely, 1910 (= Caulastrocecis Chrétien, 1931 syn. nov.) based on morphology (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), Zootaxa 5026 (2), pp. 151-181 : 170-172

Ptycerata pudicellus ( Mann, 1861) comb. nov.

Figs 22–28 , 76–81 , 92, 93

Hypsolophus pudicellus Mann, 1861: 190 , pl. 3, f. 10

= Xystophora tripunctella Snellen, 1884: 172 , pl. 9, figs 7, 7a. Syn. nov.

Caulastrocecis pudicella ( Mann, 1861) — Elsner et al. 1999: 21.

Type material examined. Lectotype of pudicellus ♂, “Origin.” “ Coll. Led. ” | [ Romania] “Mehadia” | “1/2” | “ex coll. Staudinger ” | “ Mesophleps pudicellus Mann ” | “Paratypoid Nr.“ ( MfN) [here designated] . Paralectotype ♂, Origin., Coll. Led., Mehadia, 2/2, ex coll. Staudinger, Hypsolophus pudicellus Mann (gen. slide 59/10, O. Bidzilya) ( MfN) .

Syntype of tripunctella ♂ “Amoer, 13/7, ?? Hedem.” | “ Coll. Snellen ” | “Museum Leiden” | “ Xystophora tripunctella, Det : Sn.” ( RMNH) .

Additional material examined. Cyprus: 1 ♂, Hisarköy , 250 m, 12–18.v.2007 (Skule) (gen. slide 6276 Hendriksen) ( ZMUC) . Greece: 1 ♀, Evioi, 100 m, 30 km N. Alexandropolis, at Kirki , 7.vii.1985 (Skule & Skou) (gen. slide 49/20, O. Bidzilya) ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, Komotini, Kompsatos. Kürü river by Iasmos , 19.vii.1987 (Fibiger) ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, Rhodos , 2 km NW Lindos, 50 m, 27.v.1993 (Sutter) ( SMNK) . Slovakia: 1 ♀, Michalovce, Vinianský Hrad , 27.vi.1993 (Larsen) ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, Vinné , 10.vii.1996 (Tokár), gen. preparation (in vial) 4385 Tokár ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♀, Trnava, Laborici env., 25.vi.2016 (Tokár) ( ZMPC) . Ukraine: 1 ♂, Lugansk reg., S vicinity of Severedonetsk, dacha near Kleshnja lake , 24.vi.2015 (Demianenko) (gen. slide 173/16, O. Bidzilya) ( ZMKU) . Russia: 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Altai mts., 50˚16-20’N, 87˚50-55’E, Kuraisky hrebet, 2300 m, 13.vii.2001 (Nupponen) (gen. slide 173/ 19♂, 174/ 19♀, O. Bidzilya) ( NUPP) ; 1 ♂, Buryatia, 54˚35’N, 110˚48’E, Barguzin valley Maisky vill., 500 m, sandy yard, 7.vii.1996 (Jalava & Kullberg) ( MZH) ; 5 ♂, Russia, S-Buryatia, 50˚58-59’N, 106˚38-40’E, Chikoy valley , 10 km S Novoselenginsk vill., sand dunes/sandy steppes, 550–600 m, 23.vi.2002 (Nupponen) (gen. slide 182/16, 201/16, O. Bidzilya) ( NUPP) ; 1 ♂, Zabaikalie, Citinskaya oblast , okr. S. Kyra, 900 m, 14.vii.1997 (Bidzilya, Kostjuk & Kostjuk), gen. preparation (in vial) without number ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, Zabaikalie, 50 km NNE Chita, Burgen’ , 9.vii.1998 (Golovushkin) (gen. slide 70/10, O. Bidzilya) ( ZNKU) ; 1 ♂, Amur, Blagoveshchensk 7.vii.1877, Xystophora tripunctella Snell ., ♂, det. K. Sattler, 1986 (gen. slide 486d, K. Sattler) ( MfN) ; 4 ♂, 4 ♀, Jakovlevka Spasskiy uezd, Ussuriyskiy kray, 26.vi., 5.vii., 10.vii.1926 (Djakonov & Filipjev), Paseka Kvashuka (gen. slide 100/ 11♂, ♀, O. Bidzilya) ( ZIN) . Turkey: 1 ♂, prov. Konya, Seydisehir 50 km SE, 13.vi.2002 (T. Nupponen) ( NUPP) . Mongolia: 1 ♂, Mongolia, Gobi-Altaiskii Aimak, 25 km N p. Biger , 1400 m, 28.vi.1999, na svet (Ustjuzhanin) (gen. slide 66/10, O. Bidzilya) ( ZMKU) .

Diagnosis. Ptycerata pudicellus is characterised externally by brown forewings lightened towards costal margin and with distinct dark brown markings and dark brown base of costal margin. The male genitalia are slightly asymmetrical having right valva slightly shorter and narrower than left valva. Other distinguishing characters are a slender lateral fold extending from top of the right valva to its base. The female genitalia can be recognised by the rounded signum covered with short teeth and bearing two short thorns on posterior margin in combination with the cup-shaped ostium and well developed tubular antrum.

Adult ( Figs 22–28 ). Wingspan 12–14 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae light brown; palpomere 2 of labial palpus straight or weakly upcurved, gradually broadening distally, outer surface dark brown except for light brown apex, inner surface white to light grey, palpomere 3 acute, about 1/3 width and 3/4–4/5 length of palpomere 2, strongly upturned, off-white mixed with light brown in apical part; scape brown, moderately broadening, flagellomeres brown, ringed with light grey, covered with short cilia in male. Forewing brown to light brown and light grey towards costal margin, distinct dark brown spot in fold, in middle and in the corner of cell, costal margin dark brown in basal 1/5–1/4, fringe light brown with dark tips. Hindwing dark grey with light grey fringe.

Variation. Specimens vary slightly from light brown to dark brown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 76–81 ). Uncus almost parallel-sided, slightly constricted in middle, posterior margin weakly rounded. Gnathos stout, hook-shaped, widening ventrally and curved before middle, distal part slender with upcurved pointed tip. Tegumen trapezoidal, gradually narrowing posteriorly, lateral flaps curved inwardly and almost joining in middle, anteromedial emargination very shallow, not reaching beyond 1/6–1/5 length of tegumen. Valva as broad as uncus, extending beyond its tip, direct, parallel-sided, apex rounded, both dorsocaudal and ventrocaudal angles short, distal margin straight without pointed tip, right valva with lateral fold, slightly shorter and narrower than left valva. Vincular lobes extending to 1/2 length of valva, apex rounded, covered with short hairs, separated by deep triangular incision. Vinculum slender, band-shaped. Saccus slender, far extending beyond top of pedunculus. Distal part of phallus straight, as long or slightly longer and about 1/2 width of moderately inflated caecum, lamina ducti ejaculatorii longer than phallus with short slender anterior sclerite.

Variation. The valva of one specimen from Buryatia (gen. slide 182/16, O. Bidzilya) does not extend over the tip of uncus; dorsocaudal angle of the right valva rounded in some specimens; phallus apically constricted from one side or of equal width.

Female genitalia ( Figs 92, 93 ). Papilla analis subovate, covered with short hair-like setae; apophysis posterioris straight or weakly curved, 3 times as long as apophysis anterioris; segment VIII evenly sclerotised, unmodified, sub-trapezoidal, about as long as broad, weakly narrowing posteriorly, posterior margin straight with reverse heartshaped medial incision, anterior margin straight or weakly invaginated posteriorly; antrum slender, cylindrical, weakly sclerotised, with short lateral sclerotised strip on anterior and posterior part; ostium cup-shaped, distinctly edged; apophysis anterioris straight, thin, slightly longer than segment VIII; ductus bursae of even width; corpus bursae rounded, weakly narrowing in anterior part; signum plate rounded, covered with very short teeth, anterior margin strongly sclerotised with short lateral thorns.

Variation. The signum is slightly variable in shape.

Biology. Early stages and host plant are unknown. Adults were recorded from May to mid July at altitudes up to 2300 m a.s.l. in mountains of Altai.

Molecular data. One barcode without BIN attribution (n=1 from Slovakia).

Distribution. Croatia, Greece (including Crete), Cyprus (new record), Slovakia (Karsholt 2004–2020), Romania, Turkey, Ukraine (Bidzilya & Budashkin 2017: 12), Russia (Altai, Buryatia, Zabaikalskiy kray, Amur region, Primorskiy kray), Mongolia (new record). For records from Spain see below.

Remarks. Hypsolophus pudicellus was described from one specimen from Amasya ( Turkey) and two specimens collected near Mehadia (Caras-Severin county, western Romania) ( Mann 1861: 190). Two syntypes, both males from the latter locality, are deposited in the collection of MfN. One of them (the first specimen from type series labelled “Origin.” “Coll. Led.” | “Mehadia” | “1/2” | “ex coll. Staudinger” | “ Mesophleps pudicellus Mann ” | “Paratypoid Nr.“ | “1/2”), is designated here as lectotype in order to stabilise nomenclature. The second specimen, paralectotype, was dissected.

Xystophora tripunctella was described from an unstated number of specimens from Blagoveshchensk (Amur region, Russia). We examined a photograph of the adult and male genitalia of a syntype from the collection of RMNH. We have also studied an additional male from Blagoveshchensk in MfN which does not belong to type series, as well as several specimens of both sexes from Primosrskiy kray, Zabaikalskiy kray, Buryatia, Altai mountains of Russia and Mongolia. We conclude that specimens from eastern Palearctic are identical both externally and in the genitalia of both sexes with specimens of P. pudicellus from Europe. Hence, the following synoynymy is proposed: Xystophora tripunctella Snellen, 1884 syn. nov. of Ptycerata pudicella ( Mann, 1861) .

Mesophleps pudicellus var. apicellus Caradja, 1920 from Spain has been treated as a synonym of P. pudicellus (e.g. Gaede 1937: 458). It has, however, been shown to be a synonym of Mesophleps silacella (Hübner, 1796) ( Li & Sattler 2012: 33–34) . We have not seen correctly identified specimens of P. pudicellus from Spain, and Antonio Vives Moreno (in litt.) informs us that he also does not know of any records of P. pudicellus from Spain other than that by Caradja (1920: 113). We suppose that records of M. pudicellus from Spain are based on the misidentified type specimens of M. pudicellus var. apicellus , and M. pudicellus should therefore be removed from the list of Lepidoptera found in Spain ( Vives Moreno 2014: 168).

Hypsolophus pudicellus Mann was transferred to the genus Cymotricha Meyrick, 1923 by Meyrick (1925: 189). Cymotricha was later synonymized with Dichomeris Hübner, 1818 by Hodges (1986: 13), and pudicellus remained there until it was transferred to Caulastrocecis by Elsner et al. (1999: 21).

Figures

FIGURES 22–39. Ptycerata spp. Adults. 22–28. P. pudicella 22. Romania, LT (gen. slide 59/10, O. Bidzilya). 23. Slovakia, female. 24. Greece, female (gen. slide 49/20, O. Bidzilya). 25. Turkey, male. 26. Russia, Altai, female (gen. slide 178/19, O. Bidzilya). 27. Russia, Amur region, ST of tripunctella, male. 28. Russia, Primorskiy kray, female. 29–37. P. interstratella. 29. Morocco, Lectotype of A. condensata. 30. Morocco, female (gen. slide 177/20, O. Bidzilya). 31. Russia, Sarepta, LT. 32. Kazakhstan, Charyn river, male.33. Iran, male 34.Kyrgyzstan, male.35–37. Russia,Altai. 35. Male.36. Male. 37. Female. 38, 39. P. perexigella. 38. Uzbekistan, male (gen. slide 6/01, O. Bidzilya). 39. Russia, Altai, male (gen. slide 1100, H. Hendriksen).

FIGURES 76–81. Ptycerata pudicella. Male genitalia. 76. Romania, LT (gen. slide 59/10, O. Bidzilya). 77. E Ukraine (gen. slide 173/16, O. Bidzilya). 78. Russia, Amur region, ST of tripunctella. 79. Russia, Amur region (gen. slide 486d, K. Sattler). 80. Russia, Primorskiy kray (gen. slide 100/11, O. Bidzilya). 81. Russia, Buryatia (gen. slide 182/16, O. Bidzilya).

FIGURES 92–94. Ptycerata spp. Female genitalia. 92, 93. P. pudicella. 92. Greece (gen. slide 49/20, O. Bidzilya). 93. Russia, Primorskiy krai (gen. slide 100/11. O. Bidzilya). 94. P. interstratella, Kazakhstan (gen. slide 180/19, O. Bidzilya).