Ptycerata interstratella ( Christoph, 1872 ) 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 : 172-177

Ptycerata interstratella ( Christoph, 1872) comb. nov.

Figs 29–37 , 82, 83 , 94

Gelechia interstratella Christoph, 1872: 21 , pl. 1, f. 18.

Aritotelia condensata Meyrick, 1928: 234 . Syn. nov.

Caulastrocecis interstratella ( Christoph, 1872) —Junnilainen et al. 2010: 11–12.

Type material examined. Lectotype of interstratella ♂, “Sarepta, Chr.” | “ Interstratella Chr.?” | “Genitl. Unters. Nr. O.B. 2/01. Zool. Mus. Berlin” ( MfN) . Lectotype of condensata ♂, “ Around Morocco, T. 5400, 5.27” | Meyrick Coll., B.M. 1988-290” | “ Aristotelia condensata Meyr. , Holotype ♂ “ | “ Abdomen missing” | “ Lectotype ” ( NHMUK) .

Other material examined. Russia: 1 ♂, Sarepta, Chr. , G. interstratella , ex. coll. Staudinger ( MfN) ; 1 ♂, Sarepta ( Duske ) ( MZH) ; 1 ♂, Southern Ural Mts., Orenburg distr., 20 km S Pokrovka village, Schibendy valley , 23.vi.1999 (Nupponen) , 1 ♂, same data but 2.vii.2003 (Nupponen) ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, Southern Ural Mts., Orenburg distr., near Burranoe village , 3.vii.2003 (Nupponen) ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, Altai Republic, 25 km NW Belyashi (Dzhazator) env., confluence of Argut and Karagem rivers, 49°51′56″N, 87°10′22″E, rocky steppe, 1400 m, 27.–28.vii.2017 (Barcode NMPC-LEP-0340) (Šumpich) ; 1 ♀, same data (Barcode NMPC-LEP-0315) ; 1 ♂, same data but ( Barcode NMPC-LEP-0316) (all NMPC) . Kazakhstan: 1 ♂, g. Koksengir, 40 km S Zhana-Arka, Karagand. obl. , 17.– 18.vi.1958 (Zagulajev) (gen. prep. 95/07, O. Bidzilya) ( ZIN) ; 1 ♂, 43˚17’44’’N, 78˚59’27’’E, Charyn river , 1005 m, 31.v.2014 (Nupponen & Haverinen) ; 1 ♀, 43˚32’N, 78˚36’E, 10 km NW Kokpek vill., steppe hills, 880 m, 5.vii.2014 (Nupponen & Haverinen) (gen. slide 180/19, O. Bidzilya) (all NUPP) . Kyrgyzstan: 1 ♂, Alai Mts., 2820 m, 39˚35’29.0’’N, 72˚15’32.1’’E, Tengiz-Bai pass gate, 24.vii.2010 (Nupponen & Haverinen) ( NUPP) ; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, same data but (Pototski) ( ZMUC) . Tadzhikistan: 1 ♂, W-Pamir mts., 2600 m, 36˚55’22’’N, 71˚30’02’’E, Pianj river by Avdj village , 26.vii.2013 (Nupponen & Haverinen) (all NUPP) . NW-Iran: 1 ♂, 45 km N Razaiyeh , 1500 m, 9.vi.1975 (Amsel) (gen. slide Nr. 5678) . Morocco: 2 ♂, Haut-Atlas, Oukaimeden , 7–17.vi.1965 (Lajonquière) (gen. slide Gz. 4806; Am. 3649, D. Povolný) (all SMNK) ; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Al Haouz Prov., Imlil , 1680 m, N3114290 W7.92223, 30.vi.2016 (Tabell) (gen. slide 17/ 20♀, O. Bidzilya) ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, Imlil-Strassenrand, 5 km before Or, 31°09’45’’, 07°55’49’’, Lichtfang , 21.v.2005 (Werno) ( AW) . Turkey: 1 ♂, Tuz Gölü, 1100 m, Salzsee , 19.vi–25.vi.1965 (M. & W. Glaser) (gen. slide Gl. 4321, D. Povolný) ; 1 ♂, Köprüköi, Kizilirmak, 750 m, Strasse Ankara-Kayseri , 21.vi.1968 (gen. slide 79/17, O. Bidzilya) (M. & W. Glaser) ; 1 ♂, Anatolien, Tuz Gölü, Nordufer , 1100 m, 20.vi.1968 (M. & W. Glaser) (all SMNK) ; 1 ♂, prov. Gümüshane, Pirnakapan , 1800 m, 19.vii.1989 (Fibiger & Esser), gen. slide 1017 Hendriksen ( ZMUC) .

Diagnosis. The species is characterised externally by white to pale forewings with distinct large light brown irregularly shaped markings, unique for Ptycerata .The male genitalia are well recognisable by distinct, comparatively long triangular ventrocaudal angle of valva and phallus with distal part weakly constricted from one side. Some other species of Ptycerata ( P. furfurella , P. sumpichi sp. nov.) also have well developed ventrocaudal angle of valva, but the latter is considerably shorter. The female genitalia are defined by a short signum with eight horn-shaped processes in combination with rounded corpus bursae. Ptycerata cryptoxena differs in having an egg-shaped rather than rounded corpus bursae, longer processes of signum and ductus bursae weakly broadening anteriorly.

Adult ( Figs 29–37 ). Wingspan 13–16 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae white, mixed with scattered brown-tipped scales; labial palpus weakly upcurved, white, palpomere 2 brown on outer surface except for apex, inner surface white with brown patch from middle to about apex, palpomere 3 acute, 1/2 –1/3 width and 3/4 length of palpomere 2, white with two brown rings; scape white, moderately broadening, flagellomeres white and brown-ringed, covered with short cilia in male. Forewing white mixed with few light brown scales especially along tornus, apex and basal half of dorsal margin, diffuse irregularly shaped brown patches at base and in middle of fold, at base of costa and at 1/3 below costa, in middle and in the corner of cell; fringe white and brown-tipped. Hindwing and fringe light grey.

Variation. The brown patches on the forewing vary considerably in shape and size.

Male genitalia ( Figs 82, 83 ). Uncus parallel-sided almost to the weakly rounded posterior margin. 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 shallow, reaching to 1/6–1/4 length of tegumen. Valva as broad as uncus, extending beyond its apex, dorsal margin straight, ventral margin weakly constricted in middle, dorsocaudal angle rounded, ventrocaudal angle distinct, long. Vincular lobes extending to 2/3 length of valva, apex rounded, covered with short hairs, separated by deep and broad triangular incision. Vinculum slender, band-shaped. Saccus slender, not extending beyond top of pedunculus. Distal part of phallus straight, weakly invaginated from one side, about as long and almost1/2 width of moderately inflated caecum, lamina ducti ejaculatorii longer than phallus, anterior sclerite weakly sclerotised, band-shaped.

Variation. The ventrocaudal angle varies slightly in length and width.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 94 ). Papilla analis subovate, covered with short hair-like setae; apophysis posterioris straight or weakly curved, about 2.5 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 U-shaped medial incision weakly broadening anteriorly; anterior margin gradually invaginated posteriorly; antrum slender, cylindrical, weakly sclerotised; ostium V-shaped, strongly edged, surrounded with zone of microtrichia; apophysis anterioris straight, thin, as long or slightly longer than segment VIII; ductus bursae of even width; corpus bursae rounded; signum plate elongate with 8–10 long thorns.

Variation. The form of segment VIII varies from trapezoidal to sub-rectangular.

Biology. Host plant unknown. Adults were collected from late May to late July at altitudes up to 2600 m a.s.l. in Tadzhikistan.

Molecular data. BIN BOLD:ACD0451 (n=1 from Russia).

Distribution. Morocco; Russia (Volgograd, Astrakhan, Orenburg regions, Altai); Kazakhstan (new record); Kyrgyzstan (new record); Tadzhikistan (new record); Iran (new record); Turkey ( Koçak & Kemal 2018: 129).

Remarks. Gelechia interstratella was described from an unspecified number of specimens from Sarepta (now Krasnoarmeysk, Volgograd district) in southern Russia. A male from MfN labelled “Sarepta, Chr.” | “ Interstratella Chr.?” | “Genit. Unters. Nr. O.B. 2/01. Zool. Mus. Berlin” was recently illustrated as “ holotype ” ( Anikin & Zolotuhin 2017: 470, 613, pl. 36, fig. 4). However, Christoph did not select one of his specimens as holotype. In order to stabilise the nomenclature we hereby select this specimen as lectotype. Five specimens labelled “Sarepta, Chr.” “18” are kept in NHMUK. They do not belong to the type series as they were collected after the species had been described (K. Sattler, pers. com).

The species has been incorrectly treated in literature since Piskunov (1990: 310–312, figs 30, 31) who mistakenly identified two males from Mongolia as “ Aristotelia interstratella ” and synonymized A. salinatrix with A. interstratella . Later C. interstratella was erroneously reported from southern Siberia ( Bidzilya & Budashkin 1998: 55, fig. 19; Bidzilya 2002: 65). As far as we can judge from the drawings by Piskunov (op. cit.), the males from Mongolia are neither conspecific with P. interstratella nor with P. salinatrix but belong most likely to P. transbaikalica sp. nov. The records from southern Siberia actually belong to P. transbaikalica sp. nov. The confusion around this species was partially resolved by Junnilainen et al. (2010: 11–12), who re-diagnosed the species, described the male genitalia for the first time and transferred A. interstratella into Caulastrocecis .

Aristotelia condensata was described from five specimens collected at light 29 th May 1927 at Arround in the High Atlas of Morocco at an altitude of 2000 m ( Cerf & Talbot 1928: 91–92). All specimens lack abdomens. The lectotype (cited above) was selected by K. Sattler (manuscript designation). Here we formally designate this specimen as lectotype in order to stabilise nomenclature. We examined four males and one female from three localities in Morocco.All of them match P. interstratella superficially and in the genitalia, both from eastern Europe and Central Asia as well as type specimens of A. condensata . Hence, the following synonymy is proposed: Aristotelia condensata Meyrick, 1928 syn. nov. of Ptycerata interstratella ( Christoph, 1872) .

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 82–85. Ptycerata spp. Male genitalia. 82, 83. P. interstratella. 82. Kazakhstan (gen. slide 95/07, O. Bidzilya). 83. Turkey (gen. slide 79/17, O. Bidzilya). 84, 85. P. perexigella. 84. Uzbekistan (gen. slide 6/01, O. Bidzilya). 85. Russia, Altai (gen. slide 1110, H. Hendriksen).

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).