Lasiocampa decolorata

Speidel, Wolfgang, Hausmann, Axel, Müller, Günter C., Kravchenko, Vasiliy, Mooser, Josef, Witt, Thomas J., Khallaayoune, Khalid, Prosser, Sean & Hebert, Paul D. N., 2015, Taxonomy 2.0: Sequencing of old type specimens supports the description of two new species of the Lasiocampa decolorata group from Morocco (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae), Zootaxa 3999 (3), pp. 401-412 : 403-407

Lasiocampa decolorata ( KLUG, 1830)

Gastropacha decolorata KLUG, 1830, in Hemprich & Ehrenberg, Symbolae Physicae, pars Zoologica 2 (series 1 Insecta, Decas 2): unpaginated [9], pl. 20, fig. 1. Locus typicus: ad puteos Dscheil el achterie prope Alexandriam [ Egypt] Synonyms:

Bombyx datini MABILLE, 1888, Annls Soc. ent. Fr. (6) 8 (Bull.): xlii (Locus typicus: Gabès [ Tunisia]), redescribed as Bombyx datini OBERTHÜR, 1890, Études Ent. 13: 29, pl. 6, fig. 31, 32 (Locus typicus: Gabès). Lambessa decolorata ssp. sordidior ROTHSCHILD, 1914, Novit. zool. 21: 314. Locus typicus: Prov. Alger Central, Hauts Plateaux (Central Algeria).

Material examined. Holotype ♀: Decolorata , N, Tscheila Ehrenb, 9018, BC ZSM Lep 81612. Museum für Naturkunde Berlin; 1 ♂ Syntype Lambessa decolorata sordidior Type Rothsch., syntype; Guelt-es-Stel, C. Algeria, September 1913 (V. Faroult), Rothschild Bequest 1939-1;

1 ♀ Syntype Guelt-es-Stel, Centr. Algeria (V. Faroult), 24. 9. 13, Rothschild Bequest B. M. 1939-1; 1 ♀, Tunisia, Metameur, 33.383° N, 10.373 E, 160 m, 30. X. 2001, leg. H. Fischer, coll. J. Mooser, BC ZSM Lep 81513; 1 ♂, Algeria c., [Djelfa], Guelt-es-Stel, V.1931, Franz Daniel, München, BC ZSM Lep 80425, genitalia slide 19874. coll. MWM/ ZSM.

Ehrenberg and Hemprich accompanied the famous Minutoli expedition to Egypt for the discovery of antiquities in order to collect Natural History objects and discovered, in 1820, a single female specimen (holotype) of this species. Under the leadership of Ehrenberg and Hemprich ( EHRENBERG, 1828) some members of this expedition left Dscheil el Achterie near Alexandria en route to Cyrenaica but it was never reached. According to LEWANDOWSKI & FISCHER (2012) the collecting date can be reconstructed as either September 23 or 28, 1820, and according to the label, the moth was collected by Ehrenberg.

Re-description. The species was described after a female specimen. The male characters are taken from the taxon sordidior, which the molecular genetic analysis places near L. decolorata . Male: Wing-shape and antennastructure corresponding to L. trifolii ( DENIS & SCHIFFERMÜLLER, 1775). As in all species of the group unicolourous yellowish brown. The Algerian populations with a greyish tinge. Female: The winged female holotype is very pale, but this is not likely a result of bleaching because the original coloured figure already shows a very pale moth. The population from Egypt is known only by a single specimen collected in 1820 in an area which is now part of the metropolitan harbour area of Alexandria.

Male genitalia (genitalia slide 19874, fig. 1): No morphological description seems to exist in literature for the male genitalia of Lasiocampa . A general, tentative description is given here for explaining the terminology of the below given differential analyses. Male genitalia of Lasiocampa are very modified, strongly diverging from the lepidopteran groundplan. They are situated almost on the ventral side of the abdomen, not at its caudal end as usual. This position is caused by a slight extension of the tergal abdominal part which is bent downwards at the end. The vinculum is quite enlarged, with two lateral processes - rolled in in some preparations. The valvae are upwards directed in our figures, but, in natural position, they are pointing caudad. The tegumen is membranous, the valvae consist of two lobes, the inner ones probably representing the sacculus. The inner lobes are weaker sclerotized than the external ones and are easily damaged when the valvae are brought to a standard position, as they are fused to some extent. The external lobes are individually quite variable in shape in all species dissected in numbers (e.g. Lasiocampa trifolii ), whereas the shape of the inner ones seems to be specific. In Lasiocampa decolorata , the inner lobe of valva is pointed, covered with setae. Vesica dorsolaterally everted, aedeagus with a strong, sclerotized projection at its ventral side.

Distribution. Only known with certainty from the type locality, but morphology and barcode data suggest Tunisian and Algerian records are also attributed to this species. While records from Palestine are erroneous (see discussion), further analysis should ascertain if populations from Libya and eastern lowland Morocco also represent this species.

Ecology. A photograph of the environment west of the type locality is given by LEWANDOWSKI & FISCHER 2012 (page 101). Flight period is September.

Discussion. The species was formerly believed to occur across North Africa in scattered populations which almost all have been described under separate subspecies or species-names, but were later regarded as synonyms. The following additional taxa were placed in synonymy with L. decolorata by De FREINA & WITT 1987: Lambessa virago ROTHSCHILD, 1912, Novit. zool. 19: 118 (Locus typicus: Col de Sfa, Biskra, S. Algeria), and Lambessa siniscalchii TURATI, 1926, Atti Soc. ital. Sci. nat. 65: 29, figured (Locus typicus: Cirene; Derna (Cirenaica) [ Libya]). No material of these taxa could be examined and, therefore, they are tentatively left in synonymy with Lasiocampa decolorata , following De FREINA & WITT 1987. The status of these taxa will be clarified, when material from their type localities becomes available for molecular analysis. The taxon Lambessa decolorata ssp. rubrescens WILTSHIRE, 1986, Fauna of Saudi Arabia 8: 268. Locus typicus: Wadi Sarawin, 610 m ( Saudi Arabia) is now viewed as a subspecies of the Asian Lasiocampa puengeleri STERTZ, 1915 ( LEWANDOWSKI & FISCHER 2012). A few specimens recorded as L. decolorata from Um Arad (Sinai) and a few erroneous records from ‘Palestine’ (cf. LEWANDOWSKI & FISCHER 2012) are probably also referable to L. puengeleri , the specimens from Sinai were stated to be “redder than KLUG’s type ” ( WILTSHIRE 1948, 228).

Other records of L. decolorata from Egypt are also thought to be erroneous ( WILTSHIRE 1948, 228). One male in bad condition was doubtfully recorded as “ L. decolorata ” by RUNGS 1981 (page 428) from eastern Morocco, Kenitra (elevation 25 m). It would be the only record for Morocco and the most western one, if verified.

Lambessa virago ROTHSCHILD, 1912 from Biskra, Col de Sfa ( Algeria) may represent a specimen of Lasiocampa decolorata modified by the influence of breeding abroad. It also seems likely that the taxon siniscalchii is correctly placed as a synonym judging from its geographical origin between Algeria and Egypt.

Genetic data. BIN: BOLD: ABW5023 (n=3, 658bp), including the Egyptian holotype and two specimens from Tunisia (identified as “subsp. datini ”), intraspecific variation: 0.6%, suggesting conspecificity of the populations from Egypt and Tunisia. In addition, one very short (94bp) DNA sequence from an Algerian specimen (Guelt es Stel, “subsp. sordidior ”), at 0.6% distance from the other sequences of BIN BOLD:ABW5023, supporting the hypothesis of conspecificity. Closest neighbouring species: Lasiocampa editae with a genetic distance of 3.5%, Lasiocampa hannae with 3.0% divergence. The (short 164bp) barcode-fragment of a wingless female of L. staudingeri ( Tunisia) only shows a divergence of 1.2%, but this value may change when the whole barcode fragment of that species will be sequenced.