Callisto basistrigella Huemer, Deutsch & Triberti

Kirichenko, Natalia, Huemer, Peter, Deutsch, Helmut, Triberti, Paolo, Rougerie, Rodolphe & Lopez-Vaamonde, Carlos, 2015, Integrative taxonomy reveals a new species of Callisto (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) in the Alps, ZooKeys 473, pp. 157-176 : 162-164

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Gracillariidae

Callisto basistrigella Huemer, Deutsch & Triberti sp. n.

Type material.

Holotype (Fig. 5): 1 male, East Tyrol, Lienzer Dolomiten, Laserz, Dolomitenhütte, 1600 m, 12.VII.2013, leg. Deutsch (TLMF) | voucher specimen № 10 | sample ID - NK325 | process ID CALCO010-14.

Paratypes.

33 males and 11 females.

Austria: 3 males, East Tyrol, Lienzer Dolomiten, Lavanter Almtal, 1200-1400 m, 07.VI.1998, leg. Deutsch (TLMF); 1 male, East Tyrol, Lienzer Dolomiten, Laserzgebiet, 1800-2000 m, 21.VI.1999, leg. Deutsch (TLMF); 1 male, East Tyrol, Carnic Alps, Leitnertal, Oberer Stuckensee, 2150 m, 14.VII.2013, leg. Deutsch (PCHD) | voucher specimen № 8 | sample ID - NK323 | process ID CALCO008-14; 2 males, East Tyrol, Carnic Alps, Leitnertal, Oberer Stuckensee, 2150 m, 07.IX.2013, leg. Deutsch (PCHD) | voucher specimens № 1 and № 2 | sample IDs - NK316 and NK317 | process Ids CALCO001-14 and CALCO002-14; 1 female, East Tyrol, Lienzer Dolomiten, Hochstadel, 2000 m, VII.1952, leg. Pinker (TLMF); 2 females, East Tyrol, Carnic Alps, Leitnertal, Oberer Stuckensee, 2150 m, 07.IX.2013, leg. Deutsch (PCHD) | voucher specimens № 4 and № 6 sample | sample IDs - NK319 and NK321 | process Ids CALCO004-14 and CALCO006-14.

Italy: 4 males, Prov. Belluno, Passo di Valparola E, 2200-2300 m, 20.VII.2009, leg. Huemer (TLMF); 1 female, same data but gen. slide TRB3893 and BC TLMF Lep 01801 (TLMF); 1 male, A. Carniche, Sappada, Casera Sesis, 1800 m, 12.VI. unknown year, leg. Rocca, gen. slide TRB 1778 (MCSN); 1 male, A. Carniche, Sappada, Passo Siera, 1600 m, 04.VII.1933, leg. Rocca, gen. slide TRB 1785 (MCSN); 1 male, A. Carniche, Sappada, Hosthaus, 1800 m, 14.VII.1936, leg. Rocca (MCSN); 2 males, 2 females, A. Carniche, Sappada, L. d’Olbe, 2000 m, 02.VII.1933, leg. Rocca, gen. slide TRB284 male, TRB3894 male (MCSN); 1 male, Prov. Udine, Mte. Sernio-Massiv Forcella Nuviernulis 1700 m, 16.VII.1988, leg. Huemer, GU TIN2 male P. Huemer 'Callisto coffeella Zett. det. Triberti’ (TLMF); 1 male, Prov. Udine, Mte. Sernio-Massiv Forcella Nuviernulis 1700 m, 16.VII.1988, leg. Huemer, GU TIN3 male (TLMF); 1 male, 1 female, Prov. Udine, Montasio, 16.IX.1951, leg. Pinker, gen. slide TIN8 female (TLMF); 11 males, 1 female, Prov. Udine, Monte Canin N, Rif. Gilberti Umg., 1850-1950 m, 29.VII.2001, leg. Huemer (TLMF); 1 male, 1 fe male, Prov. Udine, Monte Canin, Biv. Marussich, 2040 m, 06.VII.2002, leg. Wieser (LMK); 3 males, Prov. Udine, Monte Canin, Sella di Grubia, 1700 m, 20.VI.2003, leg. Wieser (LMK).

Slovenia: 1 female, Crna Prst, 1400 m, 18.VII.1899, leg. Penther (TLMF).

Diagnosis.

In external appearance Callisto basistrigella is distinguishable from Callisto coffeella by its forewing pattern. In Callisto basistrigella , the sub-basal whitish silvery line of the forewing is almost parallel and lies in the fold, whereas in Callisto coffeella this line is transverse to the wing axis or reduced to a spot. On average, the forewings are slightly narrower than in Callisto coffeella (visible in series). Sexual dimorphism, as observed in Callisto coffeella , is absent in Callisto basistrigella . Genitalia do not provide obvious diagnostic differences but the length of the phallus is significantly longer in Callisto basistrigella than in Callisto coffeella although more specimens would be needed to confirm this difference (see Genital morphometrics).

Description.

Adult (Figs 5-8). Wingspan 10.5-13.0 mm; forewing in sub-basal area with longitudinal, slightly oblique, whitish silvery line in fold. Other characters as described above for Callisto coffeella . The angulate fascia at one third of forewing frequently separated into costal and tornal line.

Genitalia and subgenital segments male (Figs 11-12, 15-16). As described above for Callisto coffeella .

Genitalia female (Fig. 18). As described above for Callisto coffeella .

Distribution.

Only known from a small area in the south-eastern Alps, ranging from the Dolomites (Italy) in the west to the Julian Alps (Slovenia) in the east and the Carnic Alps and Lienzer Dolomiten (Austria) in the north (Fig. 19A, B).

Etymology.

The name refers to the characteristic wing markings.

Bionomics.

Early stages are undescribed. Both Callisto basistrigella and Callisto coffeella adults have been collected during the day, flying around low bushes of alpine Salix glabra and Salix waldsteiniana . The flight period is largely dependent on exposure and snow coverage and usually extends between early June and late July. Under extreme conditions such as harsh winters adults have been collected as late as mid-September. The habitats are related to the dwarf-shrub zone and include subalpine meadows, rock formations and scree with Salix -bushes and shrubs. Callisto basistrigella is restricted to limestone with an altitudinal range from about 1200 to 2300 m.

Genital morphometrics.

Multivariate ANOVA analysis based on morphometric of seven genital characteristics of the male moths failed to find any significant difference between Callisto coffeella and Callisto basistrigella ( Wilks’ λ = 0.36, F = 2.07, p = 0.16). Six out of seven parameters, i.e valva, saccus, anellus and anellus process lengths, valva width and valva constriction were not found to differ in the two species. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney test however indicated that the phallus is significantly longer in Callisto basistrigella than in Callisto coffeella (MWT: Z = 2.36, N = 16, p = 0.02), although sample sizes remain relatively small ( Callisto basistrigella N = 5, Callisto coffeella N = 11) (Fig. 20). Two specimens of Callisto basistrigella from Sappada (Italy) made significant contributions to phallus length value of the species, exceeding the averaged length of Callisto coffeella phallus by 27%.