Zizyphia cleodorella Chretien , 1908

Kaila, Lauri, Karsholt, Ole & Revilla, Txema, 2024, The genus Zizyphia Chretien, 1908, with notes on its systematic position and the first record of Z. cleodorella Chretien, 1908 from Europe (Lepidoptera, Depressariidae, Cacochroinae), Nota Lepidopterologica 47, pp. 19-28 : 19

Zizyphia cleodorella Chretien, 1908

Zizyphia cleodorella Chrétien, 1908: 167; Meyrick 1925: 36; Mück 1985: 20, 163; Báez and García 2005: 87.

Examined material.

Spain, prov. Almeria , Sierra Alhamilla, 400 m, 1♀ 3/ 4.x.2022, leg. Tx. Revilla (TxR); prov. Almeria, Retamar, 25 m, 1♀ 3/ 4.x.2022, leg. Tx. Revilla (TxR); same locality but 15 m, 3♂, 4/ 5.x.2022, 4♂, 2♀, 16.x.2022, P. Skou leg. (MZH, ZMUC) .

Description (Fig. 1 ).

Forewing brown, costal side broadly grey. Along basal 1/3 of wing length at centre, grey spot varying from small, dark grey and distinctive to indistinctly delineated grey area blended with the costal grey area. Along fold white, longitudinal stripes, irregular in number and strength. Near apex from costa to apex, oblique, white stripe; before apex black spot. In the male genitalia (Fig. 3 ) sacculus of valva separated from the rest, and terminating in a curved, sclerotized hook. Phallus short and broad, pistol-shaped with broad and bent caecum, with one long and another shorter cornutus, and near base comb-like dense group of spines. Female genitalia (Fig. 4 ) characterized by broad ductus bursae, with short and broad, sclerotized antrum, ductus bursae otherwise membranous; on ventral side of ductus bursae a conspicuous sclerotization, three times as long as broad. Ductus seminalis basally bulbous and situated in posterior end of corpus bursae; corpus bursae with one small, star-shaped signum.

Biology.

The larva and pupa were described in detail in the original description ( Chrétien, 1908), but the life history was only briefly summarized. The larva feeds during May on Ziziphus (probably Z. mauritiana Lam. or Z. lotus Lam.) ( Rhamnaceae ), afterwards descending to the ground to pupate. The adults emerge in June ( Chrétien 1908) and October. Mück (1985: 20, 163) lists Z. cleodorella from Ziziphus mauritiana in the Cape Verde Islands, without a detailed locality, but it is unclear if this was based on personal observation.

The biotope where this species occurs in Spain is a sandy area with narrow, mobile dunes (Fig. 7 ), within the semi-arid thermo-Mediterranean climatic zone with high atmospheric humidity, where extensive formations of Ziziphus lotus ( “azufaifo” in Spanish) occur, together with patches of annual grassland. Tamarix sp., Ephedra sp., Ononis sp., Thymelaea sp. etc. complete the markedly African botanical character of this landscape, distinctive of the Retamar area where Z. cleodorella occurs.

Distribution (Fig. 8 ).

Algeria, Cape Verde Islands and Spain.

Remarks.

Zizyphia cleodorella was described from an unstated number of specimens bred from larvae found in Biskra, Algeria.

Figures

Figures 1, 2. Zizyphia adults. 1. Z. cleodorella Chretien; 2. Z. zizyphella Amsel, holotype.

Figures 3 - 6. Zizyphia genitalia. 3. Z. cleodorella Chretien, ♂; 4. Z. cleodorella Chretien, ♀; 5. Z. zizyphella Amsel ♂; 6. ♀. In the male genitalia images the anellus has been severed from the rest of the genitalia and is surrounding the phallus.

Figures 7, 8. 7. Habitat of Zizyphia cleodorella Chretien, Spain, province Almeria, Retamar; 8. Distribution map of Zizyphia cleodorella Chretien and Z. zizyphella Amsel.