Caryocolum olekarsholti, Huemer, 2022

Huemer, Peter, 2022, Underestimated cryptic diversity in the Caryocolum tricolorella species complex (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), ZooKeys 1103, pp. 189-209 : 189

Caryocolum olekarsholti sp. nov.

Type material.

Holotype. [Greece] • ♂; Ioannina, Psorovouni NE, Vradheto; 1750 m; 4 Aug 2012; [genitalia slide number] GEL 1209♂, P. Huemer; C. Wieser leg; LMK.

Paratypes. [Greece] • 18 ♂, 11 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; [genitalia slide numbers] GEL 1213♂, GEL 1233♀, P. Huemer; [DNA barcode ids] KLM Lep 00489, KLM Lep 00490, BC TLMF Lep 05038; all KLM; • 1 ♂; Trikala, Katara pass; 1700 m; 13 Jul 1998; [genitalia in glycerin capsule]; M. Egger leg.; TLMF; 4 ♂; Ioannina, Katar pass; 1600 m; 11 Aug 1985; M. Fibiger leg.; all ZMUC; [North Macedonia] • 1 ♂, 2 ♀; Tetovo, Popova Sapka, W Tetovo; 2130 m; 7 Aug 2012; [DNA barcode ids] KLM Lep 00488; C. Wieser leg.; all KLM; [Bulgaria] • 1 ♂; Samokov; 4 Jul 1911; [unknown collector]; NHM.

Diagnosis.

Caryocolum olekarsholti differs from C. tricolorella by its distinctly smaller size and the lack of ochreous-orange markings, and from the other species of the complex by the pronounced white forewing markings with few or completely absent ochreous scales. The male genitalia differ from C. tricolorella by the shorter valva and sacculus and the additional humps of the posterior margin of the vinculum. Caryocolum olekarsholti is very similar to C. fibigerium , with only subtle diagnostic characters such as the more distinct lateral projection of the posterior margin of the vinculum and the distally weakly dilated sacculus. Caryocolum olekarsholti differs from C. herwigvanstaai in particular by the distinctly broader sacculus and the distally almost parallel-sided valva. The antrum of the female genitalia is much larger in C. olekarsholti than in C. tricolorella but smaller than in C. fibigerium , not extending the length of the apophysis anterior. The anterior margin of the antrum is convex in C. olekarsholti but concave in C. herwigvanstaai .

Description.

Adult (Fig. 5 ). Forewing length. ♂ 4.7-4.9 mm ( ø = 4.83 mm, n = 4), ♀ 4.7-4.8 mm ( ø = 4.73 mm, n = 4). Head with fuscous vertex, frons cream-white; second segment of labial palpus cream-white on inner and upper surface, predominantly grey-brown on outer surface, third segment dark brown with a few white scales particularly at apex; antenna black, weakly ringed whitish. Thorax and tegula dark brown, intermixed with light grey. Abdomen dorsally grey, ventrally whitish, pale grey at margins. Forewing predominantly fuscous in costal and terminal area, ochreous scales absent or largely reduced, dorsum whitish with scattered fuscous scales, extensive white mottling from dorsum to costa at 1/5 and 1/2, large white costal and tornal spots nearly fused, separated by a few fuscous scales, irregularly shaped black patch from fold to costa at about 1/3, indistinct black plical and discal spots; cilia light grey with fuscous ciliary line, buff-whitish beyond line. Hindwing light grey, cilia greyish buff.

Variation: the extent of white scales, particularly along dorsum, varies considerably.

Male genitalia (Fig. 9 ). Uncus long, suboval, posterior edges rounded; gnathos with large mesial sclerite, culcitula small; posterior third of tegumen slender, anterior part strongly widened towards broadly rounded pedunculi of about twice size of uncus, anterior margin with deep concave emargination; transtilla membranous with few microtrichia; valva basally curved ventrad, moderately short, slender, apical part weakly constricted, oblique apex with group of stiff setae; sacculus long, nearly length and width of valva, distally weakly dilated, apex rounded, with dorsally pointed projection; vinculum wide and short, posterior margin moderately sclerotized, with shallow medial incision and distinctly rounded lateromedial and lateral projections, anterior margin with strongly sclerotized concave ridge; saccus slender, basally weakly widened, gradually narrowed towards pointed apex, slightly exceeding length of apex of valva to anterior margin of vinculum; anellus with pair of needle-shaped sclerites; phallus stout, distal part weakly curved and contorted, coecum weakly inflated, longitudinal ridge from about middle to apex, two small sclerotized hooklets at apex.

Female genitalia (Fig. 13 ). Apophysis posterior about 5 times length of apophysis anterior; segment VIII with suboval sclerotized dorsolateral zones, with distinct dorsolateral flaps, posterior and inner edge strongly sclerotized, membranous ventromedial part with numerous microtrichia; apophysis anterior about length of segment VIII; antrum moderately large, funnel-shaped, shorter than apophysis anterior and segment VIII, about 1/2 width of segment VIII between bases of apophyses anteriores, posterior edge convex; ductus bursae about twice length of apophysis anterior; corpus bursae semi-oval, signum a crescent-shaped basal plate with moderately long and stout hook.

Molecular data.

BIN: BOLD:ACC2659. The intraspecific average distance of the barcode region is 0.11%, the maximum distance 0.16% (p -distance) (n = 3). The minimum distance to the nearest neighbour, C. fibigerium , is 3.37%.

Etymology.

The species is named in honour of Ole Karsholt (Copenhagen, Denmark) in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the systematics and taxonomy of European Gelechiidae .

Distribution.

The species is currently only known from Bulgaria, Greece, and North Macedonia but is probably more widely distributed on the Balkan Peninsula.

Bionomics.

Host-plant and early stages are undescribed, but it seems most likely that the species shows a similar behaviour as related taxa with the potential host-plant among Cerastium and/or Stellaria spp. The adults have been found from mid-July to early August at artificial light sources in mountainous habitats dominated by rock and scree on calcareous soil.

Figures

Figures 2 - 5. Adults 2 Caryocolum tricolorella, male, Germany 3 C. fibigerium, male, paratype, Spain 4 C. herwigvanstaai sp. nov., male, holotype, Italy 5 C. olekarsholti, male, holotype, Greece.

Figures 8, 9. Male genitalia 8 C. herwigvanstaai sp. nov., holotype, Italy, slide GEL 1153 P. Huemer 9 C. olekarsholti, paratype, Greece, slide GEL 1213 P. Huemer;

Figures 12, 13. Female genitalia 12 C. herwigvanstaai sp. nov., paratype, Italy, slide GEL 1155 P. Huemer 13 C. olekarsholti, paratype, Greece, slide GEL 1231 P. Huemer.