Caryocolum habeleri, Huemer, 2020

Huemer, Peter, 2020, Integrative revision of the Caryocolum schleichi species group - a striking example of a temporally changing species concept (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), Alpine Entomology 4, pp. 39-63 : 39

Caryocolum habeleri sp. nov.

Material examined.

Holotype ♂, " Laroux - 34 / 13/08/2017 G.Labonne / Grotte de Labeil/Les Siege / 720 m lumières” “Gla-017-2882” "DNA Barcode / TLMF Lep XXX" ( TLMF) .

Paratypes: France: 1 ♂, same data as holotype, but Gla-017-2883; 1 ♂, Dep. Hérault, Le Caylar, plaine derrière, Gla-016-2821, 25 Aug. 2016, leg. Labonne, gen. slide in glycerin; 1 ♂, Dep. Pyrénées-Orientales, Palau de Cerd., piste forrest. du Camping, 12 Aug. 2016, Gla-016-2606, 12 Aug. 2016, leg. Labonne, gen. slide in glycerin (all RCGL); 1 ♂, Dep. Alpes-Maritimes, Caussols, 1100 m, 7 Sep. 2002, leg. Nel, gen. slide 15062 ♂ J. Nel; 1 ♂, Dep. Alpes-Maritimes, St. Vallier, 6 Sep. 1972, leg. F. Dujardin; 1 ♂, Dep. Alpes-Maritimes, Col de Braus, 1000 m, 23 Aug. 1969, leg. F. Dujardin; 1 ♂, same data, but 28 Aug. 1971, gen. slide GEL 1289 ♂ P. Huemer (all TLMF); 4 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, Dep. Alpes-Maritimes, Vallon de Cayros, Saorge, Maurion, 718 m, 44°00'06"N, 7°31'08"E, 11 Sep. 2017, leg. Mayr; 1 ♂, same data, but 909 m, 44°00'08"N, 7°31'54"E, 12 Sep. 2019 (all RCTM); 1 ♂, Dep. Vaucluse, Saint-Christol, 11 Aug. 1991, leg. Nel, gen. slide 01472 ♂ J. Nel (TLMF). Germany: 1 ♂, Bayern, Kallmünz, Dallackenrid, 8 Jul. 2002, leg. Lichtmannecker (RCPL); 1 ♂, Bayern, Bissingen, Kesseltal, 24 Aug. 1999, leg. Heindel, gen. slide M1078; 1 ♂, same data, but 28 Jul. 2008, gen. slide M1911; 1 ♀, Bayern, Harburg L., Rollenberg, 28 Jul. 2005, leg. Heindel, gen. slide M1703 (all RCRH); 1 ♂, Bayern, Kelheim, Ihrlerstein “Brannt”, 450 m, 16 Jul. 2009, leg. Segerer, DNA Barcode BC ZSM Lep 61823; 1 ♂, Regensburg, Beratzhausen, Laabertal, 21 Jul. 1995, leg. Segerer (all ZSM). Switzerland: 1 ♂, Graubünden, Rothenbrunnen, 660 m, 10 Sep. 2004, leg. Schmid, gen. slide without number, DNA Barcode TLMF Lep 21752; 1 ♂, Graubünden, Felsberg, Geissplatte, 730 m, 25 Sep. 2005, leg. Schmid, gen. slide without number, DNA Barcode TLMF Lep 21751; 1 ♂, Graubünden, Felsberg, 580 m, 28 Aug. 2005, leg. Schmid, gen. slide without number, DNA Barcode TLMF Lep 21750 (all RCJS).

Diagnosis.

C. habeleri differs from C. schleichi by the brown rather than white head, thorax and tegulae, it is generally larger than C. arenariella and C. lamai but otherwise cannot be reliably separated from the other species of the complex from external characters. However, the male genitalia are characterized by the shape of the valva, particularly the short pointed sub-dorsal process and the broad ventral process. A similarly short but broader dorso-apical process is only found in C. schleichi which furthermore has a broader shovel-shaped valva, and in C. dianthella with a shorter and dorsally distinctly bulged valva. In all other species of the C. schleichi species group, the valva is more slender with a much longer dorso-apical process and smaller dorso-ventral process. The female genitalia are hardly discernible from those of the other species of the C. schleichi species group though the moderately long antrum, the distinctly crescent-shaped base of the signum in combination with the moderately slender signum hook seem characteristic. However, the individual variation of these characters is insufficiently documented due to lack of material.

Description.

Adult (Fig. 12 ). Forewing length ♂ 4.5-5.5 mm, ♀ 4.0-5.0 mm. Head with dark grey-brown vertex, mottled with white, frons cream-white; first segment of labial palpus dark brown, second segment cream-white on inner and upper surface, ventral and outer surface predominantly dark brown, dark brown mixed with few whitish scales on segment three; antenna black, weakly ringed paler. Thorax and tegula dark brown anteriorly, posterior half mixed cream with dark brown and some rusty brown mottling. Abdomen greyish cream on ventral surface. Forewing dark brown, basal half with some rusty-brown mottling, dorsal margin mottled with greyish; white transverse fascia from fold to costa at one-fifth; white medial spot occasionally extended towards costa and dorsal margin; white costal and tornal spots separate; fringes basally dark brown, distal part paler. Hindwing light grey.

Variation.

The extension of white marking on the forewing varies considerably and particularly worn specimens look paler.

Male genitalia

(Figs 20 , 28 ). Uncus broadly sub-quadrangular, posterior corners rounded; lateral sclerites of gnathos distinct, medial part with large minutely spined culcitula; tegumen weakly widened anteriorly, with concave, emarginated anterior margin; transtilla sclerotized, longitudinally folded; pedunculus large, sub-triangular, with sclerotized edge; valva nearly straight, oblong, extending beyond middle of uncus, distal part shovel-shaped, apex with two processes, small and short pointed dorsal and broad digitate ventral process, medially separated weak excavation; sacculus long, knife-shaped; posterior margin of vinculum deeply incised medially, with pair of long digitate processes, pair of latero-medial processes broadly projected; saccus slightly longer than valva, slender, gradually tapered to apex; phallus long, slender, nearly straight, apically with area of small cornuti.

Female genitalia

(Figs 35 , 42 , 49 ). Apophysis posterior about 4.5 times length of apophysis anterior; segment VIII without processes, smooth; ostium bursae with short lateral folds; apophysis anterior about length of segment VIII; antrum short, about one-quarter length of apophysis anterior, funnel-shaped; posterior part of ductus bursae with pair of long lateral sclerites extending to about apex of apophysis anterior, membranous part of ductus bursae about length of segment VIII including apophysis anterior; signum on right side of entrance to sub-oval corpus bursae, with moderately broad crescent-shaped base and moderately slender hook.

Molecular data.

BIN: BOLD:ACB5067. The intraspecific average distance of the barcode region is 0.39%, the maximum distance 0.98% (p-dist) (n = 12). The minimum distance to the nearest neighbor, C. messneri , is 3.29%.

Etymology.

The species is named in honour of Peter Habeler who, along with Reinhold Messner, completed the first solo ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. Along with the author, Peter is currently involved in the “Blühendes Österreich” conservation foundation. Incidentally, his cousin Heinz Habeler (1933-2017) acquired one of the largest collection of Lepidoptera from the south-eastern Alps, stored at TLMF.

Distribution.

The species is currently only known from widely separated localities, ranging from the French Pyrenees to south-eastern Bavaria.

Bionomics.

Host-plant and early stages are undescribed but it seems most likely that the species shows a similar behaviour as related taxa with a hostplant restriction to Dianthus spp. The adults have been found from late July to late September at artificial light sources near rock and scree on calcareous soil ranging from lower altitudes of the submontane zone up to about 1000 m in the Alps.

Figures

Figures 9 - 12. Adults. 9 Caryocolum lamai, paratype, male, Italy; 10 C. lamai, paratype, male, Italy; 11 C. messneri, paratype, male, Italy; 12 C. habeleri, paratype, male, France.

Figures 17 - 20. Male genitalia. 17 Caryocolum arenariella, Russia, slide GEL 1260 P. Huemer; 18 C. messneri, holotype, Italy, slide GEL 1255; 19 C. lamai, paratype, Italy, slide GEL 1258 P. Huemer; 21 C. habeleri, paratype, France, slide GEL 1289 P. Huemer.

Figures 25 - 28. Male genitalia (details vinculum-valva-complex). 25 Caryocolum arenariella, Russia, slide GEL 1260 P. Huemer; 26 C. messneri, holotype, Italy, slide GEL 1255; 27 C. lamai, paratype, Italy, slide GEL 1258 P. Huemer; 28 C. habeleri, paratype, France, slide GEL 1289 P. Huemer.

Figures 33 - 35. Female genitalia. 33 Caryocolum messneri, paratype, Italy, slide GEL 1295 P. Huemer; 34 C. lamai, paratype, Italy, slide GEL 1286 P. Huemer; 35 C. habeleri, paratype, Germany, slide M 1703.

Figures 40 - 42. Female genitalia (segment VIII). 40 Caryocolum messneri, paratype, Italy, slide GEL 1295 P. Huemer; 41 C. lamai, paratype, Italy, slide GEL 1286 P. Huemer; 42 C. habeleri, paratype, Germany, slide M 1703.

Figures 47 - 49. Female genitalia (signum). 47 Caryocolum messneri, paratype, Italy, slide GEL 1295 P. Huemer; 48 C. lamai, paratype, Italy, slide GEL 1286 P. Huemer; 49 C. habeleri, paratype, Germany, slide M 1703.