Coscinia cribraria rippertii (Boisduval, 1834)

Macià, Ramon, Mally, Richard, Ylla, Josep, Gastón, Javier & Huertas, Manuel, 2019, Integrative revision of the Iberian species of Coscinia Hübner, [1819] sensu lato and Spiris Hübner, [1819], (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Arctiinae), Zootaxa 4615 (3), pp. 401-449 : 414-416

Coscinia cribraria rippertii (Boisduval, 1834)

Original combination: Emydia rippertii Boisduval, 1834 . Icones Historique des Lépidoptères nouveaux ou peu connus 2, 94. LT. Spanish Pyrenees.

= Euprepia cribraria rondoui Oberthür, 1911 .

= Euprepia cribraria vernetensis Oberthür, 1911 .

= Euprepia cribraria canigulensis Oberthür, 1911 .

Material studied. 3♂♂ Bosc Nere , Banhs de Tredòs , Val d’Aran (Lleida), 1750 m, 18/ 26.VII.2012, R. Macià leg. ; 2♂♂, 3♀♀ Llac de Colomers , Val d’Aran (Lleida), 12.IX.1997, R. Macià leg. ; 1♂ Portella de Mantet , Ull de Ter , Setcases (Girona), 6 / 7.VII.2012, M. Dvorak leg. ; 1♂ Baths of Panticosa , Panticosa (Huesca), 1650 m, 30TYN23, 11/ 12.VII.2012, M. Dvorak leg. ; 1♂ Balneario de Panticosa (Huesca), 1600 m, 30TYN23, 23-VII-1995, J. Gastón leg. ; 1♂ Valle del Real , Robireña , Bielsa (Huesca), 2850 m, 12/ 13.VII.2012, M. Dvorak leg. ; 3♂♂ C. c. vernetensis: Fillols , Pyr. Or. ( France), 1300 m. 14.VII.1996, Peslier leg.

Diagnosis. The antennae have the scape, pedicel, flagellum and teeth completely black in C. c. rippertii , which is usually a little smaller than the nominate C. c. cribraria . This taxon is characterized by the dark greyish forewing upperside, and hindwings which are blackish and darker than in any of the congeners. Underside of all wings and abdomen are entirely blackish.

Description. Imago ( Figs 5–6 ). Average wingspan 29.93 mm (n = 15; 24–34 mm).

Genitalia ( Fig. 31 ). There are no structural differences in comparison with the nominate subspecies, C. c. cribraria or with C. c. benderi and C. c. ibicenca.

Immature stages. Not studied.

Molecular data. The five genetically investigated specimens differ by 0–1.30% uncorrected p-distance from each other, with an average of 0.52%. The p-distances to other C. cribraria specimens range from 0.86% to 7.34%; the lowest p-distance (0.86%) is with two C. cribraria specimens from Provence-Alpes-Cote-d’Azur in S-France ( KX 042015 , KX 042130 ), the highest p-distance (7.34%) with a specimen of C. cribraria from the Potenza Province in S-Italy ( HM 914014 ) and with a specimen of C. cribraria from Rieti Province in Central Italy ( HQ 968399 ) .

In the wingless gene, the single successfully sequenced specimen of C. c. rippertii differs by 0–0.30% from other C. cribraria specimens.

The clade of Coscinia c. rippertii is not supported in either the Bayesian inference (PP<0.90) or the ML analysis (BS<50%). It is part of a strongly supported clade (1.00 PP, 99% BS) comprising C. c. ibicenca and two specimens identified as C. cribraria from W-Maurion in the southern French Provence-Alpes-Cote-d’Azur ( KX 042015 , KX 042130 ) .

Biology. Univoltine, with a single generation flying from the end of June to mid-August. This subspecies prefers stony and sunny slopes, always at high altitudes ranging from 1,500 to 2,800 m. Like Spiris , the males are seldom attracted by artificial light, hardly so the females; both sexes can be found by day perched on the ground, and take flight if disturbed. The larvae feed on a large variety of plants, among them Plantago , Taraxacum , Erica and grasses ( Poaceae ) ( Ylla et al. 2010).

Distribution ( Fig. 53 ). Endemic to High Pyrenees, found only in localized colonies from few localities on both the French and Spanish sides.

Remarks. Coscinia c. rippertii was described by Boisduval (1834) as Emydia rippertii of the Spanish Pyrenees. In Études de Lépidoptérologie Comparée, Oberthür (1911) presents a wide discussion on forms and distribution of his Emydia rippertii and describes three new subspecies of cribraria , C. c. vernetensis and C. c. canigulensis of the French Pyrénées Orientals and C. c. rondoui of the Hautes Pyrénées, all of which are synonymized with C. c. rippertii .

Figures

FIGURE 31. C. cribraria rippertii, male and female genitalia, gen. prep. 5725JG m. Banhs de Tredòs, Val d´Aran, Lleida, (Spain), 5707JG f. Llac de Colomers, Val d´Aran, Lleida, (Spain).

FIGURE 53. Distribution map of C. cribraria rippertii.

FIGURES 1–8. 1. C. cribraria cribraria, male, Villanueva de Sigena, Huesca, (Spain) (coll. RMV); 2. C. cribraria cribraria, female, Villanueva de Sigena, Huesca, (Spain) (coll. RMV); 3. C. cribraria benderi, male, El Abalario, Huelva, (Spain) (coll. RMV); 4. C. cribraria benderi, female, El Abalario, Huelva, (Spain) (coll. RMV); 5. C. cribraria rippertii, male, Llac de Colomers, Val d´Aran, Lleida, (Spain) (coll. RMV); 6. C.cribraria rippertii, female, Llac de Colomers, Val d´Aran, Lleida, (Spain) (coll. RMV); 7. C. cribraria ibicenca, male, Torrent des Fornàs, Eivissa, Balears, (Spain) (coll. RMV); 8. C. cribraria ibicenca, female, Torrent des Fornàs, Eivissa, Balears, (Spain) (coll. RMV).