Scythris cirra, FALKOVITCH, 1969

D’Entrèves, P. & Roggero, A., 2006, New And Little-Known Species Of Scythridid Moths Collected By Z. Kaszab In Mongolia (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea, Scythrididae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 52 (1), pp. 49-75 : 64-65

S. cirra FALKOVITCH, 1969

Scythris cirra FALKOVITCH, Vsesoyuznoe Entomologicheskoe Obshchestvo 1969: 75 .

Material. 3 mm and 4 ff (Genital slide no. 4085, 4087, 4117, 4078, 4080, 4081, 4088 Passerin d’Entrèves), MONGOLIA: Bayanhongor aimag, Talyn spring, Bilgech bulag, 47 km E of the Caganbulag Checkpoint , 1200 m, 1967 Kaszab Expedition, 23.VI.1967 ; 1 m (Genital slide no. 4079 Passerin d’Entrèves), MONGOLIA: Bayanhongor aymag, Cagan Bogd Uul , Tooroin bulag, 13 km E of the Caganbulag Checkpoint, 1500 m, 1967 Kaszab Expedition, 24. VI.1967 ; 1 m (Genital slide no. 4103 Passerin d’Entrèves ), MONGOLIA: Ovorhangay aimag, 130 km ESE of somon Bajanleg, 1150 m, 1967 Kaszab Expedition, 3.VII.1967 ; 1 f (Genital slide no. 4096 Passerin d’Entrèves), MONGOLIA: Bayanhongor aymag, Ehiyn-gol oasis , 90 km NE of the Caganbulag Checkpoint, 950 m, 1967 Kaszab Expedition, 28. VI.1967 .

Female. Wingspan 18 mm. Fore wings light brown, with a white zigzag line along the median venation, extending from base to apex of wing, ending at fore edge near the costa. In some specimens the line is interrupted. Fringe brown. Hind wings lighter than fore wings, glossy, with a long, light brownish fringe. Head, thorax and abdomen light brown, with sparse, irregular, cream coloured scales. Legs light brown. Antennae light cream, half as long as fore wing.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 10 ). Sterigma subtriangular, truncate at apex, extending on sides at base and with a U-shaped, well-sclerotized structure delimiting a groove containing ostium bursae. Ductus bursae membranaceous and wrinkled. S7 subtriangular, sclerotized on sides; bilobate, sclerotized area at posterior edge in S6.

Distribution. The species is known from Central Asia ( Uzbekistan and Turkmenia) and southern Mongolia.

Remarks. FALKOVITCH collected the species on Aellenia subaphylla and Haloxylon aphyllum , in May, June, July and September. In Mongolia, the species was collected by KASZAB in June and July, in a desert area, near oases with Nitraria , Tamarix and Haloxylon vegetation. The female of S. cirra is described here for the first time.

Figures

Figs 9–10. 9 = Male genitalia of S. pallidella sp. n.: A = uncus-tegumen-gnathos-aedeagus-valvae complex; B = T8 and S8. 10 = Female genitalia of S. cirra FALKOVITCH. Scale bars = 0.5 mm