The European Phyllonorycter species feeding on the plants of the tribe Genisteae (Fabaceae), with descriptions of twelve new species (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

LAŠTŮVKA, A. , LAŠTŮVKA, Z. : The European Phyllonorycter species feeding on the plants of the tribe Genisteae (Fabaceae), with descriptions of twelve new species (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae). Acta univ. agric. et silvic. Mendel. Brun. , 2006, LIV, No. 5, pp. 65–84 A review of 29 European species of the genus Phyllonorycter Hübner, 1822 developing on the plants of the tribe Genisteae with diagnostic characters, brief data on their biology and distribution is given. Twelve of them are new: Phyllonorycter estrela sp. n. , probably from Genista cinerea (Vill.) DC. , P. telinella sp. n. from Genista monspessulana (L.) L. A. S. Johnson, P. tridentatae sp. n. from Genista tridentata L. , P. deschkanus sp. n. from Genista cinerea (Vill.) DC. , P. andalusicus sp. n. probably from Retama sphaerocarpa (L.) Boiss. , P. echinosparti sp. n. from Echinospartum lusitanicum (L.) Rothm. , P. baetica sp. n. from Genista versicolor Boiss. , P. vueltas sp. n. from Genista florida L. and G. cinerea (Vill.) DC. , P. scorpius sp. n. from Genista scorpius (L.) DC. , P. pumila sp. n. from Genista versicolor subsp. pumila (Hervier) Fern. Casas, P. eugregori sp. n. from Cytisus austriacus L. and C. ratisbonensis Schaeff. , and P. etnensis sp. n. from Genista aetnensis (Biv.) DC. Phyllonorycter purgantella (Chrétien, 1915) is recognized as bona species. Phyllonorycter dalmatinella (Amsel, 1951) and P. picardi Buvat, 1995 are junior subjective synonyms of Phyllonorycter lapadiella (Krone, 1909). The lectotype of Phyllonorycter haasi (Rebel, 1901) is designated. The species are divided into three species groups, Phyllonorycter cerasinella (Reutti, 1853) standing apart from these groups. New country records of several species are given. Phyllonorycter, Fabaceae, Genisteae, Europe The species of the genus Phyllonorycter Hübner, 1822 feeding on legumes of the tribe Genisteae form the most numerous and taxonomically the most difficult group of this genus in Europe. The group is obviously monophyletic, either holophyletic or probably paraphyletic, because it may also include several species developing on other Fabaceae. About 23 taxa have been described from Europe and nearly 20 of them are considered as valid (Gregor & Povolný, 1960, Buzsko, 1996, 2004, de Prins & de Prins, 2005). Their complex taxonomy, inconspicuous life history and difficult collecting of mines are apparently the main reasons why this group evades attention and some problems have remained unsolved for many years. The aim of the following contribution is not to present a complex revision of this group, which is impossible without further comparative material and more detailed biological data. Rather, it should give an impulse to more extensive research of the group. It presents results of our investigations in Spain, Portugal, France, partly in Italy, Sicily, Croatia and Greece, and in several central European countries during the past 15 years. The contribution brings diagnostic characters with adequate figures, biological and distributional data (mostly revised) of known species and descriptions of 12 new ones. The host plant names are after ILDIS (2005). 66 A. Laštůvka, Z. Laštůvka The Genisteae feeding Phyllonorycter species The most important diagnostic characters of this very homogeneous group are found in the male genitalia which, except for Phyllonorycter cerasinella with symmetrical valvae, show a broad left valva with a striking apical thorn, and a narrow right valva, sometimes with a slender subapical thorn or with a hair pencil on its base. The female genitalia are homogeneous and nearly or quite indistinguishable in many species, yet there are several morphological specializations developed probably in connection with the way of oviposition in some cases. A more or less distinct white central line on the thorax is always present. The colouration and design of the forewing vary from the basic Phyllonorycter pattern with a basal streak and several costal and dorsal strigulae, over tendencies to connections of strigulae resulting in transversal fasciae and other anastomoses, often also with the basal streak, up to a total reduction of the wing pattern. This situation is complicated by the fact that the evolution of the genital morphology, wing pattern and life history are evidently independent; in other words, different genitalia morphologies are connected with different forewing patterns and bionomics. Closely related species, hardly distinguishable by their genital morphology, often show quite different wing patterns (e.g. Phyllonorycter haasi and P. purgantella), and, on the contrary, species with certain genitalia and life history differences keep the basic wing pattern and are almost indistinguishable habitually. Moreover, many species are very variable both individually and geographically, and their intraspecific variability exceeds their interspecific differences in several cases. It is possible to divide the species into three groups, only Phyllonorycter cerasinella occupying an isolated position outside these groups. Phyllonorycter cerasinella (Reutti, 1853) (Fig. 13) Beitr. Rhein. Naturgesch. , 1853(3): 205 (Lithocolletis); type locality: Germany, Freiburg, Hirzberg Lithocolletis quinquenotella Herrich-Schäffer, 1855; Syst. Bearb. Schmett. Eur. , 5: 324; Germany, Regensburg Material. 10 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀: Spain, Lérida, Coll del Cantó, vii.1992, 9 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀ ex p. (6.vii.1992, mines on Genista sagittalis); France, Jura, Vincelles, vi.2004, mines in the stem wings of Genista sagittalis; Lózere, Laubert, 10.vi. 2006, 1 ♂, all leg. A. & Z. Laštůvka, coll. A. Laštůvka. Diagnosis. Wingspan 8.8–10.5 mm; forewing golden ochreous, partly suffused with brown scales in distal part; five costal and four dorsal strigulae white, distinct, with black edging on their basal side; the basal streak even; small group of black scales in apex; cilia line distinct. Male genitalia. Valvae symmetrical (cf., e.g.