Istrianis wachtlii Rogenhofer 1881
Creators: name: Bidzilya, Oleksiy
name: Karsholt, Ole
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy

description: 6. Istrianis wachtlii (Rogenhofer, 1881)
Teleia wachtlii Rogenhofer, 1881: 48.
Istrianis wachtlii Rogenhofer, 1881: Huemer & Karsholt 1999: 83.
Material examined. 2♀, Egypt, ex coll. Staudinger (gen. slide 62/10, O. Bidzilya) (MFN); 1♂, Palestine, Jericho, Jordanbrücke, 29.iv.1930, at light (Amsel) (gen. slide 37/11, O. Bidzilya) (SNMK).
Adult (Figs 23, 24). Wingspan 7.8–8.1 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae white; labial palpus white with black basal and medial rings; scape and flagellum brown mottled with some white; forewing with costal fold to 1/3, light brown to creamy white with brown-tipped scales in distal half; costa with brown streak at base and before middle and with subtriangular brown spot at 2/3; terminal 1/4 of dorsal margin densely mottled with brown; a small tuft of raised blackish brown scales at base, a larger tuft at 1/3 near dorsal margin and a third one at ¾ near tornus; two brown dots on the end of cell that sometimes coalesce with tornal tuft, black dot in the middle of cell expressed in some specimens; cilia white, brown-tipped; hindwing and cilia grey.
Variation. The ground colour of the forewing varies from light, whitish cream to light brown; the two small brown dots in the end of cell are sometimes reduced.
Male genitalia (Fig. 64). Tergite VIII triradial; sternite VIII less than 1.5 times broader than long, posteriolateral projections broad; uncus slender, tapered; gnathos as long as uncus, weakly curved apically, without sclerotized hook; tegumen prolonged, anteromedial emargination narrow, lateral lobes broad; cucullus constricted at base and strongly broadened in distal half; phallus tapered distally, not exceeding the length of cucullus.
Female genitalia (Figs 91, 120). Segment VIII longer than broad; apophyses anteriores subequal in length to segment VIII; anterior margin of sternite VIII deeply emarginated in middle, posterior margin with deep medial incision; ostium comparatively small, posterior sclerite small, rounded, anterolateral sclerites narrow, subtriangular, anterior sclerites leaf-shaped; antrum funnel-shaped; ductus bursae very long and slender, coiled; corpus bursae small, rounded; signum subhexagonal, broader than long, margins distinctly serrate.
Diagnosis. I. wachtlii is distinct externally by its small size and light brown to whitish cream forewing with a small basal brown spot and the presence of a costal fold. The male genitalia are characterized by absence of an apical hook of gnathos in combination with broad arms of tegumen and apically strongly broadened cucullus. The comparatively broad sternite VIII may be considered as an additional reliable character that separates I. wachtlii from the rest of Istrianis species, except for I. myricariella. The female genitalia are characterized by the very long and slender, coiled ductus bursae, short apophyses anteriores, relatively short and strongly serrated posterior and anterior lobes of signum, funnel-shaped antrum as well as a comparatively small ostium.
Notes. The lectotype was designated by Huemer & Karsholt (1999).
Biology. Larvae feed in galls on Tamarix articulata Vahl (Tamaricaceae). Adults were observed in late April.
Distribution. Egypt, Middle East (Palestine), a record from SW Iran (Amsel 1959) needs confirmation.
description: Published as part of Bidzilya, Oleksiy & Karsholt, Ole, 2015, Revision of the genus Istrianis Meyrick, 1918 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) with special regard to the Palaearctic region, pp. 401-445 in Zootaxa 4059 (3) on page 425, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4059.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/237390