Ptycerata cryptoxena Bidzilya & Karsholt 2021, comb. nov.
Creators: name: Bidzilya, Oleksiy
name: Karsholt, Ole
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Gelechiidae
Ptycerata
Ptycerata cryptoxena

description: Ptycerata cryptoxena (Gozmány, 1952) comb. nov.   Figs 6–9, 46–48, 67–71, 88  
 Metzneria cryptoxena Gozmány, 1952: 145, figs 7–9.   
 Caulastrocecis cryptoxena (Gozmány, 1952) — Englert 1974: 425.   
 Type metarial examined. Holotype ♂, “Budafok. Uhrik [1]918.vi.29” | “ Holotypus Metzneria cryptoxena Gozm ” | “Metz. 1.” (HNHM). Paratypes: 1 ♂, Budafok., Uhrik, 1.vi.1916 (gen. slide 2007, E. Asc) [not examined] (HNHM); 1 ♂, same data but 1.vii.1917 (gen. slide K. Sattler, 515c) (SMNK).   
 Other material examined. Austria: 14 ♂, Niederösterrich, Gumpoldkirchen, 15.vi., 17.vi., 7.vii.1967 (Glaser); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data, but ex la. Aster linosyris, cecidium, 15 vi., 16.vi.1957 (Glaser) (gen. slide 185/15, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♀, same data, but ex la. 28.vi.1956 (Glaser); 1 ♂, same data but 19.vii.1956 (all SMNK); 1 ♂, Burgenland, Winden am See, 10.viii.1967 (Hernegger) (ZMUC); 4 ♂, 1 ♀, Burgenland, Gumpoldskirchen, Glaslauterriegel, 4.vii.1976, 18.vii.1980, 22.vii.1981, 20.ix.1982, 10.vi.1983 (Kasy) (ZMUC). Czech Republic: 4 ♂, Moravia mer., Kobylí, 27– 28.vi.1983 (Elsner) (SMNK, ZMUC, ZT); 1 ♂. Moravia, Kobylí-Bořetice, Zázmonycí, 6.vi.2010 (Liška) (NMPC). Slovakia: 1 ♂, Rybník, 6.vii.2007 (Richter) (TLMF Lep 25196) (NMPC); 1 ♂, same data but 24–26.v, 6.vii.2007 (ZT); 1 ♂, Pláštovce, 2.vi.1990 (Liška) (ZT). Hungary: 1 ♂, Budapest, Budatétény, 28.vi.1960 (Fénycsapda), gen. slide 3233 O. Karsholt (ZMUC); 1 ♂, Bélmegyer, 10.viii.2007 (Tokár) (ZT). Romania: 1 ♂, Câmpia Transilvaniei, Cluj distr., Viisoara, Câmpia Turzii, 22.vii.1999 (Kovác & Kovác) (ZMUC). Ukraine: 3 ♂, Krym, Karadagh, 18.v., 19.v., 24.v.2004 (Budashkin) (gen. prep. 34/10, O. Bidzilya); 4 ♂, same data, 20.v.1996; 3 ♂, 5.vii., 9.vii., 10.vii.2010 (Bidzilya); 5 ♂, same data but 13.vii., 14.vii., 22.vii.2011 (DNA Barcode ZMKU-00022, 00023, 00024, 00025) (gen. slide 101/11, 113/13, O. Bidzilya) (all ZMKU); 1 ♂, same data but 25.v.1996, genitalia in vial (MZH); 7 ♂, Luganskaya obl., Sverdlovskiy r-n, Provalje, 18.vii.2002 (Sheshurak) (DNA Barcode ZMKU-00026, 00027, 00028) (gen. slide 33/10, 102/11, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, same data but 29–30.vi.2012 (Demyanenko) (gen. slide 116/13, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Luganskaya obl., Melovoi r-n, Strel’tsovskaya step’, 22.vii.2002 (Sheshurak) (gen. slide 114/13, O. Bidzilya) (all ZMKU).   
 Diagnosis. Ptycerata cryptoxena is externally a rather variable species characterised by pale forewing densely mottled with light brown, especially in apical third, three brown spots in cell and one brown subcostal spot at 1/3; a triangular, strongly edged rather than conical frontal process is the most constant character for separating P.cryptoxena from the externally very similar P. furfurella, P. sumpichi sp. nov. and P. gypsella; in addition the latter is larger. In the male genitalia the valva with distinct pointed apex, rounded dorsocaudal angle and usually well developed ventrocaudal angle are characteristic. It differs from P. gypsella in the dorsal margin of valva which is straight rather than widening, the narrower valva and phallus which is 1.5 times as broad as caecum (twice as broad as caecum in P. cryptoxena). Ptycerata furfurella differs in apically rounded valva (pointed in P. cryptoxena). Additionally, the valva in the two last mentioned species does not reach beyond the tip of uncus. In the female genitalia an elongated laterally sinuated signum with ten long and two short processes as well as the ostium surrounded by a zone of fine microtrichia are characteristic. For the differences from P. gypsella see under that species.   
 Adult (Figs 6–9). Wingspan 11–16 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae white, mixed with scattered brown-tipped scales; labial palpus weakly upcurved, white, palpomere 2 brown on outer and lower surface except for basal and apical area, inner surface with brown pattern in distal half extending from 1/4 to 3/4 width; palpomere 3 acute, about 1/2 width and 3/4 length of palpomere 2; both sexes with short triangular strongly edged frontal process hidden by scales (Figs 46–48); scape white, moderately broadening, flagellomeres white and brown-ringed, covered with short cilia in female and slightly longer cilia in male. Forewing white to pale grey, densely mixed with light brown, especially in apex and tornus, a short brown dash in fold, two weakly elongated spots in middle and in the corner of cell, diffuse brown spot under costal margin at 1/3, fringe white and brown-tipped. Hindwing white, margins weakly darkened with light brown, fringe slightly darker, dark yellow to light brown.   
Variation. Brown markings are partially or completely reduced in some specimens; specimens look darker or lighter depending on the amount of light brown irroration.  
 Male genitalia (Figs 67–71). Uncus parallel-sided almost to the weakly rounded or straight posterior margin. Gnathos stout, hook-shaped, widening ventrally and curved before middle, distal part slender with upcurved pointed tip. Tegumen trapezoidal, gradually narrowing posteriorly, lateral flaps curved inwardly and almost joining in middle, anteromedial emargination shallow, not reaching 1/3 length of tegumen. Valva as broad as uncus, far extending beyond its top; straight, parallel-sided, dorsocaudal angle well developed, ventrocaudal angle short, apex distinct, comparatively long. Vincular lobes extending to 1/2 length of valva, apex rounded, covered with short hairs, separated by deep triangular incision. Vinculum slender, band-shaped. Saccus slender, extends beyond the top of pedunculus. Distal part of phallus straight, subequal in length with moderately inflated caecum, lamina ducti ejaculatorii longer than phallus.   
Variation. Vincular processes vary in width; their apices vary from rounded to triangular.  
 Female genitalia (Fig. 88). Papilla analis subovate, covered with short hair-like setae; apophysis posterioris straight or weakly curved, about 2.5 times as long as apophysis anterioris; segment VIII evenly sclerotised, unmodified, sub-trapezoidal, about as long as broad, weakly narrowing posteriorly, posterior margin straight with U-shaped medial incision; anterior margin gradually invaginated posteriorly; antrum slender, cylindrical, weakly sclerotised; ostium V-shaped, strongly edged, surrounded with zone of microtrichia; apophysis anterioris straight, thin, shorter than segment VIII; ductus bursae weakly broadening anteriorly; corpus bursae egg-shaped; signum plate elongated with mostly long lateral and anterior thorns.   
Variation. Thorns on signum vary slightly in length.  
 Biology. The larvae produce galls at the base of stems on Galatella linosyris (L.) Rchb.f. (Asteraceae). Ronniger (1955) provides a detailed description of galls, larva, bionomy and habitats in Austria. In order to obtain adults one should delay collecting galls until the larvae have pupated, because galls with larvae easily dry out, thereby killing the larvae. Adults were observed from mid-May to mid-July, univoltine. Adults are attracted to light. However, no females came to light traps in Karadagh (Crimea) during more than 30 years of observation (Yury Budashkin pers. comm.). All females examined by us were reared from galls. They were also observed sitting on the ground among vegetation (Ronniger 1955: 182).   
 Molecular data. BIN BOLD:ABW9600 (n=5 from Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine).   
 Distribution. Austria, Hungary, Romania (Kovács & Kovács 1999: 5, 21), Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine.   
 Remarks. Metzneria cryptoxena was described based on one male (holotype) and four females from Hungary. The species was considered a synonym of P. furfurella (Englert 1974: 415). Recently it was reinstated as a valid species (Huemer & Karsholt 2020: 125). Beside the morphological differences described above the two taxa are clearly divergent in DNA barcodes (Huemer et al. 2020: suppl. data 2, NJ tree 19) and represent different species.
description: Published as part of Bidzilya, Oleksiy & Karsholt, Ole, 2021, A review of the Palearctic Ptycerata Ely, 1910 (= Caulastrocecis Chrétien, 1931 syn. nov.) based on morphology (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), pp. 151-181 in Zootaxa 5026 (2) on pages 163-166, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5026.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5270780