Setema cereola
Creators: name: Macià, Ramon
name: Ylla, Josep
name: Gastón, Javier
name: Huertas, Manuel
name: Bau, Josep
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Erebidae
Setema
Setema cereola

description: Setema cereola (Hübner, [1803])
Original combination: Bombyx cereola Hübner, [1803]; Sammlung Europäischer Schmetterlinge Bomb.: 126, pl. 24, fig. 99. T. L.: Germany.
Material examined. AUSTRIA: 3 ♂, Altausee, Estiria, 1800 m, 26.vii.1996, R. Macià coll.; 1 ♂, Karwendelgeb, Garberlalm, Tirolia, 960 m, 16.vii.1993, Cerny leg.; 1 ♂, Steiermark, Graz, 1900 m, 10.viii.1998, Loser leg.
ESTONIA: 2 ♀, Esthly (Estonian), 1920, Cl.Hörhammer Sammlung.
FINLAND: 2 ♂, Kerimäki, Savonia, 9.vii.1982, K. Helomaa leg.
FRANCE: 6 ♂, Pralognan, Alpes (Savoie), 1500 m, 2.vii.2000, J.P. Herzet leg.; 7 ♂ and 1 ♀, Ailefroide, Hautes-Alpes, 1800 m, 15.vii.1991, 20.vii.1994, 18.vii.2003, 11.vii.2008, JP. Herzet leg., 18.vii.1998, ex larva 1 ♀, J. Ronik leg.
ITALY: 2 ♂, Passo di Stelvio, Ortler, 2200 m, 26.vii.1998, J. Skyva leg.
Diagnosis. Setema cereola is characterized by its thin body and broad forewings with a straight costal margin, yellow colouring without patterns on both fore- and hindwings, dark frons and also by certain features of the male genitalia. The external appearance of Setema cereola is quite similar to that of members of the genus Setina, but lacks the dark dotted markings that are typical of that genus.
Re-description. Imago (Figs. 33–34). Average wingspan males 29.5 mm (n=10; 27–32 mm); average wingspan females 22. 3 mm (n=3; 22–23 mm).
Genitalia (Fig. 65). Male genitalia: Uncus short and wide, acute pointed and hooked; juxta rectangular without apical processes; valvae long and narrow with straight edge; pointed cucullus; clasper absent; sacculus long and evenly wide; saccular process thick and strongly recurved towards the interior of the valvae, surpassing the limit of the same and turning towards them until contacting the cucullus; vinculum short; sacculus triangular and moderately small; aedeagus cylindrical, short, without sclerotised apical fascia, with two median and strongly sclerotised coneshaped cornuti; vesica with a series of small micro-spines.Female genitalia:Anal papillae very robust and sclerotised; lamella postvaginalis slightly sclerotised and heart-shaped; ostium bursae wide, V-shaped and strongly sclerotised; ductus bursae wide, trapezoidal, also strongly sclerotised; ovoid corpus bursae with a small inconspicuous signum in its central part.
Immature stages. Not studied.
Molecular data. Because we were not successful in amplifying DNA from individuals of this species, three representative sequences were selected from BOLD (access codes:GWOSA797-10; LEATB557-13; LEATB558-13). It was deemed unnecessary to use a larger number considering that the 19 available sequences published as Setema cereola or Eilema cereola showed little intraspecific variation (dist = 0.27%) and were all clustered in a single BIN (BOLD: AAJ7543) that received strong Bayesian support also when the extended dataset including 14 sequences from 4 countries was analysed (BI=1, Fig. 120). Despite the strong morphological differences, the molecular results point at a close proximity of the Setema genus with Indalia lutarella luqueti, with which forms a well-supported node (PP=0.98). The genetic analysis of other species of this genus (Setema debilis and Setema bicolor) is consistent with the Setema cereola results, showing similar short distances from Indalia luttarella luqueti.
Biology. Univoltine. The flight period extends from late June to the middle of September, depending on the local weather conditions. Hygrophilous boreo-montane species living in fresh and humid biotopes. Nocturnal, although it can be found in daytime visiting flowers. Males are attracted to artificial light, but females, which have a smaller wingspan and a heavier abdomen, only rarely. The larvae feed on lichens, especially Parmelia species that thrive on rocky soil and on tree trunks.
Distribution (Fig. 111). Western Palaeartic. Present in alpine countries and in the northern and northeastern parts of the Baltic area, as well in the southern and central parts of Scandinavia and adjacent areas of Russia to the east and the Kazan área. It lives at higher elevations, from the coniferous belt to the subalpine region; also present in lower and mountainous areas.
Observations. In the original description of the genus Setema, Freina & Witt (1984) placed this genus as transitional between Eilema and Setina, based mainly on the shape of the wing. However, the male genitalic structure of Setema shows no affinity with Setina species.
description: Published as part of Macià, Ramon, Ylla, Josep, Gastón, Javier, Huertas, Manuel & Bau, Josep, 2022, The species of Eilema Hübner, [1819] sensu lato present in Europe and North Africa (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), pp. 1-87 in Zootaxa 5191 (1) on pages 36-37, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5191.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7144073