Scrobipalpa inexplictata BIDZILYA, HUEMER & ŠUMPICH, 2022, sp. nov.
Creators: name: BIDZILYA, OLEKSIY
name: HUEMER, PETER
name: ŠUMPICH, JAN
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Gelechiidae
Scrobipalpa
Scrobipalpa inexplictata

description: Scrobipalpa inexplictata sp. nov.
Figs 37, 38, 96, 97, 143, 144
Type material examined. Holotype ♂, Russia, Altai Republic, Kosh-Agach distr., 10 km NE Kosh-Agach vill., Kurai Mts Range, valley of Tabazhok river, 50˚05’N 88˚44’E, 2100 m, 2–4.viii.2016 (Huemer & Wiesmair) (gen. slide 439/16, OB) (TLMF). Paratypes: 8 ♂, same data as for holotype (gen. slides 418/16, 422/16, 440/16, OB) (Barcodes TLMF Lep 20404, TLMF Lep 22274, TLMF Lep 22278, TLMF Lep 22281) (TLMF); 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Russia, Altai Republic, Belyashi (Dzhazator) env. (25 km NW), confluence of Argut and Karagem rivers, 49°51′56″N, 87°10′22″E, rocky steppe, 1400 m, 27–28.vii.2017 (Šumpich) (gen. slides 234/ 20♂, 299/ 21♀, OB) (Barcodes NMPC-LEP-0324, NMPC-LEP-0581) (NMPC); 1 ♀, Russia, Altai Republic, Chagan-Uzun env., Krasnaya Gorka hill, 50°05´00´´N, 88°25´15´´E, rocky steppe, 1870 m, 29.vi.2015 (Šumpich) (NMPC); 1 ♂, same data as for preceding but 23.vii.2017 (Barcode NMPC-LEP-0936); 3 ♂, same data as for preceding but 1–3.vii.2019 (Barcode NMPC-LEP-1094) (all NMPC); 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Armenia, Chosrovo r-tas, 21.ix.1986 (Ivinskis) (gen. slides 60/ 22♀, 67/ 22♂, 84/ 22♀, OB); 1 ♀, same data as for preceding but 22.ix.1986 (gen. slide 77/22, O OB); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as for preceding but 20.ix.1986 (gen. slides 85/ 22♂, 88/ 22♀, OB); 1 ♀, same data as for preceding but 20.ix.1986 (KZM).
Diagnosis. Scrobipalpa inexplictata sp. nov. is a medium-sized species with a predominantly grey forewing with a light brown suffusion and distinct black margings. The same forewing pattern is common in Scrobipalpa (e.g. S. inferna Povolný, 1973, S. cryptica Povolný, 1969, S. bulganensis Povolný, 1969), so that new species cannot be unambiguously recognised based on external characters alone. The male genitalia are characterised by the elongate uncus, narrow weakly curved inwards sacculus, long saccus and short hump on posterior margin of vinculum between the sacculus and vincular process. The presence of this hump separates the new species from S. obsoletella, S. truncata and S. marmorella. Scrobipalpa cryptica also has a short vincular hump, but the vincular process in the latter is broader than the sacculus (narrower in S. inexplictata sp. nov.), and the posteromedial emargination of the vinculum is U-shaped in S. cryptica rather than V-shaped in the new species. Additionally, the new species can be separated from related species by the triangular rather than rounded at base incision of the posterior margin of vinculum. The female genitalia of S. inexplictata sp. nov. are very similar to those of S. ahasver Povolný, 1969, but in the latter species the ventromedial depression is broader, its lobes are strongly sclerotised laterally and far extending anteriorly, and the colliculum is broader. Scrobipalpa ahasver clearly differs from S. inexplictata sp. nov. superficially by the black forewing with a white angulated subapical fascia.
Description. Adult (Figs 37, 38). Wingspan 12.0– 12.4 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae covered with light grey to pale brown-tipped scales, frons lighter, off-white, labial palpus upcurved, light grey densely mottled with brown, outer and upper surface of palpomere 2 white, scape brown, apex mixed distally with white, flagellomeres brown white-ringed. Ground colour of forewing light grey, costal margin mottled with black to 2/3, diffuse oblique black pattern from base and 1/4 of costal margin to half width, fold light brown with black spot, another black spot in middle of cell, pair of black spots in cell corner, diffuse dirty-white transverse fascia at 2/3, subapical area distinctly mottled with brown, cilia grey, brown-tipped. Hindwing and cilia grey, veins and margins greyish brown.
Variation. The forewings vary from predominantly grey with a light brown suffusion to predominantly light brown with a grey suffusion, greyish-white transverse fascia at 2/3 often indistinct or completely reduced.
Male genitalia (Figs 96, 97). Uncus twice as long as broad, rectangular or weakly narrowed apically; gnathos short, weakly curved; tegumen elongate with gradual transition to uncus, anteromedial emargination extending to 1/3 length; cucullus slender, extending to top of uncus, apex broadened; sacculus slightly broader and about 1/4 length of cucullus, weakly curved inwards, with short tip; vinculum twice as broad as long, posteromedial emargination broad, triangular at base and parallel-sided in distal half, vincular process subequal in width to sacculus, with distinct outwardly curved pointed top, short hump on posterior margin between sacculus and vincular process; saccus slender, gradually narrowed towards abruptly cut apex, far extending beyond top of pedunculus; distal portion of phallus straight, moderately broad, apex distinctly pointed, apical arm weakly down-curved, caecum about half length of phallic tube, weakly inflated.
Variation. One specimen has the sacculus distinctly broader than the cucullus, the saccus varies from truncate to pointed apically.
Female genitalia (Figs 143, 144). Papillae anales subovate, sparsely covered with short setae; apophyses posteriores about 3.5 times as long as apophyses anteriores; segment VIII as long as broad, sternum VIII with deep rounded posteromedial emargination, subgenital plates 1/4 width of segment VIII, smooth, with medial fold extending posteriorly to 1/2 length, with zone of short thorns at base of apophyses anteriores, ventromedial depression covered with fine microtrichia, lobes of ventromedial depression separated anteriorly with large, deep triangular incision with distinctly folded margins, not extending beyond anterior edge of sternum VIII; apophyses anteriores slightly longer than segment VIII, straight, moderately thick; colliculum narrow, ring-shaped; ductus bursae moderately broad, of even width, slightly narrowed before colliculum, with distinct transition to rounded corpus bursae, basal plate of signum with two teeth, distal hook slender to moderately broad, curved at obtuse angle in middle.
Biology. Adults have been collected in steppe habitats in late July—early August at altitudes up to 2100 m in the Altai Mountains, and in late September in Armenia.
Molecular data. BIN: BOLD:ADE0187. The intraspecific average distance of the barcode region is low with max. 0.16% (n=8). The minimum distance to the nearest neighbour, an unidentified species of Scrobipalpa from Kyrgyzstan (BIN: BOLD:AAW4628), is 3.04% (p-dist) (Fig. 4).
Distribution. Russia: Altai; Armenia.
Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin inexplictus, meaning obscure, inexplicable, referring to the ordinary appearance by which it is impossible to recognize new species among others with a similar forewing pattern.
description: Published as part of BIDZILYA, OLEKSIY, HUEMER, PETER & ŠUMPICH, JAN, 2022, Taxonomy and faunistics of the genus Scrobipalpa Janse, 1951 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) in southern Siberia, pp. 1-76 in Zootaxa 5218 (1) on pages 21-22, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5218.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7409836