Semioscopis japonicella Saito 1989
Creators: name: Koo, Jun-Mo
name: Na, Jin-Ho
name: Paek, Munki
name: Cho, Soowon
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Elachistidae
Semioscopis
Semioscopis japonicella

description: Semioscopis japonicella Saito, 1989
(Korean name: heug-gal-go-li-keun-won-ppul-na-bang)
(Figs 3, 4)
Semioscopis japonicella Saito, 1989: 705. Type locality: Rokushosan, Aichi Pref., Honshu, Japan.
Semioscopis japonicella; Lvovsky & Dubatolov 2007: 56; Sakamaki 2013a: 190.
Material examined. 1♀, Korea, Sandong-myeon, Gulye-gun (in Korean), JN [Jeollanam-do], 35.297533 127.529203 [N35° 17′ 51.1″, E127° 31′ 45.1″, Alt. 1,435 m], 22.iv.2019, coll. M. Paek, gen. slide no. KJM0240, wings slide no. KJM0336, COI barcode CBNU315 (GenBank accession no. OQ573703), specimen accession no. CBNUPM000029.
Diagnosis. The species is superficially similar to S. merriccella Dyar, 1902 and S. steinkellneriana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), and is most comparable with S. packardella (Clemens, 1863) in having a dark sinuate streak on the forewing, but the male genitalia of the species are most similar to those of S. steinkellneriana. However, the species can be distinguished by the following characteristics: 1) in the forewing of S. japonicella and S. packardella (see Moth Photographers Group 2022), it has a continuous sinuate streak running from the costal base to the distal end of the discal cell, while in S. merriccella (see Moth Photographers Group 2022) and S. steinkellneriana (see Dantart 2004: Figs 1a, b; Wheeler et al. 2023), the basal portion of the streak is usually absent; 2) in the male genitalia of S. japonicella (Saito 1989: Figs 11, 12) and S. steinkellneriana (see Wheeler et al. 2023), they have the sacculus having a single process at the distal end, and a curved and twisted phallus, while in S. merriccella (see Moth Photographers Group 2022) and S. packardella (see Moth Photographers Group 2022) they have the sacculus divided into two processes in the distal portion, and a simply curved phallus; and 3) in the female genitalia of S. japonicella, they have the ductus bursae about 2.3× as long as the corpus bursae, and the signum situated at about the anterior 3/10 of the corpus bursae, while in S. steinkellneriana (see Wheeler et al. 2023) they have the ductus bursae about 4.5× as long as the corpus bursae, and the signum in the posterior portion, and in S. merriccella (see Hodges 1974: 53) and S. packardella (see Hodges 1974: 53) they have the ductus bursae about the same length as the corpus bursae, and the signum in the posterior portion.
Redescription of female. Female adult, whitish phenotype (Fig. 3), forewing length 12.0 mm (wingspan 26.0 mm) (n=1) (Saito 1989: male wingspan 25.0–26.0 mm (whitish phenotype), 15.0–23.0 mm (brownish phenotype), female wingspan 23.0–27.0 mm (whitish phenotype); Sakamaki 2013a: male wingspan 22.0–28.0 mm (whitish phenotype), 17.0–22.0 mm (brownish phenotype), female wingspan 20.0–27.0 mm).
Head: Vertex grayish-orange. Antenna about 0.5× shorter than length of forewing; scape dark brown; pedicel+flagellum covered with grayish-orange and dark brown scales in basal 1/6, then with brown and dark brown scales distally. Second palpomere of labial palpus (Figs 3B, C) brown with orangish-white scales in basal 1/4 and distal 1/5 on outer surface, orangish-white with grayish-orange scales in distal half on inner surface, slightly longer, about 1.1×, than third palpomere; the latter orangish-white with a black median ring.
Thorax: Notum grayish-orange. Tegula grayish-orange, mixed with dark brown scales. Forewing orangish-white, brighten distally; inconspicuous dark brown strigulae along costa; a distinct, black longitudinal sinuate streak from base of costa to distal end of discal cell; a black blotch from dorsal end of discal cell to costa; brown shade right after distal end of sinuate streak; a subapical brown blotch near costa, mixed with black scales; black dots along termen; fringe orangish-white with basal and subdistal brownish-orange lines; venation (Fig. 3E) with R 1 arising before half of discal cell; distance between origins of R 1 and R 2 about 3.5× longer than that of R 2 and R 3; R 4 and R 5 stalked at about basal 2/3; R 5 reaching right before apex; M 1, M 2 and M 3 free; distance between origins of M 1 and M 2 about 2× longer than that of M 2 and M 3; CuA 1 and CuA 2 arising from posterior corner of discal cell; origin of CuA 1 close to that of CuA 2; 1A+2A forked at about basal 1/3; discal cell closed. Hindwing orangish-white with brownish-orange scales along veins; fringe as in forewing; costal base with three frenula (Fig. 3F); venation (Fig. 3E) with nearly straight Sc+R 1; Rs arising from anterior corner of discal cell; distance between origins of M 1 and M 2 about 1.8× longer than that of M 2 and M 3; M 3 and CuA 1 arising from posterior corner of discal cell; origin of M 3 very close to CuA 1; discal cell closed. Hindtibia (Fig. 3D) and bristles orangish-white; two pairs of spurs, one pair at about basal 2/3, other pair at distal end. Hindtarsus (Fig. 3D) orangish-white with brown scales.
Abdomen (Fig. 4D): Abdomen covered with pale orange scales dorsally and paler ones ventrally. Tergum I, anterior margin of tergum II, and posterior margin of sternum VII sclerotized.
Female genitalia (Figs 4A–C): See also Saito (1989: Figs 14a–e). Papillae analis elongated elliptical, setose. Apophyses posteriores about 2.3× longer than apophyses anteriores. Tergite VIII extremely depressed trapezoidal. Sterigma sclerotized with granulated posterior margin; median portion bulged, entirely granulated. Ostium bursae ovoidal, situated in anterior end of bulged portion of sterigma. Ductus bursae membranous, wrinkled, sinuous, about 2.3× longer than length of corpus bursae, gradually broadened from base to basal 1/6. Ductus seminalis arising from near base of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae sac-shaped; signum denticulated, situated at about anterior 3/10 of corpus bursae.
Male genitalia: See Saito (1989: Figs 11, 12).
Host plants. Unknown. Tilia L. (Malvaceae); Carpinus L. and Betula L. (Betulaceae); and Prunus L. and Sorbus L. (Rosaceae) are known host plants for the larvae of other congeneric European species (Sakamaki 2013a).
Distribution. Japan, Russia (South Primorye) (Lvovsky & Dubatolov 2007; Sakamaki 2013a), Korea (new record).
Remarks. Saito (1989) described this species in detail by classifying it into whitish and brownish “ types ” based on the superficial characteristics of adults. The shape of the denticulated signum varies greatly, as illustrated by Saito (1989: Figs 14a–e).
description: Published as part of Koo, Jun-Mo, Na, Jin-Ho, Paek, Munki & Cho, Soowon, 2023, First report of the genus Semioscopis Hübner and four species of Gelechioidea (Lepidoptera) from Korea with redescriptions, pp. 509-528 in Zootaxa 5325 (4) on pages 514-517, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5325.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/8243648