Eilema caniola subsp. torstenii Mentzer 1980
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
Arctiidae
Eilema
Eilema caniola
Eilema caniola torstenii mentzer, 1980

description: Eilema caniola torstenii Mentzer, 1980
Original combination: Eilema torstenii Mentzer, 1980, Entomologica Scandinavica 11: 9.
T. L.: Capdella, Mallorca, Spain.
Material examined. SPAIN: EIVISSA: 3 ♂ and 1 ♀, Torrent de Fornàs, Can Cosme, Balears, 120 m, 31SCD61, 7.viii.2012, J. Dantart leg.; FORMENTERA: 11 ♂ and 8 ♀, Es Caló, Formentera, Balears, 15 m, 31SCC78, 13.ix.2017, R. Macià leg.; 8 ♂ and 5 ♀, Es Caló, Formentera, Balears, 15 m, 31SCC78, 10.ix.2018, R. Macià leg.; MALLORCA: 12 ♂ and 6 ♀, Porto Cristo, Manacor, Balears, 50 m, 30SED27, 10.vi.2008, G. Zsolt leg.; 9 ♂ and 6 ♀, Puig de s´Aritjar, Serra d’Alfàbia, Bunyola, Balears, 1025 m, 31SDD79, 3.x.2015, R. Macià leg.; 9 ♂ and 8 ♀ Nus de sa Corbata, Coll de Reis, Escorca, 674 m, 31SDE83, 27.v.2019, R. Macià & J. Ylla leg.; 1 ♂, Parc Natural de s´Albufera, Muro, 5 m, 31SEE00, 29.v.2019, R. Macià & J. Ylla leg.; 9 ♂ and 6 ♀, Sa Bassa, Fornalutx, 560 m, 31TDE70, 28.v.2019, R. Macià & J. Ylla leg.
Diagnosis. The specimens of this subspecies are smaller than most continental specimens of Eilema caniola caniola; they differ externally from the nominotypical caniola in the shaded ochreous head, and the thorax and costal stripe less distinct, thinner and paler; forewings ochre-grey, upperside uniform pale grey, underside faded pale grey.
Re-description. Imago (Figs. 3–4). Average wingspan males 27.4 mm (n=10; 25–30 mm); average wingspan females 26.0 mm (n=10; 25–30 mm).
Genitalia (Fig. 50). Male genitalia: Structure as in nominotypical Eilema caniola but valvae slightly narrower and uncus slightly thinner and less curved. A significant difference occurs in the aedeagus, as in that of Eilema caniola torstenii only the large central cornutus is present, and the second smaller apical cornutus is absent. Female genitalia: Similar to those of nominotypical caniola, but smaller. Lamella postvaginalis also trapezoidal, but conspicuously less sclerotised; bursa with a single signum and a membranous process like in nominotypical caniola, but much less sclerotised and with very few micro-spines inside.
Immature stages (Fig. 76). The last instar larva is about 17 mm long. Cephalic capsule dark brown, with soft vertex. Dorsal line black, bordered on each side by white lines followed, and close to D2 wart, by a pinkish white band, and a black line attached to it. Behind L2 an elongated light grey to light orange spot (M). Pupa brown, both sexes with brown spots on the back of the thorax and abdomen, and very small, barely perceptible circular depressions on the metathorax and abdomen. Tip of abdomen rounded, without cremaster. The cocoon is woven under lichens, with very little silk.
Molecular data. The samples from Mallorca island form a very tight group (within-group TN-dist=0.08%, n=3) with strong Bayesian support (PP=1), while the two specimens collected in Formentera island cluster together (PP= 0.71) and stay loosely associated with the other Eilema caniola torstenii, though they still maintain a significant distance from the peninsular samples of Eilema caniola caniola.
Biology. Several continuous generations, from May until the beginning of November. Nocturnal, both males and females come to artificial light. The larvae feed on lichens on the rocks and on tree trunks (Ylla et al. 2010); in captivity the larvae accept lettuce and can thrive with artificial diet.
Distribution (Fig. 96). Balearic endemic. Described from Capdella (Mallorca). Present in Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.
Observations. Rezbanyai (1981) discussed the taxon torstenii in his detailed diagnosis against nominotypical caniola. He left the question open whether it should be regarded as a separate species or a subspecies of Eilema caniola. The molecular data do not suggest otherwise.
Witt & Ronkay (2011) state that Eilema caniola torstenii is distributed in southern and central Europe, part of the British Isles and Belgium. We do not share this opinion which we consider is a confusion, since it is a Balearic endemic. Specimens from Corsica should be studied in more detail: they could either belong to Eilema caniola torstenii or to a new subspecies of Eilema caniola.
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 15-16, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5191.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7144073