Elachista versicolora Kaila, 2007, sp. n.
Creators: name: Kaila, Lauri
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2007
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Elachistidae
Elachista
Elachista versicolora

description: Elachista versicolora sp. n.
(Figs. 15, 16, 24, 50, 51, 59 E, F)
Holotype, ď: Russia: Transbaikalia, Chita reg. 45 km W. Kyra, Agutsakan river, 1100 m, 19.VII.1997 A. Bidzilya & I. Kostjuk leg. (L. Kaila prep. 4108, MZH). Paratypes (6 ď): 2 ď with the same collecting data as in the holotype (L. Kaila prep. 4109, 4371, ZMKU & MZH); Transbaikalia, Chita reg. Sochondinskiy N. P., Agutsakan river, 1200 m, 12.VII.1997 3 ď A. Bidzilya, I. Kostjuk & O. Kostjuk leg. (L. Kaila prep. 4372, ZMKU); S. Buryatia 51°11–13´N 106°10–12´E, 700 m, Hamar-Daban Mts., Murtoy River, 6 km NW Gusinoe ozero vill., forest steppe, 21.VI.2002 1 ď K. Nupponen leg. (L. Kaila prep. 4158, Coll. Nupponen)
Diagnosis. Elachista versicolora is a large species with forewing ground colour varying from unicolorous yellowish to brown, in darker specimens wing markings discernible (Figs. 15, 16). It is distinguished from the externally similar E. titanella by its larger cornutus and by the shape of juxta. The juxta lobes of E. versicolora are very broad (best seen in lateral view, Fig. 24), and the posteriorly directed sac of the median plate of juxta is distally blunt.
Description. Forewing length 4.5–5.2 mm. Length of labial palpus 1.1–1.2 times diameter of head, ochreous white, to varying extent fuscous below. Head, neck tuft, scape and pedicel of antenna ochreous white, flagellum grey, weakly annulated with paler rings. Scales of tegula and thorax ochreous white. Foreleg leaden grey with pale tarsal rings, mid- and hindleg pale ochreous grey, tibia and tarsal articles to varying extent darker with pale distal rings. Forewing costa basally narrowly dark grey; ground colour consisting of pale ochreous, to varying extent darker tipped scales giving a weakly mottled appearance in pale specimens, in darker specimens ground colour appears greyish brown with following wing markings: ochreous white transverse outward bent fascia at 2/5 wing length, indistinct crescent-shaped pale spot at 2/3 of costa, and another similar but often larger spot at tornus, these spots to varying extent touching each other; shorter fringe scales often forming grey fringe line; fringe scales ochreous or pale greyish. Underside of forewing grey, fringe scales ochreous. Hindwing grey above, below pale grey in costal half, darker grey in anal half, with pale ochreous fringe scales, at apex bright ochreous.
Male genitalia. Uncus lobes oval-shaped, 1.5 times longer than broad, distally rounded, with a few setae distolaterally, separated by narrow deep incision. Gnathos elongate oval, broadest medially, 2.5 times longer than wide, tapered towards pointed apex. Valva 3.5 times longer than wide at its widest point in the middle; costa evenly convex medially, distinctly emarginated in distal third; sacculus straight, distally bent, with narrow sclerotised reinforcement, joining cucullus at a right angle; distal margin of cucullus straight, cucullus somewhat bent towards costa. Digitate process small, basally narrow, distally blunt and setose, extending to 1/ 10 length of valva. Juxta lobes mesally produced as broad, evenly tapered and distally pointed and setose, bent lobe, lobe 1.5 times longer than diameter of median plate of juxta, juxta lobes laterally produced to form sclerotised triangular keel that is joined to valval process. Vinculum small, broad and rounded. Phallus 2/3 of the length of valva, broad in basal two-thirds, distal third distinctly narrower; caecum short, rounded; apex with eversible lobe, shaped as in Figs. 59 E, F; cornutus a sclerotised plate with one blunt tooth.
Female unknown.
Distribution. Known from Russia: Transbaikalia (Chita, Buryatia).
description: Published as part of Kaila, Lauri, 2007, A taxonomic revision of the Elachista bedellella (Sircom) complex (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae: Elachistinae), pp. 1-25 in Zootaxa 1629 on pages 11-16, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.179345