Istrianis kravchenkoi Bidzilya & Karsholt, 2015, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Bidzilya, Oleksiy
name: Karsholt, Ole
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy

description: 5. Istrianis kravchenkoi sp. nov.
Material examined. Holotype ♂, " Israel ", Jericho, Kalia, May 2004, V. Kravchenko (gen. slide 5699, H. Hendriksen) (ZMUC); Paratypes: 3♀, same data as holotype (gen. slide 5497, 5700, 5735, H. Hendriksen) (TAU, ZMKU, ZMUC).
Adult (Fig. 22). Wingspan 9.1–12.0 mm. Head and thorax covered with grey, black-tipped scales; tegulae light grey to creamy; segment 2 of labial palpus grey with black basal, medial and subapical rings, segment 3 acute, white with black medial and subapical rings; scape greyish brown, flagellum with alternating black and grey rings; forewing creamy to dark grey or nearly black, black scales concentrated mainly along dorsal margin from basal 1/4 and in distal half of forewing, a black spot at base, paired black spots with few light brown scales at ¼, at 2/3 and one black dot at 1/ 2 in the middle of the wing, a black streak at half length near dorsal margin, costal margin black at base, with two nearly connected black spots of irregular shape in middle third, its subapical quarter creamy; cilia white, brown-tipped; hindwing light grey with dark grey cilia.
Variation. The examined specimens are somewhat worn; they differ slightly in the expression of the black pattern at the base of costal margin of the forewing.
Male genitalia (Fig. 63). Tergite VIII subtriangular, distal portion moderately narrow, apex rounded, anteromedial emargination very deep and broad; sternite VIII about 1.5 times broader than long, posteriolateral projections short; uncus digitate, weakly narrowed at base, rounded apically, densely covered with long hairs; gnathos about as long as uncus, gradually narrowing apically, apex strongly sclerotized, without hook; tegumen subtriangular, posterior part strongly inflated, anteromedial emargination narrow, lateral lobes broad with rounded inner margins; cucullus weakly constricted at base, gradually broadened apically, phallus basally broad, tapered distally, slightly constricted in middle, shorter than cucullus.
Female genitalia (Figs 90, 119). Segment VIII trapezoidal, slightly longer than broad; apophyses anteriores longer than segment VIII; anterior margin of sternite VIII nearly straight, posterior margin weakly emarginated in middle; posterior subostial sclerite moderately large, subhexagonal, slightly broader than long, lateral corners with very short projections, anterior sclerites comparatively broad, prolonged, lateral folds distinct, ostium small; ductus bursae long, distal 1/3 finely spinulated, evenly broadened towards subovate corpus bursae; signum subhexagonal, slightly broader than long, margins distinctly serrate.
Diagnosis. I. kravchenkoi may be confused externally with I. nilssoni, but the forewing is broader and without a subcostal orange dot at ½ of the forewing, characteristic for the latter species. The male genitalia are closest to those of I. brucinella, I. arenicolella and other species with broad lateral lobes of tegumen, but can easily be distinguished by the strongly inflated posterior portion of the tegumen. The female genitalia resemble those of I. pseudomyricariella, but the posterior sclerite is slightly larger and with shorter lateral projection, the anterior sclerites are broader and apophyses anteriores are shorter.
Biology. Host plant unknown. Adults were collected at light in May.
Distribution. Middle East (Palestine).
Etymology. I. kravchenkoi is named after Vasiliy Kravchenko, Tel Aviv, Israel who collected the type series.
description: Published as part of Bidzilya, Oleksiy & Karsholt, Ole, 2015, Revision of the genus Istrianis Meyrick, 1918 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) with special regard to the Palaearctic region, pp. 401-445 in Zootaxa 4059 (3) on pages 421-424, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4059.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/237390