Holotype: ROMANIA • ♂; Southern Carpathians, Făgăraș Mountains, Iezerul Caprei; alt. 2100 m; 14 Jul. 2023; ex pupa, pupa 12 Jul. 2023, Juniperus [communis L.]; [DNA sample] TLMF_Lep_38534; genitalia slide Buchner m3915; S. & Z. Kovács leg. & coll. (Miercurea Ciuc).

Paratypes: ROMANIA • 1 ♂, 5 ♀; Southern Carpathians, Parâng Mountains, Cărbunele; alt. 2100 m; 13 Jul. 2016; genitalia prep. 2466/♂/ Kovács [= genitalia slide Buchner m3910] and 2877/♀/ Kovács [= genitalia slide Buchner w3911]; [DNA sample ♀] TLMF_Lep_38518, [DNA sample ♀] TLMF_Lep_47439; S. & Z. Kovács leg. & coll., 1 ♀ TLMF. • 1 ♂; Southern Carpathians, Făgăraș Mountains, Iezerul Caprei; alt. 2000 m; 28 Jul. 1994; S. & Z. Kovács leg. & coll. • 2 ♂, 2 ♀; same locality; alt. 2100 m; 3 Jul. 2022; S. & Z. Kovács leg. & coll. • 1 ♂; same locality; alt. 2100 m; 18 Jun. 2024; ex pupa, pupa 12 Jun. 2024, Juniperus [communis L.]; S. & Z. Kovács leg. & coll. • 1 ♂; same locality; alt. 2100 m; 20 Jun. 2024; ex pupa, pupa 12 jun. 2024, Juniperus [communis L.]; S. & Z. Kovács leg. & coll. • 1 ♀; same locality; alt. 2100 m; 22 Jun. 2024; ex pupa, pupa 12 Jun. 2024, Juniperus [communis L.]); genitalia slide Buchner w3914; S. & Z. Kovács leg. & coll. • 1 ♂; same locality; alt. 2100 m; 23 Jun. 2024; ex pupa, pupa 12 Jun. 2024, Juniperus [communis L.]; S. & Z. Kovács leg. & coll. • 1 ♂; Southern Carpathians, Retezat Mountains; alt. 2300 m; 14 Aug. 1992; L. Rákosy leg.; TLMF. • 1 ♂; same locality; alt. 2000 m; 15 Jul. [1]928; genitalia slide B. Tóth 2454m; [L.] Diószeghy leg.; HNHM. • 2 ♂; [Southern Carpathians,] Berinen [= Cibin Mountains]; 20/7 [= 20 Jul. 1900]; e.l. [= ex larva]; genitalia slide B. Tóth 2455m; [D.] Czekelius leg.; [ex] coll. Uhryk; HNHM.

Adult, male (Fig. 1). Head: smooth, covered with black scales ventrally and laterally around the eye; frons curved, covered with whitish grey lamellate scales; vertex with tufts of grey, whitish grey tipped scales except lateral sides covered with white long scales; ocellus distinct; compound eye large; antenna ⅔ the length of forewing, with scape and pedicellus grey, but dorsally both black, flagellum ringed grey-black, ciliate; proboscis well developed, brownish grey, scaled; maxillary palp tiny, brownish grey; segment 1 of labial palp short and covered with black scales, segment 2 long with tuft of long scales projecting forwards and upwards, scales grey, whitish grey tipped on ¼ dorsal part of outer surface, dorsal surface and ½ dorsal part of inner surface and black on the rest, segment 3 long, pointing upwards, grey except black on the ventral surface and around apex. Thorax and tegulae covered with long grey, whitish grey tipped scales. Wingspan (measured to the nearest half mm) 16–19 mm, forewing length 7.5–8.5 mm. Forewing sub-triangular, ratio (calculated by the width divided by length) 0.27 to 0.28. Forewing covered with grey scales at the basal and sub-basal areas and with grey scales mixed with numerous and unevenly dispersed grey black tipped scales in the rest of the wing, and mixed with a few whitish grey scales in the post-median and apical areas. Markings black and whitish grey: narrow basal black streak on costa; small, elongate, indistinct whitish grey sub-basal spot below costa; long, indistinct whitish grey post-median costal spot followed by similar, but short sub-apical spot; two black, rounded discal spots at about ⅖ and ⅗ of the wing; distinct whitish grey interstigmatic patch and similar but shorter patch immediately distal of discal 2 spot; plical stigmata elongate, black, 1 indistinct, 2 distinct; row of nine indistinct black dots, three of them on costa from post-median costal spot toward apex and six terminal dots from apex towards tornus. Fringes black around apex, along termen whitish grey with two distinct black terminal lines, plain whitish grey to tornus.

Hindwing broadly trapezoidal, ratio 0.30 to 0.31, apex short and pointed, the termen below the apex sinuate, grey, fringes whitish grey with two indistinct black terminal lines.

Underside brownish grey, fringes similar, but with yellowish base and with two indistinct black dividing lines. Legs brownish grey, dorsally with long yellowish grey scales.

Abdomen grey, dorsally each segment distally edged with a row of yellowish grey scales, last segment greyish yellow.

Variation: the grey black tipped scales may form tiny and indistinct black patches in the apical ⅓ of the forewing; whitish grey post-median and sub-apical spots may vary in size and may be more or less confluent; plical stigma 1 may be absent; some of the costal or terminal small black dots may be absent; all these combined may result in slightly darker or lighter specimens.

Female (Fig. 2). Head with appendages and thorax as in male; flagellum with shorter cilia. Smaller than the male on average, wingspan 15.5–17.5 mm, forewing length 6.5–7.5 mm; forewing narrower (ratio 0.25 to 0.26), but hindwing wider (ratio 0.32); the extent of the mixed grey black tipped and whitish grey scales in the post-median and apical areas almost equal; pattern similar.

Variation: whitish grey post-median costal spot may be larger or may even form a weak post-median fascia; whitish grey interstigmatic patch may be shorter; plical stigmata may be confluent.

Male genitalia (Figs 7, 11, 15, 19–20). Uncus fused with tegumen, of medium length, hood-like and spinose, apex slightly concave. Uncus with pair of tiny pinnacles (socii) laterally, each bearing a strong hair. Gnathos basally with pair of crook-shaped lateral processes, gnathos-hook falcate, slightly angulated. Culcitula heavily spinose. Tegumen short, with flap-like lobes. Parateguminal sclerites a pair of small, dorsally oriented, tapering and setose lobes (but sectioned in the midline and hanging near the parateguminal hair-sack on the slide). Parateguminal hair-sack with coremata (the latter not visible on the slide). Valva long, with longitudinal fold, basal ⅗ narrow and distally widening, then abruptly widening at ⅗, distal ⅖ parallel sided, apically rounded and setose. Sacculus short, wide and sparsely setose, with smooth margins, lateral margin straight, medial margin evenly curved, apex tapering. Vinculum long and narrow, ventrally projecting, with wide folding zone, concave medially. Juxta a pair of long and asymmetric lobes, basally fused with medial vinculum, left process 1.25 times longer than right, both slightly sinuous, distally with tiny lateral crests, apex obtusely pointed and slightly setose. Phallus large, laterally flattened, at posterior ⅖ of ventral margin dorsally bent at about 30 degrees, distinctly concave at ⅗, then almost straight, distally pointed; ductus ejaculatorius enters ante-dorsally; longitudinal sclerite large, distally tapering, end pointed; vesica with crescent-shaped, granulose cushion.

Variation (n = 4): apex of juxta lobes may be slightly more pointed.

Female genitalia (Figs 24, 28). Oviscapt weakly extensible; papilla analis slightly longer than segment Ⅷ, weakly sclerotised and densely covered with medium-long and long setae. Posterior apophysis almost twice as long as papilla analis, rod-like, slender, strongly sclerotised. Segment Ⅷ twice as broad as long, with row of sparse setae along posterior margin. Anterior apophysis slightly shorter than segment Ⅷ, rod-like, slender, strongly sclerotised. Ostium bursae slightly broader than half the width of segment Ⅷ, antrum distally slightly widened. Colliculum with sclerotised, complex sclerite, smaller part in ductus bursae, larger part in posterior part of corpus bursae and extending into basally sclerotised ductus seminalis; arched anterior margin of the sclerite unevenly curved and interrupted to ductus seminalis; ductus seminalis connected postero-laterally on the right side. Corpus bursae membranous, as wide as segment Ⅷ and twice as long; the exit area of accessory sack from corpus bursae membranous with two tiny sclerites; accessory sack connected postero-ventrally, small, its diameter ⅔ of the width of segment Ⅷ.

Variation (n = 2): tiny sclerites of the exit area of accessory sack may be absent (Fig. 28).

Dichomeris carpatiella sp. nov. is a large, grey gelechiid species with black and whitish grey mottling, two black discal and one or two plical spots, a whitish grey post-median costal spot, a white interstigmatic patch and an indistinct row of up to nine black terminal spots. In the external morphology of the adult, the grey ground colour differs from the similar D. dolomiella sp. nov., whereas the basally narrower forewing, with a more oblique termen and the indistinct transverse fascia differ from D. juniperella. D. marginella markedly differs in wing colour and pattern (Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). In the male genitalia the slightly concave apex of the uncus and the juxta with the left lobe 1.25 times longer than right differ from the related species (Figs 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23). In the female genitalia the arched anterior margin of the sclerite unevenly curved and interrupted to the ductus seminalis differs from the similar congeners (Figs 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31). For more details see Table 1. Additionally, all species show a significant divergence in the DNA barcode of around 4% p-distance (Fig. 32). The external appearance of both new species at a first glance also resembles Athrips mouffetella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gelechiidae), but the latter species clearly differs by the broader forewing, the presence of two black discal spots at ⅗ of the wing, the falcate labial palp with black and whitish ringed segment 3; and in different habitats at lower altitudes.

Three successfully barcoded specimens of D. carpatiella sp. nov. (one with a shorter sequence of 407 bp) from two localities, resulted in 0% intraspecific divergence and clustered in a unique BIN (see Ratnasingham and Hebert 2013) BOLD:AFZ7686. The nearest neighbour is D. dolomiella sp. nov. (BIN BOLD:AAU1435) at 3.69% minimum p-distance. The related taxa, D. marginella (BIN BOLD:AAC4900) and D. juniperella (BIN BOLD:AAF5665), differ by a minimum 4.01% and 4.49% p-distance respectively.

So far only known from four localities in the Southern Carpathians, the alpine regions of the Făgăraș, Cibin, Parâng and Retezat Mountains (Romania).

The host-plant is Juniperus communis L. Current knowledge of immature stages is limited: the larva lives among needles in silken, slightly elongate, indistinct spinnings on the end of the twigs in sheltered south-facing situations; it may hibernate once or twice; it pupates in the spring within the spinning. Spinnings are indistinct, but the needles of the old spinnings wither and become clearly visible and may indicate the presence of putative new spinnings on the new growth at the end of the twig. The larva resembles that of D. marginella and D. juniperella, but was not examined in detail. The habitats are exposed alpine scree with junipers (Fig. 33). Univoltine. Adults are on the wing from the middle of June to the end of July, highly dependent on general weather conditions. However, the flying period might not be longer than 2–3 weeks: in 2024, a year with an unusual early spring, the collecting site in the Făgăraș Mountains was visited twice, the first time on 12 June when adults were not found, but adults emerged from spinnings collected with pupae between 18 and 23 June; on 12 July, on the second site visit, again no adults were observed. In contrast, one of the records from the Retezat Mountains dates from mid-August. The adults can be beaten from their host-plants. Once disturbed, they fly very fast, up to about 4–5 m above the ground and follow a sinuous route. Males may fly longer distances, up to tens of metres, females usually less, then suddenly hide within junipers or other vegetation.

In 2024 three Pimpla turionellae (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) emerged from the pupae which were identified by DNA barcoding ([DNA sample] TLMF_Lep_38688).

The specific name is a feminine adjective derived from the name of the Carpathians, the mountain range where the new Dichomeris species was discovered.

Holotype: ITALY • ♀; Prov. Udine, Monte Canin N, Rif. Gilberti Umg.; alt. 1850–1900 m; 29 Jul. 2001; genitalia slide GEL 1384♀ P. Huemer; P. Huemer leg.; TLMF.

Paratypes: ITALY • 2 ♂; Italia sept., Südtirol, Schluderbach, Cimabanche; 46°37'34"N, 12°11'21"E; alt. 1530 m; 21 Jul. 2013; [DNA samples] TLMF Lep 12409, TLMF Lep 12410; genitalia slide GEL 1382♂ P. Huemer; P. Huemer leg.; TLMF. • 1 ♀; I[taly], Friuli V[enezia] Giulia UM 65, Udine: Pontebba: Biotopo Torbiera di Pramollo, torbiera; bosco – al lume; alt. 1520 m; 28 Jul. 2001; [DNA sample] BC TLMF Lep 03831; genitalia slide GEL 1383♀ P. Huemer; P. Huemer leg.; TLMF. • 1 ♂, 2 ♀; Tyrolis, Ortler; 16 Jul. [18]99; genitalia slide B. Tóth 2456m, 2457f; [ex] coll. Krone; HNHM.

Adult, male (Fig. 3). Head: smooth, covered with black scales ventrally and laterally around the eye; frons curved, covered with whitish grey scales; vertex covered with whitish grey scales with pure white lateral sides; ocellus distinct; compound eye large; antenna ⅔ the length of forewing, with scape and pedicellus ventrally whitish grey, dorsally mid-brown, flagellum dark brown, ciliate; proboscis well developed, brownish grey, scaled; maxillary palp tiny, brownish grey; segment 1 of labial palp short and covered with greyish brown scales, segment 2 long with tuft of long, basally light brown and distally greyish brown scales projecting forwards and upwards, dorsal surface and upper part of outer and inner surface whitish, segment 3 long, pointing upwards, with light brown lower and whitish grey upper surface, apex dark brown. Thorax and tegula covered with brownish grey scales. Wingspan from 17 to approx. 20 mm. Forewing length 8–9.5 mm. Forewing sub-triangular, ratio (calculated by the width divided by length) 0.26. Forewing covered with brownish grey scales mixed with whitish grey scales on costal base, in middle of wing and in the post-median and apical areas; two black, rounded discal spots at about ⅖ and ⅗ with whitish grey scales between, one black and short plical streak at about ⅖ of fold with whitish grey scales towards base and termen; variable number of indistinct black dots on costa from post-median costal spot towards apex and terminal dots from apex toward tornus. Fringes black around apex, along termen whitish grey with two distinct black terminal lines, plain whitish grey to tornus.

Hindwing broadly trapezoidal, ratio 0.30, apex short and pointed, termen below apex sinuate, grey, fringes whitish grey with two indistinct black terminal lines.

Underside brownish grey, fringes similar, but with yellowish base and with two indistinct black dividing lines. Legs brownish grey, dorsally with some yellowish grey scales.

Abdomen grey.

Variation: Pattern elements and coloration of the wings, especially the extent of pale scaling, show a partly artificial range of variation and are only faintly discernible in the worn paratype (Fig. 3).

Female (Fig. 4). Head with appendages and thorax as in male; flagellum with shorter cilia. Smaller than male, with wingspan 16–18 mm (n = 3), forewing length of 7.5–8.5 mm; forewing sub-triangular, narrow (ratio 0.25), hindwing broadly trapezoidal (ratio 0.31); wing colour and pattern similar to male.

The small number of partially worn specimens, and additionally the different preparation methods (ranging from simply pinned to spread out) do not allow any definitive conclusions to be drawn about the range of variation within the species.

Male genitalia (Figs 8, 12, 16, 21). Uncus fused with tegumen, of medium length, hood-like, apex slightly convex, slightly rounded and spinose. Uncus with a pair of tiny pinnacles (socii) laterally, each bearing a strong hair. Gnathos basally with pair of crook-shaped lateral processes, gnathos-hook falcate, slightly angulated. Culcitula covered with microspines. Tegumen short with flap-like teguminal lobes. Parateguminal sclerites a pair of small, dorsally oriented, distally rounded and setose lobes. Parateguminal hair-sack indistinct, with coremata. Valva long, truncate with longitudinal fold, basally narrow, distally slightly widening, then abruptly widening at ½, distal half wide, apically rounded and setose. Sacculus short, wide and setose, with slightly curved uneven margins, apex rounded. Vinculum long and narrow, ventrally projecting. Juxta a pair of long and asymmetric lobes, basally fused with medial vinculum, left process 1.2 times as long as right, both slightly sinuous, at ¾ with tiny lateral crests, distally acutely pointed and slightly setose. Phallus slender, laterally flattened, posterior ⅓ of ventral margin slightly concave, at ⅓ dorsally bent at about 30 degrees, then slightly sinuous, distally pointed; ductus ejaculatorius enters ante-dorsally; longitudinal sclerite large, distally tapering, pointed apex; vesica with crescent-shaped, granulose cushion.

Variation (n = 2): unknown.

Female genitalia (Figs 25, 29). Oviscapt weakly extensible; papilla analis slightly longer than segment Ⅷ, weakly sclerotised and densely covered with medium-long and long setae. Posterior apophysis 1.5 times as long as papilla analis, rod-like, slender, strongly sclerotised. Segment Ⅷ 1.5 times as broad as long, with row of sparse setae along posterior margin. Anterior apophysis slightly shorter than segment Ⅷ, rod-like, slender, strongly sclerotised. Ostium bursae ⅔ as broad as width of segment Ⅷ, antrum distally slightly widened. Colliculum with a complex sclerite, shorter part in ductus bursae, larger part in posterior part of corpus bursae, extending into basally sclerotised ductus seminalis; widely arched anterior margin of sclerite sharp and distinct, evenly curved and uninterrupted to the ductus seminalis; ductus seminalis connected postero-laterally on right side. Corpus bursae membranous, slightly wider than segment Ⅷ and almost three times as long as wide; exit area of accessory sack from corpus bursae membranous; accessory sack connected postero-ventrally.

Variation (n = 3): no variation observed.

Dichomeris dolomiella sp. nov. is a large brownish grey gelechiid species with mixed whitish grey scales and black markings: two discal spots, one plical streak and a variable number of terminal spots. In the external morphology of the adult the brownish grey ground colour differs from the similar D. carpatiella sp. nov., whereas the basally narrower forewing, with a more oblique termen differ from D. juniperella. D. marginella markedly differs in wing colour and pattern (Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). In the male genitalia the slightly convex apex of the uncus and the juxta with the left lobe 1.2 times longer than right differs from the related species (Figs 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23). In the female genitalia the sharp and distinct, evenly curved and to the ductus seminalis uninterrupted widely arched anterior margin of the sclerite differs from the similar congeners (Figs 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31). For more details see Table 1. Additionally, all species show a significant divergence in the DNA barcode of around 4% p-distance (Fig. 32). The external appearance at first glance also resembles Athrips mouffetella (Linnaeus, 1758), for details see D. carpatiella sp. nov. above.

Three successfully barcoded specimens of D. dolomiella sp. nov. grouped in a unique BIN (BIN BOLD:AAU1435), with 0% intraspecific divergence and a minimum p-distance of 3.69% to the nearest neighbour D. carpatiella sp. nov. (BIN BOLD:AFZ7686). The minimum p-distance of D. dolomiella sp. nov. to D. marginella is 5.25% and to D. juniperella 5.9%.

Dichomeris dolomiella sp. nov. is only known from the south-eastern Alps of Italy, with a few records from the provinces of Bolzano-Südtirol and Udine. It is likely that the species had already been collected by Mann in 1876 near Schluderbach and listed as D. juniperella by Mann and Rogenhofer (1877).

Host-plant and early stages are unknown, though the new species is almost certainly associated with Juniperus spp. The recently collected adults have so far only been collected at light, usually in high montane to subalpine dwarf shrub communities on scree-rich dolomite substrate, and at one location also in a raised bog with dwarf shrubs including Juniperus (Fig. 34). The flight period appears to be narrowly limited, with all records dating from the second half of July.

The specific name is a feminine adjective derived from the Dolomites, the mountain range where the new species was discovered.