Research Article |
Corresponding author: Sjaak J. C. Koster ( sjaak.koster@naturalis.nl ) Academic editor: Vazrick Nazari
© 2020 Sjaak J. C. Koster, Per Falck, Jari Junnilainen, Ole Karsholt, Erik J. van Nieukerken.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Koster SJC, Falck P, Junnilainen J, Karsholt O, van Nieukerken EJ (2020) The francoeuriae species group in the genus Alloclita Staudinger, 1859 with description of A. canariensis Koster & Junnilainen, sp. nov. from the Canary Islands (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Cosmopterigidae). Nota Lepidopterologica 43: 95-116. https://doi.org/10.3897/nl.43.48404
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Alloclita canariensis Koster & Junnilainen sp. nov. is described from the Canary Islands Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Tenerife. Two specimens from Gran Canaria were previously misidentified as A. francoeuriae Walsingham, 1905, a North African species. We record A. francoeuriae also as new for the Canary Islands, from Fuerteventura. The potential hostplants of A. canariensis are Asteriscus species (Asteraceae). DNA barcodes of both species are provided and compared with five other Alloclita species. The related Alloclita subitariella (Riedl, 1993), only known from the holotype from Saudi Arabia, is redescribed. These three species are placed in the new Alloclita francoeuriae group.
The genus Alloclita Staudinger, 1859 (Cosmopterigidae, Gelechioidea) comprises small to medium sized moths with broad fore and hindwings. The forewing pattern varies from rather dull and uncoloured to a more striking pattern with contrasting fasciae. The genus was established by
The genus Alloclita is rather small, with 16 currently named species (
From Macaronesia, the Canary Islands are probably among the best explored islands for Microlepidoptera. So far, 17 species of Cosmopterigidae in eight genera have been recorded, five of which are endemic (
Since 2014 Danish and Finnish lepidopterists have collected a large series of Alloclita specimens from the larger islands Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Tenerife, in total more than 100 specimens.
Although the specimens show variation in wingspan and forewing coloration, there was no doubt that most of this material belongs to an unknown species in the genus Alloclita. Dissection of the male and female genitalia showed that this species is closely related to A. francoeuriae. After comparing these data with the figures of the adult and the male genitalia of the specimens identified as A. francoeuriae by
Alloclita francoeuriae, A. canariensis sp. nov. and also a third species from Saudi Arabia, A. subitariella (Riedl, 1993), are closely related and differ from all other species in the genus by the longer and narrower forewings. In the male genitalia they differ by the valvae and by the basal lobes of the valvae, both are much shorter and slightly asymmetrical. These parts of the male genitalia are symmetrical in the other species of Alloclita.
Since the three species look similar to each other both externally and in male genitalia, all three species are treated here, a new species group is erected, the francoeuriae group, and the differences in the forewing pattern and the genitalia are discussed and illustrated. As a consequence the other Alloclita species are placed in the A. recisella group.
Danish collectors (Per Falck, Carsten Hviid, Ole Karsholt, Knud Larsen, Bjarne Skule) attracted almost all specimens to an 8 watt super actinic light. A few specimens from Lajares on Fuerteventura were obtained by netting in the afternoon sunshine. Material collected by Jari Junnilainen originated from a single locality in Gran Canaria. The moths were collected there by a combination of car lights, a head lamp and a small ultraviolet tube lamp of 4 watts, powered by regular batteries.
We only recognize specimens of the new species as paratypes when they have been studied for the description, the other specimens listed were later identified by the co-authors (see
Genitalia were dissected following the methodology presented by
The morphological terminology follows
The photographs of adult Alloclita canariensis and A. francoeuriae were taken by EvN with a Zeiss AxioCam digital camera attached to a motorized Zeiss SteREO Discovery V20, using Carl Zeiss AxioVision 4.9.1 software. The adult of A. subitariella was depicted in watercolours. Wing venation, male and female genitalia were illustrated in line drawings, in lateral position for the males and in ventral position for the male and female genitalia of A. francoeuriae and A. canariensis; these drawings have been reduced to 70% of their original size. Drawings of the genitalia were made with a compound microscope using the camera lucida method. For this purpose a strong light source (slide projector) was used for the illumination on the mirror of the microscope. A prism was placed on top of the microscope eyepiece to bend the projection 90° and project the subject on drawing paper. All outlines were drawn by pencil and later set in Indian ink. Scale bars alongside the drawings are 0.1 mm (
The distribution maps were prepared with ArcGIS software 10.2.2.
DNA barcodes were derived in the laboratories of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center from extracts taken from abdomens following the procedures outlined by
The resulting COI sequences are combined with other available Alloclita barcodes, in total representing seven species from West Africa, Middle East and East Asia, in the public BOLD dataset “Alloclita from the Canary Islands [DS-ALLOCAN]” [https://doi.org/10.5883/DS-ALLOCAN]. All data and GenBank registry numbers can be found in this dataset.
The Neighbor Joining tree was prepared with the tree building tools on BOLD (
CF Collection Per Falck.
CJ Collection Jari Junnilainen.
RMNH Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
ZMUC Zoological Museum, Natural History Museum of Denmark.
[Alloclita francoeuriae;
Holotype. Spain – Canary Islands • ♂; Tenerife, Tamaimo; 28.27°N, 16.82°W; 550 m; 8–22 Nov. 2016; Per Falck leg.; genitalia slide: JCK 8685; DNA barcode sample COSM066–18; ZMUC; RMNH.INS.15578.
Paratypes (16 ♂♂, 1 ♀). Spain – Canary Islands • 1 ♂; Fuerteventura, Corralejo; 28.73°N, 13.87°W; alt. 0–10 m; 27 Feb.–19.Mar. 2018; P. Falck leg.; CF • 1 ♂; Fuerteventura, Lajares; 28.68°N, 13.94°W; alt. 50–80 m; 1–27 Nov. 2017; P. Falck leg.; CF • 1 ♂; same locality as preceding; 27 Feb.–19 Mar. 2018; P. Falk leg.; CF • 1 ♂; same data as preceding; genitalia slide: JCK 8686; DNA barcode sample COSM067–18; RMNH; RMNH.INS.15579 • 1 ♂; Gran Canaria, Ayacata; 27.966°N, 15.606°W; alt. 1500 m; 17–30 Sep. 2018; P. Falck leg.; genitalia slide: JCK 8687, DNA barcode sample COSM065–18; CF; RMNH.INS.15577 • 1 ♂; Gran Canaria, El Doctoral; 27.833°N, 15.453°W; alt. 350 m; 9–12 May 2018; K. Larsen leg.; ZMUC • 1 ♂; Gran Canaria, Inagua; 27.937°N, 15.756°W; 8 Dec. 2014; J. Junnilainen leg.; CJ • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same locality as preceding; 9 Dec. 2014; J. Junnilainen leg.; genitalia in vial, genitalia slide: JCK 8678; CJ • 3 ♂♂; same locality as preceding; 15 Jan. 2016; J. Junnilainen leg.; genitalia slide: JCK 8679; CJ • 1 ♂; same data as preceding; genitalia slide: JCK 8675, DNA barcode sample COSM064–18; RMNH; RMNH.INS.15554 • 1 ♂; Gran Canaria, 1.3 km N Mogan; 27.89583°N, 15.7225°W; alt. 430 m; 3–8 Nov. 2014; B. Skule leg; ZMUC • 1 ♂; Tenerife, Arona; 28.10°N, 16.68°W; alt. 500 m; 8–22 Nov. 2016; P. Falck leg.; wing slide: JCK 8690; CF.
(97 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀). Spain – Canary Islands • 1 ♂; Fuerteventura, Betancuria; 28.425°N, 14.057°W; alt. 400 m; 7–27 Nov. 2017; P. Falck leg.; CF • 1 ♂; Fuerteventura, Corralejo; 28.73°N, 13.87°W; alt. 0–10 m; 27 Feb.–19 Mar. 2018; P. Falk leg.; CF • 9 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Fuerteventura, Lajares; 28.68°N, 13.94°W; alt. 50–80 m; 1–27 Nov. 2017; P. Falck leg.; CF • 20 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same locality as preceding; 27 Feb.–19 Mar. 2018; P. Falk leg.; CF • 3 ♂♂; Gran Canaria, Inagua; 27.937°N, 15.756°W; 7 Dec. 2014; J. Junnilainen leg.; CJ • 3 ♂♂; same locality as preceding; 8 Dec. 2014; J. Junnilainen leg.; CJ • 10 ♂♂; same locality as preceding; 9 Dec. 2014; J. Junnilainen leg.; genitalia slide: GPJJ201515; CJ • 4 ♂♂; same locality as preceding; 15 Jan. 2016; J. Junnilainen leg.; CJ • 27 ♂♂; Gran Canaria, 1.3 km N Mogan; 27.89583°N, 15.7225°W; alt. 430 m; 3–8 Nov. 2014; B. Skule leg.; genitalia slide: Karsholt 5320♂; ZMUC • 2 ♂♂; same data as preceding; RMNH; RMNH.INS.15635, RMNH.INS.15636 • 1 ♂; Lanzarote, 0.8 km S Conil; 1,4 km N Tias; 28.96055°N, 13.66536°W; alt. 240 m; 2–8 Nov. 2018; B. Skule & C. Hviid leg.; ZMUC • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Lanzarote, El Bosquecillo; 29.12618°N, 13.52211°W; alt. 600 m; 6 Nov. 2018; B. Skule & C. Hviid leg.; ZMUC • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same data as preceding; RMNH; RMNH.INS.15637 to RMNH.INS.15639 • 6 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Lanzarote, Urb. Famara; ; 29.09669°N, 13.55479°W; alt. 55 m; 2–8 Nov. 2018; B. Skule & C. Hviid leg.; ZMUC • 4 ♂♂; Lanzarote, 2 km SW Urb. Famara, Las Laderas; 29.09669°N, 13.55479°W; alt. 75 m; 2–8 Nov. 2018; B. Skule & C. Hviid leg.; ZMUC • 2 ♂♂, 1♀; Lanzarote, 3,5 km NE Teguise, Barranco de Manguia; 29.07089°N, 13.52647°W; alt. 275 m; 4 Nov. 2018; B. Skule & C. Hviid leg.; ZMUC • 2 ♂♂; Tenerife, Arona; 28.10°N, 16.68°W; alt. 500 m; 8–22 Nov. 2016; P. Falck leg.; CF.
(2 ♂♂,
Alloclita canariensis resembles A. francoeuriae and A. subitariella. It can be distinguished by the two blackish brown streaks on the forewing; the proximal streak bends upwards before it reaches the dorsum, the distal streak is broad and straight in the middle of the fold. In the male genitalia it differs from A. francoeuriae by the longer and more slender basal lobes of the valva and the longer and more slender cucullus. From A. subitariella it differs by the basally more slender brachia of the uncus and by the slender and apically rounded right basal lobe of the valva. In the female genitalia it differs from A. francoeuriae by the V-shaped anterior edge of segment VIII, by the more irregular shape of the sclerotized band of the ostium and by the narrower signa.
Male and female (Figs
The creamy white ground colour of the forewing is often darkened to a greater or lesser extent.
(Fig.
(Fig.
(Figs
The specimens from Inagua on Gran Canaria were collected at light by Jari Junnilainen on the road side of GC-200. The light source was positioned near a spot where Asteriscus graveolens subsp. stenophyllus (Link) Greuter (Asteraceae) (Figs
Adults found from early November to March, in May and September; adults may fly year-round.
(Fig.
Alloclita francoeuriae Walsingham, 1905: 126.
Alloclita francoeuriae;
Allocrita francoeuriae;
Syntypes. Algeria • 1 ♂; Biskra; 34.86°N, 5.73°E; 23 Feb. 1895; [Eaton leg.]; Walsingham 96473 leg.; Walsingham Collection B.M. 1910–427; Genitalia not dissected;
Algeria • 1 ♂; “Hammam-es-Salahin” [Hammam Salihine]; 34.857°N, 5.70819°E; 12 Mar. 1904; Walsingham 97937 leg.; Walsingham Collection B.M. 1910–427;
Morocco • 1 ♂; Guelmim-Oued Noun: Sidi Ifni; 29.38333°N 10.1725°W; alt. sea level; 5–7 Mar. 2017; C. Hviid, O. Karsholt, K. Larsen, D. Nilsson leg.; genitalia slide: JCK 8689; DNA barcode sample COSM069–18; ZMUC; RMNH.INS.15581.
Spain • 1 ♂; Canary Islands, Fuerteventura, Calderata; 28.59°N, 13.88°W; alt. 120 m; 7–27 Nov. 2017; P. Falck leg.; genitalia slide: JCK 8688; DNA barcode sample COSM068–18; CF; RMNH.INS.15580 • 2 ♂♂; Canary Islands, Fuerteventura, Betancuria; 28.425°N, 14.057°W; alt. 400 m; 7–27 Nov. 2017; P. Falck leg.; CF.
(material examined by S. Yu Sinev, personal communication). Algeria • Beni Ounif; 32.05°N, 1.25°W; • El Golea; 30.559°N, 2.887°E.
Morocco • Ademine (nr Ain Nekhla); 30.318°N, 9.356°W • Ait Melloul; 30.34°N, 9.5°W.
Tunisia • Gafsa; 34.431°N, 8.77°E • Kaliuli (possibly Bir el Khalloul; 34.83°N, 10.59°E) • Tozeur; 33.918°N, 8.122°E.
Alloclita francoeuriae can be distinguished from A. canariensis and A. subitariella by the proximal dark brown streak of the forewing which reaches dorsum, and by the distal dark brown streak above fold which has a basal extension towards dorsum (Fig.
(Figs
Larva in April burrowing under the woolly bark of Pulicaria undulata (Asteraceae), after eating out the inside of the leaves it makes sand galleries attached to the crown of the root. Pupa pale brown, in a dense white cocoon, covered with sand and frass particles (
Adults from the end of February to early April, in July (
(Fig.
Proceleustis subitariella Riedl, 1993: 149.
Alloclita subitariella
(Riedl, 1993):
Holotype. Saudi Arabia • 1♂; Maraba; 17.9°N, 42.38°E; 3 Sep. [19]78; W. Saenger leg.; genitalia slide: 1310/R;
Alloclita subitariella can be distinguished from A. canariensis and A. francoeuriae by the proximal blackish brown streak on the forewing as an incomplete fascia which does not reach the dorsum and by the distal blackish brown streak that runs as a very broad fascia from the costa but does not reach the dorsum. In the male genitalia it differs from A. canariensis and A. francoeuriae by the broad-based brachia of the uncus and by the basal lobes of the valvae both of which bear an apical hook.
Male (Fig.
(Fig.
(Fig.
Unknown. The holotype was collected in early September.
The single specimen is in poor condition. The male genitalia are positioned laterally on the slide with the phallus in situ and do not show all the characters properly.
Given that only two specimens of Alloclita canariensis were collected earlier (1930 and 1931,
In the male genitalia there are also differences between these two species groups. The male genitalia of the A. recisella-group (Figs
In the female genitalia the differences are less prominent: the only difference found between the species-groups is the helical shape of the anterior two-thirds of the ductus bursae.
DNA barcoding (Fig.
Both species group together in the Neighbor Joining tree (Fig.
We are grateful to Sergey Sinev and Vladimir Lukhtanov (
Table S1
Data type: specimen data