Research Article |
Corresponding author: Boyan Zlatkov ( bzlatkov@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Erik J. van Nieukerken
© 2016 Boyan Zlatkov.
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:
Zlatkov B (2016) Taxonomy of two montane Dichrorampha species from the Balkans and Caucasus (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae). Nota Lepidopterologica 39(1): 13-20. https://doi.org/10.3897/nl.39.6760
|
Dichrorampha pentheriana (Rebel, 1917), previously known only from the type locality in Montenegro, is reported from the Vitosha Mountains in Bulgaria, at an altitude of 2100 m. Data on the habitat and the suspected larval host plant (Achillea lingulata Waldst. & Kit., Asteraceae) are provided. A new species, Dichrorampha sakartvelana sp. n., is described from the Georgian Great Caucasus Mountains, at altitude 2280 m. Male and female moths and their genitalia are illustrated with photographs and line drawings.
The genus Dichrorampha Guenée, 1845 comprises 142 species as listed in the Online World Catalogue of the Tortricidae (
The larvae of most Dichrorampha spp. feed on different Asteraceae, mainly two genera: Achillea and Tanacetum (
Two nicely patterned female Dichrorampha were swept from Achillea lingulata Waldst. & Kit. (Asteraceae) in the summer of 2012 in Vitosha Mountains, Bulgaria. Dissection of the genitalia of the female did not provide a reliable identification; additional male specimens were needed but at the time of dissection the season was already over. Collecting of males was postponed to the year 2014, which unfortunately had a very cold and rainy summer; only a single worn female came from the three excursions. Eventually, in June 2015, two males as well as two females were swept from a mountain meadow with numerous flowering A. lingulata. The unmistakable genitalia of the dissected male clearly demonstrated that this odd looking Dichrorampha is D. pentheriana (Rebel, 1917), until now known only from the type series.
An unknown Dichrorampha was discovered in 2014 during an entomological expedition in the Great Caucasus Mountains, Georgia. The two moths were captured in late afternoon flying around tufts of Achillea sp. growing on the rocks alongside a mountain road. Subsequent sweeping of the same (and other) Achillea species did not provide more material, and an approaching thunderstorm suspended any further efforts to collect additional specimens; the locality was not visited again. The specimens collected have identical wing patterns and are of similar size, which in combination with their synchrony and syntopy suggest that they are conspecific. The habitus, wing pattern and genital characters of both male and female moths show unquestionable affiliation to the genus Dichrorampha, but do not match any known species in this genus.
The purpose of the paper is to illustrate and provide additional data and a redescription for the little known Dichrorampha pentheriana and to describe D. sakartvelana sp. n.
BFUS Zoological collection of
NHMW
NMNHS National
The moths were captured with aerial insect nets, killed with ethyl acetate and spread immediately. Later the abdomens were dissected and the genitalia were processed following the procedure of
2 ♂, Bulgaria, Vitosha Mts, near Cherni vrah chalet, 2100 m a.s.l., N 42°34’20’’ E 23°17’03’’, 11.vii.2015, leg. B. Zlatkov & E. Tasheva, coll.
(Figs
Dichrorampha spp. 1–4, D. pentheriana (Rebel, 1917): 1. lectotype ♂, Montenegro, Zljeb Mts, 23.vi.1916, coll.
Male genitalia (Figs
Genitalia of Dichrorampha pentheriana (Rebel, 1917). 7. Male genitalia photographed under coverslip, specimen Vitosha Mts, 11.vii.2015; 8–9, phallus drawn without coverslip in left (8) and dorsal (9) view. 10. Female genitalia, specimen Vitosha Mts, 13.vii.2012. Figures
Female genitalia (Fig.
The wing pattern of D. pentheriana resembles that of D. distinctana (Herrich-Schäffer, 1851) but is easily distinguished by lacking the costal fold. The male genitalia are distinctive and do not show obvious affinities to other species of the genus. The shape of the valva is relatively similar to those of some forms of D. plumbana (Scopoli, 1763), but the phallus is strikingly different. The female genitalia are less characteristic, with antrum (sclerotised posterior part of ductus bursae) similar to some extent to those of D. bugnionana (Duponchel, 1843).
The species is on the wing from mid June to late July. The larval host plant in all likelihood is Achillea lingulata Waldst. & Kit., considering the fact that many Dichrorampha feed on Achillea and all specimens were swept during the florescence period of A. lingulata from its stems or surrounding grass vegetation. Other Achillea spp. and also other Asteraceae growing in the vicinity were searched for D. pentheriana without a positive result, so D. pentheriana is likely to be monophagous. The habitat is a subalpine meadow at an altitude of ca. 2000 m (Fig.
Zljeb Massif (part of Prokletije Mts, between Montenegro and Serbia) and Vitosha Mts (Bulgaria).
No colour illustrations of the adult can be found in literature with the exception of those in
Holotype ♀, with three labels: “Georgia, Great Caucasus | Mountains, Caucasus Range, | near Abano pass | 2280 m N 42°15’54’’ E 45°30’17’’ | 27.vii.2014, netting | leg. B. Zlatkov”, “Holotypus ♀ | Dichrorampha | sakartvelana | det. B. Zlatkov 2015 [red label]”, “
Adult (Figs
Male genitalia (Figs
Female genitalia (Fig.
The new species is characterized externally by uniformly coloured forewings (though the specimens are not fresh) and large size. The male genitalia resemble some species of the “section petiverellae” (sensu
Unknown.
The moths were collected at the end of July, but their condition presumes that they are on the wing earlier. The larval host plant is most probably Achillea sp. above which the moths were flying (plant material was not preserved and an exact identification is thus not possible). The habitat (Fig.
Known from the type locality only.
The name of the species is an adjective, derived from the autonym for Georgia, Sakartvelo, and the specific ending for Tortricidae -ana.
Special thanks are due to the curator S. Gaal-Haszler (Vienna) who provided valuable information and photographs of the D. pentheriana type series. R. Tsonev (Sofia) identified the host plant, D. Gradinarov (Sofia) and M. Ilieva (Sofia) provided photographs of the habitats. Thanks go to D. Chobanov who organised the Caucasian expedition. The author expresses his gratitude to: O. Karsholt (Copenhagen) for providing valuable literature; P. Huemer (Innsbruck) for discussing the novelty and reading an earlier draft of the paper; C. W. Plant (Bishops Stortford, UK) for precious linguistic corrections. The referees P. Huemer and J. Baixeras (Valencia) and the editor E. van Nieukerken (Leiden) made important suggestions that improved the manuscript.