Maurice Jansen

THE GENUS SCROBIPALPA IN THE NETHERLANDS (LEPIDOPTERA: GELECHIIDAE) Maurice Jansen The genus Scrobipalpa is a huge genus with about 70 species in Europe, 11 of which occur in The Netherlands. Half of the European species are more or less restricted to coastal or inland saline habitats. The Netherlands, with its many coastal salt marshes, harbours rich populations of various Scrobipalpa species, and provides ideal opportunities for studying their biology and taxonomy. Most species can only be reliably identified by the genitalia, because of the small differences between species and the great variability in wing pattern. Since the literature is difficult to access and incomplete, the Dutch species are here redescribed and illustrated and keys are provided for externals and genitalia. An overview of biology and ecology is given and maps show the distribution in The Netherlands. The genus Scrobipalpa Janse is one of the largest material and methods gelechiid genera in the Palaearctic region and comprises world-wide more than 200 species. A Distribution maps were compiled exclusively on large part of these species have been described by the basis of specimens examined. The different D. Povolný. However no outline, classification or symbols for periods before and since 1980, are to even a checklist has yet appeared. Although some distinguish old records. They do not infer any representatives are known from Africa and increase of the species, because recently more Australia, the genus is particularly rich in the attention has been paid to these moths. Maps Palaearctic region. A few species are recorded were compiled with the programmes orde and from North America but most of these are consi- eiskaart (Vorst & Fokker 1996, 1998). dered to be recent accidental introductions from Europe. Up to now host plants are known for Standard methods for the preparation of the geni- only 39 species; 20 of these feed on Asteraceae, 12 talia were followed. For male genitalia the ‘unrol- on Chenopodiaceae and 7 on Solanaceae ling technique’ was used (Pitkin 1986, Huemer (Povolný 1980). Most species occurring in The 1987): at one side the vinculum is severed from Netherlands are living on halophytes and are the tegumen. In this way these complex structures more or less confined to coastal or inland saline are spread out and can be better shown on photo- habitats (Jansen 1995). graphs. Female genitalia were stained with chlora- The great variability in external appearance and zol black. The terminology of the genitalia mainly the small differences in genitalia make the species follows Sattler (1987), who thoroughly described of Scrobipalpa notoriously difficult to identify. A the details one must take care of during the pre- lot of available material had not been identified paration. previously and the status of several species occur- Information is given about the adult morphologi- ring in The Netherlands was badly known. The cal characters and the wing patterns, including need for modern identification keys and addition- the major varieties and forms. The terminology of al biological data prompted this study. the wing pattern follows Heath et al. (1976). jansen ‒ SCROBIPALPA in the netherlands 29 Type material has not been examined. Many in Scrobipalpula it is constricted medially. synonyms are mentioned in the various checklists Phthorimaea has an oval gnathos and a very wide but it is uncertain whether the type specimens saccus which is rounded off towards the tip. have really been studied recently. For this reason Povolný & Weismann (1958) recorded the diffe- only very few synonyms are mentioned here. rences between Phthorimaea and Scrobipalpa in male and female genitalia and larval chaetotaxy. Biological data are mainly derived from personal observations and reliable observations of others the northwest european SCROBIPALPA and supplemented by literature data. Flight species period data are based on collecting dates only, not on emergence dates of indoor breeding. Adults About 60-70 Scrobipalpa species are known from often emerge considerably earlier indoors or out- Europe, eighteen of which occur in Northwest doors close to houses. Europe. In The Netherlands eleven species have Host plants are mentioned if they occur in been found. The following seven species are not Northwest Europe. Nomenclature of host plants native to the Dutch fauna but have been collected follows Van der Meijden (1996). European plant in neighbouring countries. Some of these could names, not included in that work follow Flora be expected to be found in The Netherlands. Europaea (Tutin et al. 1964-1980). Nomenclature of plant communities follows Schaminée et al. S. brahmiella (Heyden, 1862) (1998). Feeding on Jurinea, only found in a single locality in Belgium (Sattler 1987); Karsholt & Razowski 1996 the systematic position of ( ) also record the Czech Republic, Slovakia, SCROBIPALPA Germany, France and Austria. The Dutch species of Scrobipalpa were originally described in Gelechia Hübner, Lita Treitschke, S. clintoni Povolný, 1968 Anacampsis Curtis, Tinea Linnaeus, Phthorimaea Feeds on Rumex crispus and has been recorded Meyrick or Gnorimoschema Busck. Janse (1949) from Great Britain, Denmark, Germany and erected Scrobipalpa as a new genus. Povolný Sweden (Povolný 1968, Sattler 1988b); Karsholt & (1964) erected the tribe Gnorimoschemini in Razowski (1996) record also Norway, Russia, which Scrobipalpa is by far the largest genus. Estonia and Latvia. Sattler (1988a) showed that Scrobipalpa Janse, 1951 cannot be separated from Ilseopsis Povolný, 1965. S. murinella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855) Although the status of Scrobipalpa as a separate Hostplant Antennaria dioica. Recorded by genus is generally accepted, it is poorly defined Karsholt & Razowski (1996) from fifteen from other genera and predominantly based on European countries including an erroneous record characters of the male genitalia. from The Netherlands. In The Netherlands the Gnorimoschemini are represented by the genera Caryocolum Gregor & S. pauperella (Heinemann, 1870) Povolný, Gnorimoschema Busck, Phthorimaea Feeds on various species of Asteraceae e.g. Meyrick, Scrobipalpa Janse and Scrobipalpula Centaurea scabiosa and has been recorded from Povolný (Jansen 1998). Scrobipalpa can be separa- eleven European countries (Karsholt & Razowski ted from Caryocolum by the presence of a well 1996). developed gnathos and from Gnorimoschema by the straight sacculus, which is never hook shaped S. reiprichi Povolný, 1984 and by the well developed vincular processes. In Hostplant unknown, collected in Norway Scrobipalpa the gnathos is fairly straight whereas (Karsholt et al. 1986) and the Czech Republic. 30 nederlandse faunistische mededelingen 9 ‒ 1999 12 R1(11) R2(10) Sc( ) R3(9) R4(8) R5(7) M1(6) M2(5) M3(4) Cu1a(3) Cu1b(2) A(1b) Sc(8) R5(7) M1(6) M2(5) M3(4) 1⁄2 1 A ( b) Cu1a(3) 2 1 Cu ( c) Cu1b(2) Figure 1 Venation of a Scrobipalpa species, with abbreviated names of veins. Top: forewing, bottom: hindwing. Figuur 1 Benoeming van de vleugeladers (afgekort) van een Scrobipalpa. Boven: voorvleugel, onder: achtervleugel. S. stangei (E. Hering, 1889) ment slightly longer than third, roughly scaled bene- Hostplant: Triglochin spp. and recorded by ath to form two ridges, leaving a groove between; Karsholt & Razowski (1996) from Denmark, third segment smoothly scaled, some- what com- Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, pressed laterally; antennae simple, shorter than fore- Germany and Great Britain. wing, scape without pecten; head smoothly scaled. Wingspan: 9.0-17.5 mm. Forewing ground colour S. suaedella (Richardson, 1893) cream-white to chocolate brown, mottled with a Feeding on Suaeda spp. especially S. fruticosa and combination of spots, dots and lines; stigmata recorded from Germany, Great Britain (Povolný absent or present, if present regularly surrounded 1967a, Tiedemann 1987), France, Sardinia, Spain, by a ferrugineous brown group of scales; ferrugi- Portugal and Italy (Karsholt & Razowski 1996). neous brown lines are especially present in the fold, near the stigmata and along the veins but general morphology may be found on other places of the wings as well. Wing venation (fig. 1): forewing: a2 with a loop Adult at base, r4 and r5 stalked; m1 often reduced at its Head convex; ocelli present; proboscis well devel- base for a variable part of its length; sometimes oped; length of labial palpus about twice the eye shortly stalked with r4+5. Hindwing: m3 coales- diameter, recurved; first segment short; second seg- cing with cu1 . jansen ‒ SCROBIPALPA in the netherlands 31 valva uncus sacculus vincular process gnathos shoulder invagination sclerotisation alongside invagination tegumen vinculum saccus pedunculus Figure 2 Male genitalia of Scrobipalpa instabilella, with terminology of the parts. Figuur 2 Mannelijke genitaliën van Scrobipalpa instabilella, met benoeming van de onderdelen. Figure 3 cornutus distal part Aedeagus of Scrobipalpa of aedeagus instabilella, with terminology of the parts. Figuur 3 Aedeagus van Scrobipalpa instabilella, met benoeming van de onderdelen. coecum coecum ductus ejaculatorius lamina 32 nederlandse faunistische mededelingen 9 ‒ 1999 kleur4-5-6 09-01-2007 11:42 Page 5 Plate 1 Adults of Scrobipalpa species. Photographs E. J. van Nieukerken. 1 S. acuminatella, Petten (Province of Noord-Holland), 2 S. artemisiella, Egmond (Province of Noord-Holland), coll. Koster. coll. rmnh. 3 S. atriplicella, Callantsoog, Zwanenwater (Province of 4 S. costella, Neeltje Jans (Province

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