Monochroa inflexella n.sp. (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) INGVAR SVE,NSSON Svensson, I.I992: Monochroa inflexella n.sp. (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae). - Ent. Tidskr. 113: 47-51. Mora, Sweden 1992. ISSN 0013-886x. Monochroa inflexella n.sp. is described from the Swedish islands of Öland and Gotland and compared witir the closely related M. Iutulentella (Zel\er,1839) and M. elongella (Heine- judged species. The -unn, t870;. Additional material from Austria is to belong to the same foodpiant is unknown, but the new species occurs on dry places on limestone where Filipen- dula vulgaris Moench. grows abundantly. I. Svensson, Vivedalsvägen 10, Österslöv, S2Sl 91 Kristianstad, Sweden' Introduction On June 17, 1981 a small blackish female moth Svensson (white label), Genitalpreparat 6855 and was caught at light in Böda on the Swedish island 6860, Ingvar Svensson, Monochroa inflexella Svn' of Öland. The site was an open dry meadow on male (green label); 1 female SUECIA Go Boge, limestone with scattered. Iuniperus and Cratae- UTM 34V CJ6690, 12.VL1984,Ingvar Svensson gus bushes, in Swedish called "alvar". Another (white label), Monochroa inflexella Svn. female, iemale was collected at the same locality on L8 det. Ingvar Svensson (blue label). All in the Zoo- June, 1986. The lower vegetation is rich in speci- logical Museum, Lund University, Sweden. - 1 es, one of the most abundant being Filipendula female 33433 SUECIA Go Burs,. Ammunde' vulgaris Moench. Further specimens of the same UTM 34V CJ5245, 15.VI.1984, B A Bengtsson species were also caught at light or occasionally (white label), Gen.prep.nr 2289 female, netted on the island of Gotland in 1984 in three B.Å.Bengtsson (yellow label); 1 female 34075 localities similar to that in Böda, viz. Boge June SUECIA Go 2 km ESE Ardre, UTM 34V 12. Burs June 15 and Ardre Jwe27-28. Six addi- CJ6260,28.VL1984, B Å Bengtsson (white label), tional specimens judged to belong to the same Gen.prep.nr 2290 femal,e. B.A. Ben gtsson (yellow species were sent by the late dr. F. Kasy, all col- label); 1 female 36374 SUECIA 01Böda, Långal- lected in Austria, Hackelsberg N v. Neusiedler var, UTM 33V XD2256,18.VL1986, B A Bengts- See 7973-16. The species seems to be mostly son (white label). Monochroa inflexella Svn., det. night-active. It has not been possible to obtain Ingvar Svensson (blue label). All three in coll' more material of the species or assign it to any Bengt A. Bengtsson. .described species. Additional material: (Monochroa inflexella Svn., det. Ingvar Svensson, blue label): 3 males M onochro a inflexe lla n.sp. and 3 females, 30.V.1973, second labels 1749 Type material: Holotype female: SUECIA Go male, 1878 male and 1887 female, Mus. Vind. Burs. UTM 34V CJ 5345, 15.U.1984, Ingvar Gen.Präp., 21.V1.191 4, second label 1 91 2 female, Svensson (white label), Genitalpreparat (genita- Mus. Vind. Gen.Präp., 23.6.1975 (female) and lia slide) 6845, Ingvar Svensson, Monochroa 22.V1.1976 (male), all from AUSTRIA Hackels- inflexella Svn. female (green label), Holotypus, berg N Burgenland, N v Neusiedler See and col- Monochroa inflexella Svn. (red label). In the Zoo- lected by dr. F. Kasy. Monochroa sp. (Kasy 1979). logical Museum, Lund University, Sweden. Type In Naturhistorisches Museum Wien. locality: according to white label. Diagnosis: Similar to Monochroa elongella (Paratypus, label): 1 Jemale (Heinemann, 1870), but on the average smaller, Paratypes .. red SUECIA ÖI BödA. UTM 33V XD2356, wing expanse 9-14 mm, against 12-16 mm, fore- 17.VI.1981, Ingvar Svensson (white label), Geni- wings with less distinct opposite white costal and talpreparat 6581, Ingvar Svensson, Monochroa tornal spots as well as spots around apex. Dark inflexella Svn. (green label);2 males SUECIA Go spots almost invisible. Costa concave (inflected, Ardre. UTM 34V CJ6362, 27.YI.1984, Ingvat hence inflexella). Palps without white margins on 47 Ingvar Svensson Ent. Tidskr. 113 (1992) 4 Figs. 1-4. - l. Monochroa inflexella n.sp. female, holotype (SUECIA Go Burs 15.V1.1984, genitalia slide 6815). - 2. M. inflexella n.sp. male, paratype (SUECIA Go Ardre 27.VL1984, genitalia slide 6860). - 3. M. lutulentella (2.1 male (SUECIA Go Norlanda 13.V11.1969). - 4. M. elongella (Hein.) mate (SUECIA Go Fårö 3.V11.1969). - xq. - AII in coll. Ingvar Svensson. second joint. White rings in antennae less distinct. the end of the joints of the legs. The extreme tip Probably closest related to M. lutulentella (Zeller, of the end joint of the palps is whitish, end joint 1839) which is easily recognized by being much much shorter than second joint, 112-113. Anten- larger, wing expanse 15-18 mm, forewings with nae with whitish 1st joint from the end and then distinct discal spot and light markings usually mis- again with whitish 9th, 17th and 25th joints, other- sing. (Figs. 1-4). Also genitalia different, see wise almost unicoloured. sometimes also 23rd below. joint whitish (Fig. 5). Wing expanse female 9-1 1 Foodplant and early stages: Unknown. mm. male 72-14mm. Distribution: So far known onlv from the Swe - Female genitalia (Figs. 7-8): Distinguished by dish islands of Öland and Gotland in the Baltic the round signum resembling a rose blossom, Sea and from the small mountain Hackelsberg in teeth mostly flattened, otherwise rather similar to Austria, occurring on dry meadows on limestone. M. lutulentella also with round signum, and M. Description: The moth (Figs. 1-2) is blackish elongella with oblong signum, but both with poin- fuscous. Whitish marks occur in the forewings ted teeth. Folds and apophyses anteriores of 8th only as opposite costal and tornal spots and bey- segment also look different. Apophyses posterio- ond those about six smaller spots around apex. res in M. lutulentella distinctly longer (Figs. 10, There is also an almost invisible darker discal 12). stigma. Cilia with distinct dark line, the extreme Male genitalia (Fig. 6): Basis of the weak saccu- tips also darker. Costa distinctly concave owing to lus narrower than in M. lutulentella ano elongella long cilia before apex. Hindwings lighter than (Figs. 9, 11), the former also usually with the forewings. Indistinct whitish rings are present at lower edge curved inwards, otherwise the genita- 48 Ent. Tidskr. 113 (1992) Monochroa inflexella n.sp. Fig 5. End part of antenna in Monochroa of the lutulentella group. - x30 lia rather similar. Cornuti numerous, size of the vents valuable knowledge from being distributed, largest different, longest rn inflexella (0,050 mm), while this often time-consuming work is done. then follows lutulentella (0,030 mm) and shortest Revisions do not often last long, but species in elongella (0,015 mm). should last forever. Lack of knowledge of species may causc them to be exterminated by inappro- priate or no actions. We lose too many species Discussion already because we do not know them at all, The new species belongs to a group rn Mono- know too little or cannot get our knowledge to act chroa sensu Benander (1945) with irregularly dis- in the right way. I hope this paper will contribute tributed whitish rings towards the end of the to saving a rare species with appearantly limited antennae, which could be called the lutulentella distribution. group after the most common species in north E,urope. Other species of the group frorn this region are the already mentioned lutulentella and Acknowledgments elongella, further M. hornigi (Staudinger, 1883), I wish to thank all lepidopterists with whom I with similar rings, M. arundinetella (Stainton, have had the opportunity to discuss different mat- 1858) often with double rings but innermost rings ters concerning this paper and especially my fri- usually missing, M. niphognatha (Gozmäny, end Bengt A. Bengtsson and the late dr. Friedrich 1953), 14. simpliciella (Lienig & Zeller , 1846) and Kasy, who generously gave me access to their M. suffusella (Douglas, 1850) with 3-6 rings on material. Russell Smith has kindly checked the every 4th instead of Sth joints. language. The specimens ol M. inflexella from Austria are externally quite similar to those irom Sweden, as References well as in the male genitalia. In the female genita- Bernander, P.7945. Släktet Xystophora Hein. och dess lia the signum appears to be somewhat different, svenska arter. - Ent. Tidskr.66: 125-135. the teeth numerous, and more pointed, thus Kasy, F. 7979. Die Schmetterlingsfauna des Natur- approaching M. lutulentella. This may be explai- schutzgebietes Hackelsberg, Nordburgenland. - Z. ned by long separation of the populations. Arb Gem öst. Ent. 30, Suppl.: 144. Fortunately for recognition the species most similar to M. inflexella, M. servella (Zeller, 1839) and M. conspersella (Herrich-Schaeffer, 1854), Sammanfattning have only alternating light and dark rings on their Monochroa inflexella n.sp. beskrivs från Öland antennae. They usually also occur in moister loca- och Gotland i .Sverige och är känd även från lities.In recent years a habit of not allowing the Hackelsberg i Osterrike. Den nästan helt svart- publishing of new species without a complete brungrå fjärilen hknar M. elongella men är i revision has spread, often in the name of science. genomsnitt något mindre och har framför allt I think this is most unfortunate, because it pre- konkav framkant på framvingarna. Sannolikt är 49 Ingvar Svensson Ent. Tidskr. 113 (1992) 6 5r gnm & Figs. 6-12. Genitalia of Monochroa. - 6. M, inflexa n.sp. male, paratype (SU ECIA Go Ardre 27.VL 1984, genitalia slide 6860). - x150. - 7. M. inflexa n.sp. female, holotype (SUECIA Go Burs l5.VLI9B4, genitalia slide 6845). ' x100, signum x400. - 8. M. inflexa n.sp. female, paratype (SUECIA OI Böda 17.VL19B1, genitalia slide 6581). - x50. - 9. M.lutulentella (2.) male (SUECIA Sk Simrishamn2.VII.196l, genitalia slide 3475).