Pleurota hebetella Ragonot, 1889

Tabell, Jukka, Honey, Martin, Leger, Théo, Mutanen, Marko, Nupponen, Timo & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2025, New and poorly known Pleurota Hübner, [1825] species from peninsular Spain, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae, Pleurotinae), SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología 53 (209), pp. 43-74 : 45

Pleurota hebetella Ragonot, 1889 ( Figures 1 , 27, 51)

Barcode Index Number: BOLD:ADA2839

Pleurota hebetella Ragonot, 1889 . Bull. Soc. ent. Fr., (6) 9, 130

Type locality: SPAIN: Albarracín and Cuenca. Paratype 1, coll. E. L. Ragonot ( MNHN [not found)], designated by Back (1973), Albarracín, Cotype, male genitalia illustrated by Back (1973) .

Material studied: SPAIN, Aragón, prov. TERUEL, 3.5 km ENE Monteagudo del Castillo vill., 1530- 1600 m, 2 1 (DNA sample 24684 Lepid Phyl; DNA sample 24685 Lepid Phyl), 24-VI-2012, T. Nupponen leg .; same collecting data, 1 1 (GP 5574 J. Tabell, DNA sample 24683 Lepid Phyl) but 25- VI-2012 ; same collecting data, but 1500 m, N40.46847 W0.77984, 4 1 (GP 5769 J. Tabell), 6-VII-2016, J. Tabell leg. (coll. TAB) .

Diagnosis: P. hebetella is characterized by unicolorous ochreous brown forewing with dark grey costal and dorsal fringes. In the male genitalia, the large area of scobination of gnathos and the long posterior lobe of juxta are diagnostic. The female is unknown.

Molecular data: Three specimens of P. hebetella were sequenced successfully, resulting in 658 bp (n=2) and 567 bp (n=1) DNA barcodes. The nearest neighbour to P. hebetella is P. rondaensis sp. nov., with a 3.13 % divergence. The barcodes of P. hebetella exhibit 0.36 % intraspecific variation.

Description: Adult. Wingspan 13.5-15 mm. Labial palpus pale ochreous brown, ventrally mixed with off-white scales, apical half dark brown, about 6.5x as long as diameter of the eye (1 st and 2 nd palpomeres), 3 rd palpomere 0.25x length of 1 st and 2 nd palpomeres. Antenna brown, hairy, 0.75x length of forewing. Tegula and thorax ochreous brown, frontal tuft, and neck slightly paler. Forewing narrow, ochreous brown, without longitudinal pale lines and dark spots, except for narrow pale ochre costal line from near base to 3 / 4. Cilia dark grey. Hindwing and cilia dark grey. Abdomen slightly lustrous, blackish grey, each segment with a transverse row of ochre scales.

Male genitalia: Uncus thimble-shaped from ventral view, elongate, lined with several bristles of different length, distal margin concave. Gnathos 1.65x as long as uncus, funnel-shaped from ventral view, apex broadly rounded, with a shallow medial longitudinal crest, apical 2 / 3 surfaced by transverse ridges and small nodules, apex with sharp spines. Valva upwards oblique, thimble-shaped, ventral margin concave; sacculus covered with long bristles. Anterior extension of juxta straight, robust; posterior lobe exceeding the apex of uncus, apex with a small tooth; valval lobe elongate, parallel-sided, upwards oblique, apex evenly rounded, broadly covered with long bristles. Phallus arched, parallel-sided, with one weakly sclerotized cornutus and a group of numerous tiny spines, apical 1 / 4 dorsally covered with small spines and nodules.

Female genitalia: Unknown.

Biology: Unknown. The habitat in Teruel is a calcareous meadow.

Distribution: Spain. Records from Portugal and France should be re-examined.

Remarks: Back (1973) states that one paratype is housed in MNHN, but it has not been found there despite searching efforts (Sylvain Delmas, pers. comm.). The location of other type specimens is not known. The male genitalia of the paratype are illustrated and described by Back (1973), the female is unknown. The original description corresponds well with the specimens presented here, except for the different size (17 mm). It is possible that the original type series enclosed two or more different species, as was the case with P. amaurodoxa (see Remarks section of P. amaurodoxa ). Back (1973) points out that specimens determined as P. hebetella in different collections are mostly misidentifications.

Figures

Figures 1-8. Adults of Pleurota spp. 1. P. hebetella Ragonot, 1. 2-3. P. amaurodoxa Meyrick. 2. 1 lectotype. 3. 1. 4-5. P. protasella Staudinger. 4. 1 lectotype. 5. 1. 6.-7. P. glitzella (Staudinger). 6. 1 lectotype. 7. 1. 8. P. pleurotella (Staudinger), 1 lectotype.