Barthelius, Mey, 2025

Mey, Wolfram, 2025, First records of species of Gelechioidae from Bitterfeld amber (Insecta, Lepidoptera) and notes on two gelechioid species from Baltic amber, Zitteliana 99, pp. 63-73 : 63-73

Barthelius gen. nov.

Gender.

Masculine.

Type species.

B. pumilus sp. nov.

Etymology.

The name is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Manfred Barthel, esteemed colleague, palaeobotanist and former director of the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin. An obituary was published by Rößler (2019).

Diagnosis.

The assignment of Barthelius gen. nov. to Gelechioidea is based on (1) the heteroneurous wing venation, (2) up-curved labial palpi, (3) maxillary palpi absent and (4) scaled proboscis. The new genus has a long, dorso-ventrally depressed and apically triangular-shaped uncus with a sclerotized tip. The apical part of the uncus bears some resemblance with genera of the family Gelechiidae , (Gelechiinae, Litini ). This character together with the strongly reduced adult size, posteroventral position of compound eyes and the smooth head, with appressed, lamellar scales on vertex and frons are considered diagnostic for Barthelius gen. nov.