Spiniphallellus stonisi Bidzilya & Karsholt, 2008

Huemer, Peter & Šumpich, Jan, 2025, New species and interesting records of Spiniphallellus Bidzilya & Karsholt, 2008, from Kyrgyzstan (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), Zootaxa 5679 (1), pp. 133-142 : 137-140

Spiniphallellus stonisi Bidzilya & Karsholt, 2008

Figs 3A–G

Examined material. Kyrgyzstan. 6 ♂, 3 ♀, Jalal-Abad Oblasti , Tian-Shan West , Talas, Umg. Chong-Kara-Buura, 1200 m, 42°28′40′′N, 71°32′21′′E, 30.07.2024, Peter Huemer leg., DNA Barcode ID TLMF _ Lep _42892 ( Keil , May, Bolt, Mayr, Pöll, Schwarm), DNA Barcode IDs TLMF _ Lep _43044, TLMF _ Lep _43045, gen. slides GEL 1372 ♀ P. Huemer , slides GEL 1373 ♂ P. Huemer, 2 ♂ genitalia prep. in glycerin capsules ( TLMF) ; 2 ♂, Jalal-Abad Oblasti , Tian-Shan West , Chatkal , Chandlash Gebiet, str. To Kara-Buura pass, 1700 m, 42°20′06′′N, 71°36′22′′E, 31.07.2024, Peter Huemer leg. ( TLMF) ; 1 ♂, Jalal-Abad Oblasti , Tian-Shan West , Chaak Too, Umg. Tash-Kömür, 890 m, 41°25′16′′N, 72°18′58′′E, 04.08.2024, Peter Huemer leg. (Keil, May, Bolt, Mayr, Pöll, Schwarm), DNA Barcode ID TLMF _ Lep _42892 ( TLMF) ; 36 ♂, Fergansky Mts. Ragne, 12 km NE Tash-Komyr (center), Sary- Bel´River valley, 41°25′16′′N, 72°18′59′′E, 23.06.2024, S. Korb & P. Gorbunov leg. , 1 ♂ genitalia prep. in glycerin capsule ( TLMF) ; 1 ♂, North Tian-Shan , Kara Balta river, 42°31′40′′N, 73°52′22′′E, 23.vii.2023, Marek Dvořák leg., DNA Barcode ID NMPC-Lep-1888 ( NMPC) .

Diagnosis. Spiniphallellus stonisi can be readily distinguished from all congeners by the medially pearly white hindwing and the unique morphology of the uncus and gnathos in the male genitalia. However, as the female genitalia of several species within the genus remain undescribed, the diagnostic value of currently known female characters are uncertain.

Redescription. Adult ( Fig. 3A ). Head mottled greyish brown; labial palps greyish brown, variably mixed with greyish white on upper and inner surface, tip of segment 3 blackish brown; antenna blackish, ringed with light grey. Thorax and tegula light to dark greyish brown; legs greyish-brown with scattered greyish white admixture. Forewing length: ♂ 6.8-8.2 mm, ♀ 8.2-8.3 mm. Forewing ground colour blackish brown, largely covered with light greyish-brown overlying scales, forming indistinct, band-like markings at the basal third, the middle, and particularly at three-quarters of the wing length, remaining black stigmata in middle of wing hardly visible; cilia blackish at base, distal part light grey. Hindwing with a pearly sheen, white in middle, surrounded by broad blackish inner and outer margins. Abdomen dark greyish brown with light grey suffusion.

Variability. Sexual dimorphism has not been diagnosed.

Abdominal structures ( Fig. 3B ). Sternite VIII with broadly rounded posterior edge, anteriorly tapering, with two broad, triangular lobes at the anterior margin, separated by a deep, subtriangular notch; tergite VIII broadly suboval, anterior margin with shallow excavation.

Male genitalia ( Figs 3C–D ). Uncus hood-shaped, lateral edge strongly sclerotized, hood-shaped posterior part weakly sclerotized and covered with long setae; valva without sacculus, broad, subtriangular, covered with short setae on inner side, apically broadly rounded inner edge with small projection covered with brush like long setae; transtilla lobes present, with sclerotized base and attached flap-like and hairy process; vinculum broad, posterior margin with deep V-shaped medial emargination; saccus short, subrectangular to suboval; phallus with distinct medial thorn, distal part relatively broad, gradually tapered.

Female genitalia ( Figs 3E–G ). Entire length nearly 6 mm; papillae anales elongated subovate, densely covered with setae; posterior apophysis ca. 2.6 mm long; anterior apophysis ca. 0.9 mm long, distinctly longer than segment VIII; sternum VIII about two times longer than broad, lateromedially with strongly sclerotized longitudinal ridge; antrum funnel-shaped, in the middle slightly widened, with elongated sclerotized zone, posteriorly with two tapering lateral ends; ductus bursae long and evenly slender; corpus bursae suboval; signum a suboval plate with serrated margins and transverse medial ridge, situated near the entrance of corpus bursae.

Biology. Adults have been collected at light from late June to early August. The species inhabits dry slopes at elevations ranging from approximately 900 to 1700 meters ( Fig. 4B ).

Molecular data. BIN: BOLD:AAW5093. The intraspecific average distance of the barcode region is 0.1% (n=5). The minimum distance to the nearest neighbor S. desertus (BIN: BOLD:ACB3153; n=1) from Russia is 4.33% ( Fig. 1 ).

Distribution. Known from several localities from western Kyrgyzstan and from the type-locality in southeastern Kazakhstan.

Remarks. Spiniphallelus stonisi was described based on a single specimen with genitalia mounted on a permanent slide, which likely contributed to certain errors in the original description. The structure described by Bidzilya & Karsholt (2008) as the species-specific, “arrow-shaped” uncus can, upon in situ examination of the male genitalia, be clearly identified as a sclerite of the gnathos that may obscure the actual uncus depending on the preparation. Furthermore, the “arrow-shaped” appearance varies considerably with the positioning and viewing angle, and—as seen in the illustrated preparation—can appear broadly rounded. Based on this incorrect interpretation, the description of the tegumen as “sparsely covered with long hair-like setae” is also inaccurate, since these setae are part of the uncus. Based on our in situ examinations, we also conclude that the “paired, dagger-shaped processes medially in the tegumen” are in fact transtilla lobes. The potential for misinterpretation of genital structures is of particular importance when morphological descriptions are based solely on fixed specimens or photographic material.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Neighbor-Joining tree of species of Spiniphallellus Bidzilya & Karsholt, 2008 (Kimura 2-parameter, built with MEGA 11 (Tamura et al. 2021); source: DNA barcode data from BOLD (Barcode of Life Database; Ratnasingham 2018); rooted for Spiniductellus flavonigrum Bidzilya & Karsholt, 2008 as outgroup.

FIGURES 3. Spiniphallellus stonisi Bidzilya & Karsholt, 2008. A. Adult, female. B. Abdominal segment VIII., male. C. Male genitalia. D. Phallus. E. Female genitalia. F. Detail of antrum (enlarged). G. Detail of signum (enlarged). Scale 0.5 mm for male genitalia and 1 mm for male abdominal segment VIII and female genitalia.

FIGURE 4. Habitat of Spiniphallellus species in Kyrgyzstan. A. Chanach, Kum Bel Ashuu, habitat of S. minimus sp. nov. B. Talas, Chong-Kara-Buura, habitat of S. stonisi Bidzilya & Karsholt, 2008.