Introduction

The most distinct external morphological feature of the subfamily Epipaschiinae, which is a subfamily of Pyralidae, is that the 3rd segment of the labial palpi is always upturned and pointed at the apex (SOLIS & MITTER, 1992). This subfamily is known only one species, Lepidogma tamaricalis (Mann, 1873) from Europe and with 2 species, Teliphasa lophotalis (Hampson, 1900) and L. tamaricalis (Mann, 1873) from Turkey (LERAUT, 2014; KOÇAK & KEMAL, 2018). The Pyralidae family belongs to the Pyraloidea superfamily and, number of the known Pyraloidea species in Turkey is 672 (KOÇAK & KEMAL, 2018; AKIN, 2018; AKIN et al., 2018).

Lepidogma wiltshirei was described from Iraq by AMSEL (1949) based on 4 males and 1 female specimens. Drawing of forewing and genital of the male species were presented in the study. Additionally, AMSEL (1949) described morphology of the adult in detail, but expression on the male genitalia was very inadequate, explained just one sentence. And, the female genitalia of L. wiltshirei was not mentioned in the study (AMSEL, 1949). Later, AMSEL (1954) presented a figure of the adult male paratype of the species. Moreover, WILTSHIRE (1957) mentioned about the habitat (river banks and islands in the Central plain) and flight periods (May and September) of species. In addition, he estimated that its food-plant could be Tamarix (Tamaricaceae), because of the Tamarix is the food-plant of Lepidogma tamaricalis and for its closely related of L. wiltshirei. Afterwards, AMSEL (1961) described L. hyrcanalis from Iran and explained the differences from L. wiltshirei.

This study aims to contribute to the distribution of L. wiltshirei. Besides, male genitalia of it are re-described and, female genitalia are described for the first time.

Material and Methods

The materials of study, one male and one female, were collected by using a simple UV light trap. The genitalia were dissected using standard procedures under Olympus SZ61 stereo microscope (ROBINSON, 1976). For genitalia figures, Leica S8APO stereo microscope was used. The adult specimens were photographed with Nikon D7100. For the identification of species, the studies of AMSEL (1949, 1954 and 1961) were used.

Results

Lepidogma wiltshirei Amsel, 1949 (Figs 1-2)

Material examined: Turkey, Elazığ Prov., Maden: 1 ♂, Kısabekir, 860 m, 29-VI2017; 1 ♀, Sağrılı, 920 m, 23-VII-2017, leg. E. Seven & A. Çakır.

Male genitalia (Re-description) (Figs 3a-b): Uncus rectangular, middle part of apex slightly submerged. Gnathos hooked towards apical. Parts of tegumen ellipse. Vinculum V-shaped. Valvae like half-moon, costal reinforcing strip extends beyond cucullus, apical pionted as thorn. Pocket- shaped line towards amidst from the proximal of valvae. Anellus V- to U-shaped. Aedeagus slightly straight and about 1.5 x length of valvae. Phallobase forked. Cornutus slightly spiral, over spined and about 1/2 x lenght of aedeagus.

Female genitalia (Fig. 4): Papillae anales triangular. Apophyses posteriores nearly equal length with apophyses anteriores. Ostium bursae rounded and ductus seminalis located just below its. Ductus bursae almost 2/3 sclerotized, and this sclerotization progressed to the anterior region of bursa copulatrix. Signa forked and combined with sclerotized structure in the anterior area.

Figures 1-4.–
Lepidogma wiltshirei Ams. 1. Adult male; 2. Adult female; 3a. Male genitalia armature; 3b. Aedeagus; 4a. Female genitalia (after preparation); 4b. Female genitalia (during the preparation).

Discussion

In this study, the most striking feature in the diagnosis of L. wiltshirei, is the way of access of the external tranversal line to costa, as AMSEL (1961) expresses in describing of L. hyrcanalis. (Fig. 2). The line reaches slightly outward on L. tamaricalis and L. hyrcanalis, while reaches inward on L. wiltshirei (see red line in Figure 2). And, AMSEL (1961) described of L. hyrcanalis as very similar to L. wiltshirei. In this study, these species were compared by only external morphologies because of L. hyrcanalis was defined based on a single specimen (female) and genital structure of this species was not given.

As a result of this research, L. wiltshirei is new recorded in the Pyraloidea fauna of Turkey and it is discovered for the first time after the type-locality. With this study, the number of Pyraloidea species in Turkey has reached 673. The female genitalia of the species have been described for the first time, and the male genitalia have also been re-described.

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Ahmet Ömer Koçak (Van, Turkey) for supplying an important publication.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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KOÇAK, A. Ö. & KEMAL, M., 2018.– A synonymous and distributional list of the species of the Lepidoptera of Turkey.– Centre for Entomological Studies, Memoirs, 8: 1-487.

LERAUT, P., 2014.– Moths of Europe, Pyralids 2, 4: 441 pp. NAP ed., Verrières-le-Buisson.

ROBINSON, G. S., 1976.– The Preparation of slides of Lepidoptera genitalia with special reference to the Microlepidoptera.– Entomologist’s Gazette, 27: 127-132.

SOLIS, M. A. & MITTER, C., 1992.– Review and preliminary phylogenetic analysis of the subfamilies of the Pyralidae (sensu stricto) (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea).– Systematic Entomology, 17: 79-90.

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Author notes

*Autor para la correspondencia / Corresponding author. E-mail: kesran@gmail.com