Description of Coleophora oreiosella Baldizzone, sp. n. and new records on the distribution of some European Coleophoridae (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae)

A new species of the genus Coleophora Hübner, 1822, C. oreiosella Baldizzone, sp. n., known to be found only in the Sierra Nevada, Spain, is described. New data on the distribution of some European species are provided. The male of C. depunctella Toll, 1961, is shown for the first time.


Introduction
Over the last years, I studied many indeterminate Coleophoridae specimens, both from private collections and from museums.This allowed me to gather much data on the distribution of several species, some of which are rather rare and localized.In particular, with regard to the area of former Yugoslavia, I have acquired many detailed data relative to the various republics into which that territory has been divided, Slovenia and Croatia in particular.The publication presents some of these data, while others will be the subject of future specific wildlife publications, such as on the fauna of the Coleophoridae of Slovenia, in collaboration with Stanislav Gomboc.A new species from Spain is also described, C. oreiosella Baldizzone sp.n., and the male genitalia of C. depunctella Toll, 1961 are illustrated for the first time.Diagnosis: A species characterized by the almost uniform ochreous shining colour, with thin white costal stripe.Based on the male genital structure, this species belongs to the group of C. genistae Stainton, 1857 and is closely related to Coleophora svenssoni Baldizzone, 1985.It differs from this species for the habitus, which is smaller, uniform and clear, and for the shape of the genitals, with more prominent and rounded sacculus and a smaller number of cornuti Description (Fig. 1): Wingspan 10-11 mm.Head white, ochreous tinged.Antenna white, annulated with brown.Scape with a short tuft of pale brown scales.Labial palp brown, second article 0.5 x longer than third article.Thorax white, ochreous tinged.Forewing ochreous brown glossy; costal stripe white, very narrow, from base to near apex; costal fringe white, towards apex pale ochreous, dorsal fringe pale ochreous grey.Hindwing ochreous grey, fringe pale ochreous grey.Abdomen ochreous, lustrous.
Male genitalia (Figs 9,10,12): Gnathos knob.Tegumen stout, slightly constricted in the middle with moderately short pedunculi.Transtilla short, triangular.Valvula large, oval.Cucullus elongate, narrow, club shaped.Sacculus well sclerified with oval protuberance elongated outwards.Phallotheca conical, only dorsally sclerotized.Vesica transparent with five cornuti, of which the proximal ones are shaped like curved and slightly long needles and the distal one consisting of numerous small thorns gathered in a curved formation.
Bionomy: The early stages and the food plant are not known.Distribution: Known only from Spain, Sierra Nevada.Origin of name: From Greek ο Öρειος = highlander.It refers to the fact that all the specimens were collected at high altitude.Walsingham, 1910 SPAIN: Prov.Burgos, Villaquirán de los Infantes, Santa Barbara, 885 m, 5-VI-2009, 1 1, leg., coll.Lasan.
Note: The species is only known to be found in Spain.The food plant is still unknown, so it is interesting to note that a Walsingham specimen was bred from Marrubium sp.Unfortunately, there was no larval case.

Coleophora pulchripennella Baldizzone, 2011
MONTENEGRO: Sveti Stefan, Crvena glavica kamp, 12-VII-2010, 1 0, leg., coll.Bassi.Distribution: Widespread throughout the Mediterranean region, from France and the Iberian Peninsula, to Italy, Croatia, Greece (including Crete and several smaller islands) and Turkey; it is also known to be found in Malta and Tunisia.New for Montenegro.
Only the female of this species was known.Below is the description of the male genitalia.Male genitalia (Fig. 14,16,17): Oval gnathos knob.Tegumen restricted in the middle with long pedunculi.Transtilla narrow at the base and wide at the apex in a clavate form.Very small valvula, with rounded ventral edge.Cucullus short and stout.Sacculus with a rounded horn-shaped protuberance in the ventral angle, a very hollow outer edge and a sharper protuberance in the dorsal angle.Phallotheca with two thin and different juxta rods, the longer one featuring a pointed tooth at the apex, the other in the distal half being divided into two parts, which then gather at the apex.Cornutus, in the form of a harpoon, consisting of 2-3 spines of different lengths.
Note: The genitals are similar to those of C. solitariella Zeller, 1849, with evident differences especially in the structure of the outer edge of the sacculus, which is much hollower and with larger and longer protuberances.