Megacraspedus cottiensis sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) from northern Italy - a case of taxonomic confusion

Peter Huemer; Ole Karsholt; Christian Wieser

doi:10.3897/zookeys.963.54842

Megacraspedus cottiensis sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) from northern Italy - a case of taxonomic confusion

Zookeys. 2020 Aug 24:963:141-152. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.963.54842. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Peter Huemer¹, Ole Karsholt², Christian Wieser³

Affiliations

¹ Tiroler Landesmuseen Betriebsges.m.b.H., Sammlungs- und Forschungszentrum, Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen, Krajnc-Str. 1, A-6060 Hall, Austria Tiroler Landesmuseen Betriebsges.m.b.H. Innsbruck Austria.
² Zoological Museum, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark Natural History Museum of Denmark Copenhagen Denmark.
³ Landesmuseum für Kärnten, Sammlungs- und Wissenschaftszentrum, Liberogasse 6, A-9020 Klagenfurt, Austria Landesmuseum für Kärnten Klagenfurt am Wörthersee Austria.

Abstract

Megacraspedus cottiensis sp. nov. is described from the western Alps (prov. Torino, Italy). The dorsal habitus and genitalia for both the male and brachypterous female are provided. The new species belongs to the M. faunierensis species group based on genitalia morphology and DNA barcodes, and was hitherto confused with M. neli Huemer & Karsholt, 2018 from the southwestern Alps. However, it clearly differs in morphology and DNA barcode sequences from that species and from M. faunierensis Huemer & Karsholt, 2018. The new species is suspected of being a regional endemic of the Cottian Alps.

Keywords: Cottian Alps; DNA barcoding; brachyptery; misidentification; morphology; new species.

Peter Huemer, Ole Karsholt, Christian Wieser.

Grants and funding

Promotion of Educational Policies, Uni¬versity and Research Department of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol