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

By

Huemer, Peter
Karsholt, Ole
Wieser, Christian

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2020

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

963

Pages

141--152

Subjects

brachyptery , Cottian Alps , DNA barcoding , misidentification , Morphology , new species

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.963.54842

 

Abstract

Megacraspedus cottiensissp. 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.