Notalepid. 26 (3/4): 111-114 111 A new Micropterix species from southern France (Micropterigidae) Michael A. Kurz1 Marion E. Kurz2& Hans Christof Zeller-Lukashort3 , 1 A-5400 Rif, Reischenbachweg2, e-mail: [email protected], Sportplatzstr. 23, e-mail: [email protected] - 3A-5303 Thalgau, Unterdorf118, e-mail: [email protected] Abstract. Micropterix huemeri sp. n. is described from the Alpes-Maritimes Department (southern France)andcomparedwith itsclosestrelatives, i.e.MicropterixtrifasciellaHeath, 1965 andMicropterix rothenbachiiFrey, 1856. Thenew species iswell characterisedbythe structure ofthe male genitalia. Zusammenfassung.AusdenfranzösischenMeeralpenwirdMicropterixhuemerisp.n.beschriebenund mit ihren nächsten Verwandten verglichen. Dies sind Micropterix trifasciella Heath, 1965 und MicropterixrothenbachiiFrey, 1856. DieneueArtistsehrgutdurch den GenitalapparatdesMännchens charakterisiert. Résumé. Micropterixhuemeri sp. n. est décrit du département desAlpes-Maritimes (Sud de la France) etcomparéauxespèceslesplusapparentées,àsavoirMicropterixtrifasciellaHeath, 1965 etMicropterix rothenbachiiFrey, 1856. Lanouvelle espèce est bien caractérisée parla structure des genitalia mâles. Introduction The genus Micropterix, Hübner, [1825] belongs to the most basal lineages of Lepidoptera and contains about 70 species, most of them occuring in the western Palaearctic (Kristensen 1998). Though the morphology ofthe group has been studied extensively due to the long recognised phylogenetic key position within the Amphiesmenoptera and the fascinating habit ofpollen-feeding by the moths, a taxo- nomic revision or field guide for the European species still do not exist. The most & complete overview might be that of the website of Kurz, Kurz Zeller-Lukashort (2001-2004) which catalogues the western Palaearctic species of Micropterix and gives illustrations, descriptions, and the distribution for each species. Discoveries of new Micropterix species are still possible in Europe, the previous one dating back to 1997, when the authors described Micropterix renatae from Tuscany (Kurz, Kurz & Zeller 1997). During a collecting trip to Marguareis in the Alpes-Maritimes Department of southern France in 1991, Drs Peter Huemer and Gerhard Tarmann from theTiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck (TLMF) found some spec- imens ofan unidentified Micropterix species. Subsequent investigations showed that these specimens belong to an undescribed species. In this paper, we are presenting a description because a revision oï the group is not foreseen in the near future. Micropterix species are well characterized by a combination of the forewing pattern elements and characters ofthe male genitalia. The following description is based on these features. Notalepidopterologica.31.01.2004.ISSN0342-7536 112 Kurz,Kurz&Zeller-Lukashorst:AnewMicropterixspecies Figs. 1-2. Schematic drawings ofthe forewings (top male, bottom female). 1. Micropterixhuemeri sp. n. 2. MicropterixrothenbachiiFrey, 1856. Micropterix huemeri sp. n. Material. Holotype: cf: „Frankreich; Dep. Alpes Maritimes; Marguareis W-Hang; Navela, 2100- 2200 m; 18.7.1991; leg. Huemer & Tarmann"; „GU MIC2 <S P. Huemer"; „[red label] Holotypus MicropterixhuemeriKurz,Kurz&Zellercf";„ID-NummerHdN-2289"; coll.TLMF.Paratypes: 2c?, 19 same data, ID-Nummern: MK-1190, MK-1191, HdN-2290; coll.TLMF. Description Adult (Fig. 1). Forewing length: c? 3.9 mm (n=3); 9 4.4mm; Headyellow; antennae approximately almost 3/4 (male) or almost 1/2 (female) forewing length, golden fus- cous. Thorax coppery to bronzy golden, tegulae purple violet with bronzy golden edges; forewings purple violet to bluish violet; base of costa bronzy golden; wing markings golden, slightly lined bronzy golden; a fascia at 1/4, slightly bent, mode- ratelybroad on innermargin, distinctlynarrowed from centre ofwing to costa; a fascia at 1/2, slightlybent outwards, moderatelybroad, sometimesnarrowedmedially, some- times distinctlybroadenedatcosta; a fasciaat 3/4, slightlybroaderthanthe otherones with distinctly curved inner margin; sometimes a residual costal spot at 3/5; cilia bronzy golden, apically whitish; hindwing coppery to bronzy golden, apically dis- tinctly tinged purple; cilia bronzy golden; legs and abdomen golden fuscous. Male genitalia (Fig. 3) (n=l). Uncus short, slightly stout with moderately broadtip; beyonduncus ahairy structure; asmallareawith several faint, straight setae at the posterior margin oftegumen between uncus and accessory clasper; accessory clasper proximally broad, distally tapered, on inner surface with an upper row of 6 sickle-shaped setae and a lowerrow of9 more or less straight, moderately long setae, with the two proximal setae slightly set apart; valva slightly bent, narrowed beyond middle with a triangular distal end and 2-3 irregular rows of shorter setae on inner surface beyond the narrowing; post-basally with a distinctly robust seta on inner sur- face; aedeagus typical for the genus, without cornuti. Notalepid. 26(3/4): 111-114 113 Figs. 3-5. Male genitalia. 3. Micropterix huemeri sp. n. (holotype). 4. Micropterix trifasciella Heath 1965. 5. Micropterix rothenbachii Frey, 1856. Diagnosis. Based on our investigations of more than 50 western Palaearctic Micropterix speeies, M. huemeri belongs to a group ofclosely related species which is characterised by the following characters. The accessor) claspers bear two rows of setae. In the ventral row. the distal setae are strongly modified (V- or T-shaped) and the 1-2 most proximal ones arc distinctly separated from the rest. These characters are M shared by M. hartigi Heath, 1981 (n 8),M. rothenbachiiFrey, I856(n 77), iberi- cella Caradja, 1920 (n=2), M. allionella (Fabricius, 1794) (n 29). and M. trifasciella Heath, 1965 (n=42). 114 Kurz, Kurz&Zeller-Lukashorst:AnewMicropterixspecies ExternallyM. huemeri is quite well separated from the other species ofthis group by its three complete golden fasciae on the forewing and the absence of any other markings. One exception is M. trifasciella, which has very similar wing pattern ele- ments with only slightlybroaderfasciae onthe forewing. However, the male genitalia are different in the shape ofthe accessory clasper which is proximally much narrow- er and with a different formation ofsetae. Further, on the inner surface ofthe valva the row ofthe short andthick setae extends furthertowards the basis into the narrow- ing ofthe valva. M In M. huemeri the structures ofthe male genitalia are most similar to those of M rothenbachii. The latter species is redescribed and figured by Heath (1981). hue- meri can be distinguished superficially from M. rothenbachii by both the lack of a small costal golden spot and the golden tinge on the outer margin ofthe forewing. Concerning the male genitalia, M. rothenbachii has a distally club-shaped uncus and longer, distallymore spatulatevalvae withonlyone stout setainthemiddle ofthenar- rowing. M Distribution. To our present knowledge, huemeri sp. n. seems to be an endemic ofthe geologicallyisolatedregion ofthe Marguareis, living ataltitudes high- er than 2000 m. Derivatio nominis. The new species isnamedinhonourofDrPeterHuemer, who collected the species. Remarks Due to thepersistingproblems inpreparing female genitalia ofspeci- . mens in the genus Micropterix, no attempt has been made to prepare the genitalia of the single available female ofthe new species. Acknowledgements We are grateful to Dr Peter Huemer and Dr Gerhard Tarmann, both from the Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck, forthe loanofthematerial. References Heath, J., 1965.Anew species ofMicropterix (LepidopteraZeugloptera: Micropterigidae). -Atti della SocietaItalianadi ScienzeNaturali 104 (2): 243-245. Heath, I, 1981.Two new species ofMicropterixHuebner(Lepidoptera, Zeugloptera: Micropterigidae). -Entomologist's Gazette32: 99-102. Kristensen, N. P. 1998. The non-Glossatanmoths. Pp. 41^19. -In: N. P. Kristensen (ed.), Lepidoptera, MothsandButterflies1:Evolution, Systematics,andBiogeography.-HandbuchderZoologie4(35). -Walterde Gruyter, BerlinandNewYork. Kurz, M. A., M. E. Kurz & H. C. Zeller 1997. A newMicropterix Hübner, [1825] from northern Italy (Lepidoptera: Micropterigidae). -Notalepidopterologica20 (3^1): 293-298. Kurz, M. A., M. E. Kurz & H.C. Zeller-Lukashort 2001-2004. Naturkundliches Informationssystem. - h1tp://vvrww.permy-in-the-slot-machine.com/rikis/zan^