The Elachista dispunctella (Duponchel) complex (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae) revisited, with exceptional level of synonymy
Author
Kaila, Lauri
text
Zootaxa
2015
2015-06-30
3980
3
301
358
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3980.3.1
87a07c27-c5f7-490d-9a25-5305095d22de
1175-5326
254013
674D11E9-904C-46E7-A689-013A0B708F3B
Elachista moroccoensis
Traugott-Olsen, 1992
Figs. 20
,
77
Elachista moroccoensis
Traugott-Olsen, 1992: 235
.
Material studied.
Type
material.
Holotype
♂
labelled: Type [rounded with red margin]; Genital praeparat n. E.
29.6.90
sex:
♂
E. Traugott-Olsen, Wing praeparat B.
5.7.90
sex: ♂ E. Traugott-Olsen;
Morocco
1400-2000 m
,
Tinerhir
area
12.IV.1989
Zool. Mus. Copenh. Exp.;
Elachista moroccoensis
sp. n.
det. E. Traugott-Olsen; DNA sample MM16868 Lepid. Phyl. (
ZMUC
).
Diagnosis.
E. moroccoensis
(only male known) appears to be indistinguishable from
E. parvula
(see above).
Biology.
Unknown.
Distribution.
Morocco
.
Remarks.
The single known specimen is indistinguishable from
E. parvula
. Its status as distinct species, at least for time being, is nevertheless preferred due to the wide difference in its barcode as compared to the haplotypes of
E. parvula
samples from a wide area. Being already named, it is in accordance with nomenclatorical stability to maintain the current status instead of establishing an uncertain new synonymy on the basis of a single specimen.
E. parvula
, though widespread, is only known north of Mediterranean and eastward from there, while the single known specimen of
E. moroccoensis
is from North Africa.