Coleophora variicornis Toll, 1952 stat. rev. is a distinct species occurring in Central Europe (Coleophoridae)

Abstract

Coleophora variicornis Toll, 1952 formerly treated as a synonym of C. hieronella Zeller, 1849 is recognised as a distinct species after investigation of the type specimens. Diagnoses are given to distin-guish these two species from the other members of the Coleophora trifolii species group and to distinguish C. variicornis from C. hieronella. Their external and genitalia features are described and figured. According to our investigations, C. variicornis is known by specimens from Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Macedonia, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. Coleophora variicornis is recorded for the first time from Central Europe by specimens collected in historical and recent times from the German state of Brandenburg. Coleophora hieronella is so far known from Spain, France, Italy (Sicily), and Croatia. K e y wo r d s . Coleophora trifolii species group, variicornis, hieronella, taxonomy, nomenclature.

Full text

Coleophora variicornis Toll, 1952 stat. rev. is a distinct species
occurring in Central Europe (Coleophoridae)
MATTHIAS NUSS1& ANDREAS STÜBNER2
1Museum für Tierkunde, Königsbrücker Landstr. 159, D-01109 Dresden.
e-mail: matthias.nuss@snsd.smwk.sachsen.de
2Schulstr. 14a, D-03197 Jänschwalde-Ost
Abstract.Coleophora variicornis Toll, 1952 formerly treated as a synonym of C. hieronella Zeller, 1849
is recognised as a distinct species after investigation of the type specimens. Diagnoses are given to distin-
guish these two species from the other members of the Coleophora trifolii species group and to distinguish
C. variicornis from C. hieronella. Their external and genitalia features are described and figured.
According to our investigations, C. variicornis is known by specimens from Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Germany, Italy, Macedonia, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. Coleophora variicornis is recorded for the first
time from Central Europe by specimens collected in historical and recent times from the German state of
Brandenburg. Coleophora hieronella is so far known from Spain, France, Italy (Sicily), and Croatia.
Key words. Coleophora trifolii species group, variicornis,hieronella, taxonomy, nomenclature.
Introduction
Vives-Moreno (1988) listed about 1000 species for the genus Coleophora Hübner,
1822 world wide, of which 174 species occur in Germany (Gaedike & Heinicke 1999).
When we revised the faunistic inventory of the species of Coleophora Hübner, 1822
from eastern Germany we found altogether six species distinguished by their metallic
green coloured forewings. However, until that time only five species with this character
had been known from Germany (Gaedike & Heinicke 1999). These are C. frischella
(Linnaeus, 1758), C. mayrella (Hübner, [1813]), C. alcyonipennella (Kollar, 1832),
C. trifolii (Curtis, 1832), and C. deauratella Lienig & Zeller, 1846 for which Emmet
et al. (1996) proposed the C. trifolii species group (which excludes C. alcyonipennella
which is not known from the British Isles, but includes the Mediterranean C. fusci-
cornis Zeller, 1847 which is recorded from North Essex in Great Britain).1So far as
known, the larvae of these species feed on the seeds of legume species of the genera
Melilotus,Trifolium, and Vicia (Emmet et al. 1996).
We checked the literature for other species related to this species group (e.g.
Baldizzone 1986, 1990a, b; Vives-Moreno 1988; Nel 1993; Emmet et al. 1996) and
traced about 30 names (including synonyms) available for metallic-green Coleophora
species. However, we could not identify our German specimens with the available lit-
erature and started to check the type specimens. During this process, we found that C.
variicornis Toll, 1952 which has been treated as a synonym of C. hieronella Zeller,
1849 (Toll 1961; Baldizzone 1986; Vives-Moreno 1988) is a distinct species conspe-
cific with specimens from Germany. In the following, we redescribe the two species,
figure their genitalia and give a list of the examined material.
Nota lepid. 26 (1/2): 27–34
© Nota lepidopterologica, 30.10.2003, ISSN 0342-7536
27
1According to Gaedike & Heinicke (1999), there is another metallic-green Coleophora species known
from Germany, C. paripennella Zeller, 1839. However, this species does not belong to the C. trifolii
species group due to different morphological features of the genitalia and a different life history (cf.
Emmet et al. 1996: 300–301, figs. 52b, 78d, pl. 15 fig. 28).

28 NUSS & STÜBNER:Coleophora variicornis stat. rev. in Central Europe
Fig. 1. Coleophora variicornis, adult from Germany, Brandenburg, Jänschwalde/ Ost, 23.vi.2002,
Stübner leg. Note the flagellum which is thickened along the basal third, chequered black and white along
the distal two thirds.
Abbreviations. DEI – Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, Eberswalde; BMNH – The Natural History
Museum London; GU – Genitaluntersuchung (genitalia slide); MNHU – Museum für Naturkunde der
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin; MTD – Staatliches Museum für Tierkunde, Dresden; ISEZ – Polish
Academy of Sciences, Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Department of Invertebrate
Zoology, Krakow; ZSM – Zoologische Staatssammlung, München.
Results
Externally, C. variicornis (Fig. 1) and C. hieronella present the same morpholo-
gical features and can not be distinguished from each other. The forewing length
(measured from the base of the wing to the tip of the apical fringe) is 4–5.5 mm in
C. variicornis and 5.5 mm in the holotype of C. hieronella. Head vertex and fronto-
clypeus covered with metallic olive-green scales, shining metallic copper to bronze;
compound eye black-brown, shining metallic violet, not distinctly edged; labial pal-
pus metallic olive-green, basio-ventrally creamy-white; proboscis basally scaled
creamy-white. Antenna about three quarter as long as forewing; scape flat and
enlarged, covered with elongated metallic violet-brown scales projecting ventrally;
first third to first half of flagellum thickened by dark metallic brown to violet
coloured scales, remaining distal part entirely chequered black and white. Thorax dor-
sally and ventrally covered with metallic olive-green scales; legs metallic olive-green

to brown, shining orange to violet; dorsal surface of forewing basally scaled metallic
olive-green, changing to metallic brown and violet distally, ventral surface shining
silver (changing to brown in older collection specimens); hindwing lanceolate, greyish-
brown, not metallic. Abdomen metallic silver, ventrally with some olive shine.
Though C. variicornis and C. hieronella can not be distinguished externally from
each other, they differ by their characteristic scaling of the antennae from all other
metallic-green Coleophora species we examined. Some species of the C. trifolii-
group have a basally slender flagellum without elongated scales (C. alcyonipennella,
C. frischella,C. fuscicornis,C. trifolii,C. etrusca Baldizzone, 1990) while the fla-
gellum of the remaining species of the C. trifolii group is basally thickened by elon-
gated scales (C. deauratella,C. hieronella,C. mayrella,C. paramayrella Nel, 1993,
C. variicornis). Among the five species with a basally thickened flagellum, the remai-
ning part of the flagellum is black with a white tip (C. deauratella), chequered black
and white with a white tip (C. mayrella, C. paramayrella), or entirely chequered black
and white (C. variicornis,C. hieronella). However, we also found C. mayrella speci-
mens which have the antennae entirely chequered black and white up to the tip. Those
specimens need to be identified by their genitalia. For the identification of C. mayrella
(= Porrectaria spissicornis Haworth, 1828), we here refer to Baldizzone (1986) and
Emmet et al. (1996).
Coleophora variicornis Toll, 1952: 28, fig. 21, stat. rev. (Figs. 1–3, 6, 7)
Material. Holotype ‚with labels: “Typus” (red paper, printed in black); “Holotypus” (red paper,
printed in black); “fabriciella |Amasia” (handwritten with pencil on light green paper”; “Präparat |
No. 39 | Gr. v. Toll” (on white paper handwritten and printed in black); “Coleophora |variicornis Toll |
Typus. | Gr. v. Toll det.” (handwritten and printed in black ink), MNHU. Paratypus: ‚same data as holo-
type, ISEZ. ‚Albania,Borschi, south of Vlora, 14–27.v.1961; ‚Albania, Uji Ftohte, south of Tepelena,
200 m, 29–31.v.1961; 4‚, Albania, west of Poliçan, Tomor, 500 m, 2–12.vi.1961; 4‚Albania, Iba below
Krraba, 400 m, 17–22.vi.1961; 3‚Albania, Daiti, Shkall Prisk, 850 m, 27.vi.–2.vii.1961; all specimens
at light, Albania expedition DEI, coll. DEI. ‚Croatia, Dalmatia mer., environment of Gravosa,
15–31.v.1939, Klimesch leg., ZSM. ‚Macedonia, Matka, Treska valley, 19–29.v.1955, Klimesch leg.,
ZSM. ‚Italy, Lucania, Vulture Va! d’Ofanto, 20–30.iv.1966, Klimesch leg., ZSM. „Bulgaria, Pirin
mts., Liljanovo, 800 m, 26.v.–21.vi.1981, leg. Eichler, coll. DEI. 25‚,„Germany, Brandenburg,
Jänschwalde/Ost, 2.viii.1996, 26.vi.1998, 16., 28.vi., 13.vii.1999, 11.vi., 1.vii., 1.viii.2000, 29.vi., 1, 3,
23.vii.2001, 13, 17, 23.vi.2002, 14.vi., 7., 14.vii.2003; 4‚Jänschwalde, power station, 15, 16,
22.vi.2002, all specimens A. Stübner leg., coll. Stübner, MTD. ‚Potsdam-Wilhelmshorst, 10.vii.[19]43,
coll. Ernst, MTD. 1‚Greece, Delphi, Parnass, 500 m, 28–30.iv.1980, Cox leg., coll. van der Wolf.
3‚Turkmenistan, western Kopet Dag, 40 km east of Garrygala (= Kara Kala), 800 m, 4, 15, 19.v.1993,
Sruoga leg., coll. van der Wolf.
References. Toll 1961: 280 (syn. of hieronella); Patzak 1974: 319: (C. variicornis as bona sp.);
Baldizzone 1986: 3, 9, figs. 15, 18, 24–26 (as C. hieronella); Vives-Moreno 1988: 82 (syn. of hieronella);
Razowski 1990: fig. 407 (as C. mayrella).
Nota lepid. 26 (1/2): 27–34 29

Figs. 2–5. Male genitalia. 2. C. variicornis (GU Stübner 860). 3. C. variicornis (GU Stübner 860),
cornuti (interference contrast and extended focus option with 41 planes, interplanal distance 0.55 µm,
object depth 22.2µm) scale bar 40µm. 4. C. hieronella, holotype (genitalia slide BM Microlep. 2363).
5. C. hieronella, holotype (genitalia slide BM Microlep. 2363), cornuti (interference contrast and extended
focus option with 62 planes, interplanal distance 0.74 µm, object depth 45,6 µm) (one cornutus is bro-
ken off) scale bar 40µm.
‚g e n i ta l i a (Figs. 2, 3). As is characteristic for the genus Coleophora, an
uncus is not present and the distal part of the gnathos is an ovoid structure bearing
many spines; tegumen narrow, without any special features; vinculum slender, V-
shaped; costal part of valva weakly sclerotised, finger-shaped, without macroscopic
setae dorsally; sacculus strongly sclerotised, dorsal edge more strongly sclerotised and
terminating in a dorso-distal thorn, with one macroscopic seta ventro-anally; aedea-
gus caudally forming a sclerotised ring with a dorso-caudal elongated projection,
vesica with a group of 8–10 cornuti, which arise from a broad, straight sclerotised
base, which can be plate-like and enlarged; each cornutus straight.
„genitalia (Figs. 6, 7). Bursa copulatrix ovoid with minute scobinate patches
in its wall, signum crescent-shaped and with a sclerotised hook directed inwardly;
ductus bursae membranous and straight on anterior third, slightly angled beyond and
along the second third with numerous sclerotised spines in wall, angled at insertion of
ductus seminalis, posterior third straight and membranous; colliculum forming an
ovate sclerotised shield with strongly sclerotised spines; antrum strongly sclerotised,
funnel-shaped, with a smooth wall; VIIIth segment entirely sclerotised, surrounding
ostium bursae ventrally; membrane VIII-IX elongated; apophyses posteriores twice as
long as apophyses anteriores; papillae anales separated, each pointed distally.
30 NUSS & STÜBNER:Coleophora variicornis stat. rev. in Central Europe
24
35

Nota lepid. 26 (1/2): 27–34 31
Figs. 6–9. Female genitalia. 6. C. variicornis (GU Stübner 1407). 7. C. variicornis (GU Stübner 1407),
detail of posterior ductus bursae and segment VIII. 8. C. hieronella (GU van der Wolf 6242). 9. C.
hieronella (GU van der Wolf 6242), detail of posterior ductus bursae and segment VIII. (a.a.: apophyses
anteriores; c: colliculum; d.b.: ductus bursae; d.s.: ductus seminalis; VIII: segment VIII)
Diagnosis. Coleophora variicornis is distinguished from C. hieronella in the
male by the absence of a macroscopic seta from the costa of the valva and in the
female by the more pointed posterior tips of segment VIII, the longer apophyses ante-
riores, and the thicker ductus bursae between the ductus seminalis and colliculum.
Distribution. Known from Germany, Italy, Croatia, Macedonia, Albania,
Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, and Turkmenistan.
Life history. The male adults have been attracted by lights, the female has
been netted from Trifolium pratense flowers in day time. Surprisingly, C. variicornis
is at least in some areas of eastern Germany the most common species of the C. tri-
folii species group.
Coleophora hieronella Zeller, 1849: 203 (Figs. 4, 5, 8, 9)
Material. Holotype (by monotypy) ‚“Syracuse |SIZILY |29.iv.1844 |Zeller.” (handwritten with
black ink on white paper), “Hieronella Z. | 29/4 44.Syracus. | Mayrella Is.47,883” (handwritten with
black ink on white paper, edged with black ink), “B.M. ‚| Genitalia slide | No. 2363” (printed in black
and handwritten in red ink), “Coleophora |hieronella,Z. | Lin.Ent.IV.203. (1849) | = C. * mayrella,
Z.Is.1847.883-4| Type ‚-unique-desr.” (handwritten and printed with black ink on white, black edged
paper), (drawer label: “Holo- | type”), BMNH. ‚,„[paratypes of C. variicornis!] Spain, Chiclana,
iv–v.1912, Korb leg., ISEZ; 4‚Huelva, El Rompido, 13.v.1981, coll. van der Wolf; 4‚Sierra Morena,
Sta. Elena, Jaen, 10.v.1983, J. B. Wolschrijn, coll. van der Wolf; ‚Almeria, Las Menas de Seron, 1500 m,
6789

1–2.vi.2003, leg. et coll. van der Wolf; ‚Huelva, Mazagon, 8–10.iv.1994, leg. et coll. van der Wolf;
2‚Ventade, Azuel, Cortoba, 17.v.1981, coll. van der Wolf; ‚Marabella, Malaga, 5.v.1981, coll. van der
Wolf; ‚Salamancha, Belena, 8.v.1979, coll. van der Wolf; ‚Sevilla, Ronquillo, 15.v.1981, coll. van der
Wolf; ‚Granada, 2.v.1978, coll. van der Wolf; ‚Periana, Malaga, 24.iv.1978, coll. van der Wolf;
‚Andalusia, province Malaga, Camino, de Ojen, 150 m, 17.iv.1980, E. Traugott-Olsen leg., ZSM;
‚Granada, 5 km north of Otivar, 600 m, 17.iv.1987, Coenen & de Prins leg., coll. van der Wolf.
‚France, Corse sept., Calvi, 12–20.v.1967, Klimesch leg., ZSM; ‚,„Corse, Ste Lucie de Porto
Vecchio, 7, 11.v.1996, K. J. Huisman leg., coll. van der Wolf. ‚Italy, Sizily, Palermo, S. Martino d.
Scale, 20–31.v.1954, Klimesch leg., ZSM. ‚Croatia, Istrien, Moscenice, 300 m, 5.vi.1970,
A. Speckmeier leg., ZSM
References. Toll 1961: 280; Patzak 1974 b: 319 (syn. of spissicornis); Baldizzone 1983: 225, 227;
Kaltenbach & Roesler 1985: 49, 83, 84, 93, 104; Baldizzone 1986: fig. 14 (male genitalia of holotype of
C. hieronella); Vives-Moreno 1988: 82; Baldizzone 1990 a: 43; Baldizzone 1994: 83; Baldizzone
1995: 110; Baldizzone 1997: 223.
‚genitalia (Figs. 4, 5). As is characteristic for the genus Coleophora, an uncus
is not present and the distal part of the gnathos is an ovoid structure bearing many
spines; tegumen narrow, without any special features; vinculum slender, V-shaped;
costal part of valva weakly sclerotised, finger-shaped, with one macroscopic seta dor-
sally; sacculus strongly sclerotised, dorsal edge more strongly sclerotised and termi-
nating in a dorso-distal thorn, and with one macroscopic seta ventro-anal; aedeagus
caudally forming a sclerotised ring with a dorso-caudal elongated projection, vesica
with a group of seven cornuti, which arise from a sclerotised, slender and elongated
base which is bent on the side where the smaller cornuti arise (entire length of cornuti
group: 180 µm); each cornutus slightly bent.
„genitalia (Figs. 8, 9). The features of the „genitalia are very similar to those
of C. variicornis, with the following exceptions: the posterior tips of segment VIII are
less pointed, more rounded, the apophyses anteriores are shorter, and the ductus bur-
sae is narrower posterior to the ductus seminalis.
Diagnosis. Coleophora hieronella differs from C. variicornis in the male by
the presence of a seta at the costa of the valva, in the female by the more rounded pos-
terior tips of segment VIII, the shorter apophyses anteriores, and the narrower ductus
bursae between the ductus seminalis and colliculum.
Distribution. Known from France, Spain, Italy (Sicily), and Croatia.
Remarks. After we identified a male of C. hieronella collected on May 11, 1996 at
“Ste Lucie de Porto Vecchio” on Corsica, we concluded that a female from the same
locality collected on May 7, 1996 might be conspecific with it. Subsequently, we
investigated the differences of C. hieronella and C. variicornis in female genitalia and
found that they are very little. However, the result is supported by the fact that the two
paratypes (‚,„) of C. variicornis from Spain appeared to be true C. hieronella, and
all characters correspond with that species. According to these results, Baldizzone
(1986) figured under ‘C. hieronella’ a female of C. hieronella on figures 24 and 25
(from Andalusia), but C. variicornis on figure 26 (from Eolie Islands, Lipari).
32 NUSS & STÜBNER:Coleophora variicornis stat. rev. in Central Europe

Discussion
Baldizzone (1983–1997) records ‘C. hieronella’from a number of localities in the
Mediterranean Region. Since this species has been confused with C. variicornis for-
merly, we do not repeat those records for the distribution of C. hieronella here. It will
be necessary to re-investigate those records and to verify whether the specimens
belong to C. hieronella or to C. variicornis.
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the loan of type specimens of metallic green Coleophora-species by Patrice Leraut &
Joël Minet (MNHN Paris), Wolfram Mey (MNHU Berlin), Lukasz Przybylowicz (ISEZ Krakow), and
Kevin Tuck (BMNH London). James E. Hogan from the Hope Entomological Collections of the Oxford
University Museum of Natural History kindly checked for us the type specimen of Coleophora spissi-
cornis (Haworth, 1828). For the loan of additional specimens we thank Andreas Segerer (ZSM Munich),
Reinhard Gaedike (DEI Eberswalde), and Hugo van der Wolf (Nuenen). Helmut Kolbeck (Weng) and
Antonio Vives Moreno (Madrid) kindly supplied our work with literature on Coleophora. We presented
the discovery of an additional species of dark-metallic green Coleophora-species in Germany to the
Microlepidoptera-workshop at the SEL-congress held in Korsor in June 2002 and thank the participants
for their contributions to the discussion, especially Marko Mutanen (Oulu), Antonio Vives Moreno, and
Hugo van der Wolf (Nuenen). Giorgio Baldizzone (Asti) and Hugo van der Wolf carefully reviewed this
manuscript and kindly provided constructive comments. We gratefully acknowledge the linguistic
improvements by Bernard Landry (Geneve) to the English manuscript.
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