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Volume 31: 1–3
ISSN 1018–
6490 (PRINT)
ISSN 2307–
5031 (ONLINE)
METAMORPHOSIS
LEPIDOPTERISTS’ SOCIETY OF AFRICA
New information on the genus Luffia Tutt, 1899 (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) from the
Canary Islands with description of a new species Luffia kirsteni n. sp. from
Fuerteventura
Published online: 13 February 2020
Knud Larsen
Røntoftevej 33, 2870 Dyssegaard, Denmark, E-Mail: knud.torts@gmail.com
Copyright © Lepidopterists’ Society of Africa
Abstract: A new species from the Canary Islands is described in the genus Luffia Tutt, 1899 (Lepidoptera, Psychidae), Luffia
kirsteni spec. nov. This new species differs from all other species in the genus by its larger size and the triangular shape
of the forewing. In the genitalia, the sacculus and phallus are much larger than in all other species. This appears to be
the first Luffia species that can be determined by genital means. The adult moth, details of antenna and male genitalia
of two species are illustrated, along with the type locality.
Key words: Taxonomy, Psychidae, Luffia kirsteni spec. nov., Canary Islands.
Citation: Larsen, K. 2020. New information on the genus Luffia Tutt, 1899 (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) from the Canary Islands
with description of a new species Luffia kirsteni n. sp. from Fuerteventura. Metamorphosis 31: 1–3.
INTRODUCTION
In August 2018 the author visited Tenerife, La Palma, El
Hierro and La Gomera in the Canary Islands searching for
micromoths. During this journey new information was
obtained about two endemic Luffia species. In February
2019 the author then spent a week at the island
Fuerteventura, also searching for micromoths. Two adult
specimens corresponding to the genus Luffia Tutt, 1899
were of a larger size with markings fitting no known
species from this genus, and were possibly an undescribed
species.
The genus Luffia is strictly Western Palaearctic,
consisting of the rather common species Luffia lapidella
(Goeze, 1783) that is widespread from Cyprus to south
west Europe and also found on the Azores. It is also found
as far north as in Luxembourg and on the Channel Islands.
The other three species known are all endemics, each from
a Canary Island: Luffia rebeli (Walsingham, 1908) from
Tenerife; Luffia gomerensis Henderickx, 1996 from La
Gomera and Luffia palmensis Sobczyk, 2002 from La
Palma (Arnscheid & Weidlich, 2017; Moreno, 2014). The
findings from Madeira are according to Arnscheid &
Weidlich (2017) questionable, and they suggested that this
population belongs to L. lapidella.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The specimens of the new species were collected with
light traps with 8W super actinic black light tubes. The
other specimens were collected with light traps with
125W mercury vapour bulbs. The genitalia slides were
made according to standard procedure mounted in
Euparal. The photographs of genitalia preparations were
taken by a Toup Tek camera mounted on a Toup Tek
binocular microscope. Adults were photographed with a
Canon 50D 100 mm lens. The pictures of the antenna were
made using the Helicon Focus stacking program. The
holotype, paratypes and the other mentioned specimens
are deposited in the research collection of Knud Larsen.
The nomenclature for adults and genitalia follow
Arnscheid & Weidlich (2017).
DESCRIPTION OF NEW SPECIES
Luffia kirsteni K. Larsen, sp. nov. (Figs. 1–2a)
Material examined. Holotype ♂, SPAIN: Canary Islands,
Fuerteventura: Barranco tras del Lomo, 28˚07′53″N
14˚17′12″W, 100 m, 25–26.ii.2019 leg. Knud Larsen.
Paratype ♂, SPAIN: Canary Islands, Fuerteventura:
Lajares 4.5 km. S, 165 m. 1.iii.2019 leg. Knud Larsen.
Gen. prep. 3509 ♂ K. Larsen.
Description. Male. Wingspan 13 mm. (Fig. 1) Head rough
haired, white. Thorax and abdomen grey. Antenna (Fig.
2a) with 24 segments, covered with light scales and
strongly pectinate. Forewing triangular with costa slightly
curved and pointed and termen nearly straight, dorsum
straight. Ground colour whitish with two light brown
crossing bands: one close to the base and a broader band
beyond middle of the wing dividing into two bands close
to costa. Two dark brown dots at costa close to tip. The
first whitish band has two very thin brownish curved lines
in the middle; the second divided with a very thin dark
brown line close to termen. Termen itself has a row of
minute white spots just before the brown dividing line.
The hindwings are grey. All fringes are grey with a
brownish tint. The underside of the forewing is like the
Received: 5 January 2020
Published: 13 February 2020
Copyright: This work is licensed under the Creative Commons
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Larsen / Metamorphosis 31: 1–3 2
Figure 1 – Luffia kirsteni sp. nov. Holotype ♂, 13 mm. Barranco
tras del Lomo.
Figure 2 – a) Luffia kirsteni sp. nov. Antenna. Lajares. b) Luffia
lapidella (Goeze, 1783). Antenna. France. Ariége.
upper side but the markings are very weakly visible. The
underside of the hindwing is light grey. Legs are grey with
long tibia and the distal segments are brownish ringed.
Male genitalia (Figs 3a & b). Valva narrow elongate,
rounded distally. Clasper very broad, rounded and long
with the tip reaching 4/5 of the lengths of the valva. Tip of
clasper slender and short with small spines. Tegumen
strongly curved with a small indention distally. Anellus
short and broad, rounded distally and pointed caudally.
Juxta distinctly sclerotized. Tendon weak, covered with
fine spines. Saccus slender, rounded caudally, length a
little less than one third of the genitalia. Phallus longer
than the genitalia, simple, same widths and curved at both
ends.
Female genitalia. Not known.
Diagnosis: Luffia kirsteni is characterised by its much
larger size than all other Luffia sp. The forewing is
triangular and pointed. The markings are striking
especially with the broad dividing bands. In the male
genitalia, the valva is narrower, clasper and phallus larger
and tegumen more rounded than in other species,
distinctions very clear by comparison with the figures of
the male genitalia of Luffia lapidella (Goeze, 1783) (Fig.
4).
Figure 3 – Luffia kirsteni sp. nov. Fuerteventura: Lajares, gen.
prep. 3509 ♂ K. Larsen: a) valves, b) phallus. Scale is 1 mm.
Figure 4 – Luffia lapidella (Goeze, 1783). France, gen. prep.
3508 ♂ K. Larsen.
Biology. Nothing known except for information from the
collecting dates and the two localities. Type locality (Fig.
5) and the other locality where the species was found are
both covered by rough stones and lava fields with sparse
vegetation (Fig. 6), with lichens growing on the lava.
Etymology. The species is named after my ever patient and
understanding wife.
Luffia lapidella (Goeze, 1783).
Material examined. FRANCE. Ariége: Sinsat, 500 m. 2
specimens, 25.vii.1999 leg. et col. Knud Larsen. The
locality is a humid valley just north of Andorra in the
Pyrenees.
Male genitalia. Slide nb. 3508 ♂ K. Larsen (Fig. 4) is
shown for comparison with the new species Luffia kirsteni
a)
b)
Larsen / Metamorphosis 31: 1–3 3
n. sp. (Fig. 3a). In the lapidella specimen from France the
sacculus is much longer compared with the Fig. 129 on
Plate 31 of the lapidella male in Arnscheid & Weidlich
(2017), which also is from France. This could be a
preparation artefact. The antenna (Fig. 2b) of L. lapidella
is also figured for comparing the size of the pecten.
Luffia rebeli Walsingham, 1908.
Material examined. SPAIN. Canary Islands. Tenerife.
Anaga, Roque Negro, 615 m. 2 specimens, 7–9.viii.2018
leg. et col. Knud Larsen. The species was abundant at the
locality, which is very misty, humid and with plenty of
lichens everywhere. According to Sobczyk (2002) the
flight period is May/June.
Figure 5 – Luffia kirsteni sp. nov. Type locality. Fuerteventura:
Barranco tras del Lomo.
Figure 6 – Luffia kirsteni sp. nov. Second locality.
Fuerteventura: Lajares.
Luffia palmensis Sobczyk, 2002.
Material examined. SPAIN. Canary Islands. La Palma.
Barranco de las Nieves, 250 m. 3 specimens 13–
16.viii.2018 leg. et col. Knud Larsen. The species was
abundant at the locality which is a rather dry barranco just
outside the city but at the edge of the large laurisilva forest
on the east side of the island. According to Sobczyk
(2002) and Arnscheid & Weidlich (2017), the flight period
is April/May.
DISCUSSION
The discovery of a new Luffia species possibly endemic
to Fuerteventura raises questions about Luffia from the
other Canary Islands. On my visit to the islands in 2018,
the author found plenty of specimens on Tenerife and Las
Palmas, but none on El Hierro and La Gomera. In the
original article on Luffia gomerensis (Henderickx, 1996),
that species was discovered by finding cases with eggs.
The specimens were bred out after 10 months and it was
suggested that the flight period would be around February.
The flight period of different species may vary, but it
seems to be established that L. rebeli and L. palmensis
either have two broods or a rather long flight period. From
present information, it would be expected to find Luffia
species at least also on Gran Canaria and Lanzerote and
maybe also on El Hierro. The populations of Luffia
species on the Canary Islands result from long term
isolation in the same ecological settings. The volcanic
geology of Fuerteventura is special and spectacular, and
different to some settings I experienced in West Africa.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks are extended to Mr. P.R. Orlien – Hørsholm,
Denmark for his assistance and help with the photographs,
especially of the adult and antenna. The author is likewise
grateful for the help and support of the editor of
Metamorphosis and the reviewers.
LITERATURE CITED
ARNSCHEID R.A. & WEIDLICH, M. 2017. Psychidae.
Microlepidoptera of Europe. Vol. 8, 423 pp., 46 plates.
Brill. Leiden, London.
HENDERICKX, H. 1996. A new Luffia from La Gomera
(Canaries): Luffia gomerensis sp.n. (Lepidoptera:
Psychidae). Phegea 24(3): 131–135.
MORENO, A.V. 2014. Catálogo Sistemático y
Sinonimico de los Lepidoptera de la Peninsula
Ibérica, de Ceuta, de Melilla y de las islas Azores,
Baleares, Canarias, Madeira y Salvajes (Insecta :
Lepidoptera). 1184 pp. SHILAP. Madrid.
SOBCZYK, T. 2002. Luffia palmensis sp. n. eine neue
Psychide von den Kanarischen Inseln (Psychidae).
Nota Lepidopterologica 24(4): 11–16.
