﻿New species and new records of the genus Filatima Busck, 1939 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) from Central Asia

﻿Abstract Four new species of Filatima Busck, 1939 are described from Central Asia: Filatimaarmatasp. nov. (Iran), F.subarmatasp. nov. (Pakistan, Iran), F.afghanasp. nov. (Afghanistan), and F.kariisp. nov. (Tajikistan). The hitherto unknown female of Filatimamulticornuta Bidzilya & Nupponen, 2018 is described. Recorded to occur for the first time are Filatimatextorella (Chrétien, 1908) from North Macedonia and Turkey, F.pallipalpella (Snellen, 1884) from Kyrgyzstan, and Filatimazagulajevi Anikin & Piskunov, 1996 from Kazakhstan. Filatimafontisella Lvovsky & Piskunov, 1989 is removed from the list of Russian Gelechiidae due to re-identification of the only record as F.multicornuta. An annotated checklist of Palaearctic Filatima species is provided.


Introduction
Filatima Busck, 1939 is a large genus of Holarctic Gelechiidae with the majority of species known from North America (Lee et al. 2009). The systematic position of the genus is still rather unclear. Both male and female genitalia are very peculiar and show no clear relation to other genera in the Gelechiidae. However, species in the genus share the feature of a deeply separated segment VIII into a free tergum and sternum, which is a putative synapomorphy for Gelechiinae (Hodges 1999). Within this subfamily the genus has been placed in the tribe Gelechiini provisionally near Aroga Busck, 1914 and Athrips Billberg, 1820 (Huemer and Karsholt 1999). Hodges (1999: 15) proposed and developed the argument that Chionodes Hübner, [1825], Aroga, and Filatima "comprise a closely related, highly speciose group". Recently obtained results of molecular studies place the genus closest to Aroga and Stegasta Meyrick, 1904(Karsholt et al. 2013, and these authors already stressed the need of increased taxon sampling. Eight species of the European fauna were revised by Huemer and Karsholt (1999). Later two additional species were described, one from Romania (Kovács and Kovács 2001) and one from Spain (Corley 2014). Compared with the European fauna the Asian species remained poorly studied. By the end of the 20 th century only nine species had been recorded from Kyrgyzstan eastwards to the Amur region of Russia and Eastern China (Sattler 1968;Ivinskis and Piskunov 1989;Lvovsky and Piskunov 1989;. Recently new species were described from Southern Siberia and two new synonyms have been established (Bidzilya and Nupponen 2018). On the basis of these studies the genus currently comprises 57 Nearctic (Lee et al. 2009) and 19 Palaearctic species.
Here we provide descriptions of four new species from Central Asia, and also describe the hitherto unknown female of F. multicornuta Bidzilya & Nupponen, 2018. We also provide an annotated list of Palaearctic species of Filatima updated according to taxonomic changes proposed in the last few decades and new faunistic records.

Materials and methods
Male and female genitalia were dissected and prepared using standard methods for the Gelechiidae (Huemer and Karsholt 2010). Male genitalia were spread implementing the unrolling technique described by Pitkin (1986) and Huemer (1988). The descriptive terminology of the genitalia structures follows Huemer and Karsholt (1999); the order of species in the checklist is alphabetical. Pinned specimens were photographed with a Canon EOS 5DSR DSLR camera attached to an Olympus SZX12 stereomicroscope. Slide-mounted genitalia were photographed with a Canon EOS 600D DSLR camera mounted on an Olympus U-CTR30-2 trinocular head mounted on a Carl Zeiss compound microscope. For each photograph, sets of 10-20 images were taken at different focal planes and focused-stacked using Helicon Focus 6 with the final image edited in Adobe Photoshop CS5.

NUPP
Research  (Chrétien, 1908) and F. transsilvanella Kovács & Kovács, 2001, but the first species does not have a row of caudally directed scales to 1/2 of R5 on the underside of the male hindwing, which is present in the male of F. transsilvanella and F. armata sp. nov. (Fig. 5). There are no reliable external differences for F. subarmata sp. nov. The male genitalia (Fig. 13) are distinctive in having weakly asymmetrical sacculi with a small tooth at the base of the left one; despite some variation, the phallus (Figs 14-17) is also very peculiar having a strongly sclerotised longitudinal ribbon with three large and several small lateral thorns and a sclerotised plate in the vesica. Filatima transsilvanella differs in the longer uncus, the absence of a tooth on the right sacculus and the phallus having smaller thorns and without a sclerotised plate in the vesica. The female genitalia  are identifiable from the ribbon of long, needle-shaped spines in the bulla seminalis in   combination with broadly rounded lateral sclerites, and a short sub-rectangular medial sclerite with an emarginated posterior margin. Among Palaearctic Filatima species the bulla seminalis is known in F. transsilvanella, F. pallipalpella (Snellen, 1884), and F. afghana sp. nov. The first species has a rounded and short bulla seminalis (Kovács and Kovács 2001;Junnilainen et al. 2010), whereas F. pallipalpella has an elongate one with short spines. Filatima afghana sp. nov. like F. armata sp. nov. has a ribbon of needle-shaped spines, but differs in the narrower and inwardly curved lateral sclerites.
Variation. Adults vary in size from 15.0 to 22.0 mm in wingspan. Valva, saccus, and thorns of the phallus vary in length.
Female genitalia. . Papillae anales sub-ovate, elongated, setose; apophyses posteriores extending the length of corpus bursae, apophyses anteriores shorter than segment VIII, straight; sternum VIII longer than broad, sub-rectangular, weakly narrowed posteriorly, sub-genital plates weakly broadened and joined posteromedially, medial area membranous, mainly covered with fine microtrichia medially and anteriorly, lateral sub-ostial sclerite densely covered with short teeth, broad, rounded, medial sub-ostial sclerite sub-rectangular to rounded with posteromedial emargination; antrum half the length of apophyses anteriores, with strongly sclerotised edge in anterior part; ductus bursae short, broad, with indistinct transition to corpus bursae, with bulla seminalis arising from the right side and extending to 1/2-2/3 length of corpus bursae, with ribbon of long and narrow needle-shaped spines extending from ductus bursae to base of bulla seminalis corpus bursae broadly rounded; signum plate sub-ovate with paired long, narrow, acute sclerites directed anteriorly.
Biology. The adults have been collected from mid-April to late July at altitudes between 1200 and 2600 m.
Distribution. Iran. Etymology. The name of the new species is derived from the Latin armatus meaning armed warrior, and refers to the strongly sclerotised phallus armed with strong thorns. Diagnosis. The new species shows a close relationship with the previous one in respect of the male genitalia and external appearance. However, the male genitalia (Figs 24, 25) of F. subarmata sp. nov. differ in the shorter and broader left sacculus and the broader right sacculus. Additionally, the basal thorn of the phallus is shorter, the medial thorn is elongate and apically bifurcate rather than triangular as in F. armata sp. nov. and a small subapical thorn is absent in F. subarmata sp. nov. . We observed also differences in the shape of the saccus which is slightly longer and narrower in F. subarmata sp. nov. We did not find reliable differences in the external appearance between F. subarmata sp. nov. and F. armata sp. nov.
Male genitalia . Tergum VIII tongue-shaped, with long, narrow anterolateral arms; sternum VIII rounded to sub-trapezoidal, posterior margin with paired patch of hairs and with short medial emargination, anterolateral arms long and narrow. Uncus sub-trapezoidal, weakly narrowed apically, posterior margin weakly rounded, with short triangular medial incision, laterally covered with strong setae; gnathos slightly longer than uncus, medial sclerite weakly curved, distally weakly serrate on dorsal surface; tegumen sub-triangular, gradually narrowed distally, anteromedial incision reaching to ~ 1/3 of its length; valva short and very slender, bluntly acute; sacculus curved medially, ~ 1/2 length and 4 × as broad as valva, the left sacculus broader and shorter than the right one, with small basal tooth; vinculum with broad and deep sub-triangular medial emargination, weakly serrated posteriorly; saccus 2 × longer than broad, sub-rectangular, apex rounded; phallus as long as tegumen, swollen at base, distal 2/3 with a sclerotised ribbon along the left side with four lateral thorns: two basal thorns are short, triangular, the medial thorn is the longest, slender, bifurcated apically except the HT (Fig. 26), and the apical one is the broadest, subtriangular, vesica with large irregular sclerotised plate, bulbus ejaculatorius long, coiled.
Female genitalia. Unknown. Diagnosis. The new species is rather uniformly dark brown (Figs 30-33), darker than F. armata sp. nov. and F. subarmata sp. nov., with indistinct markings. It is very similar externally to those two species, but on average it has a smaller wingspan, is darker, and has a paler, white rather than greyish white, head and labial palpus. The apically bifurcate uncus, short and narrow sacculus with a basal tooth (Fig. 34), and phallus with longitudinal sclerotised ribbon and sclerotised plate of the vesica (Fig. 35) are characteristic in the male genitalia. Filatima transsilvanella differs in the longer uncus that is not divided apically and the longer and broader sacculus without a basal tooth. The female genitalia are recognisable by the ribbon of long needle-shaped spines in the bulla seminalis in combination with narrow inwardly curved lateral sclerites. Filatima transsilvanella differs in the rounded rather than elongate bulla seminalis, longer apophyses anteriores and the lateral sclerite that is not turned inwards.
Male genitalia (Figs 34-36). Tergum VIII tongue-shaped, with long, narrow anterolateral arms; sternum VIII rounded to sub-trapezoidal, posterior margin with paired patch of hairs and with shallow medial emargination, anteromedial arms long and narrow (Fig. 36). Uncus deeply divided posteromedially into digitate lobes that are weakly narrowed apically and covered with strong setae laterally; gnathos approx. as long as uncus, medial sclerite weakly curved, dorsal surface with several folds; tegumen sub-triangular, gradually narrowed distally, anteromedial incision reaching to ~ 1/3 of its length; valva slender, apex weakly broadened; sacculus short, narrow, acute, inwardly turned, with basal tooth; vinculum with broad and deep U-shaped medial emargination; saccus 2 × longer than broad, sub-rectangular, apex weakly rounded; phallus slightly shorter than tegumen, nearly of equal width, weakly narrowed at base, distal 2/3 with a sclerotised ribbon along the left side, with two small teeth in one specimen and without them in other specimens, vesica with large irregular sclerotised plate, bulbus ejaculatorius long, coiled.

Female genitalia
Variation. The shape of the posteromedial plate varies from sub-triangular to subrectangular; lateral sub-ostial sclerite varies in width from elongate to broadly rounded, usually with distinct sclerotisation in medial 1/4, but is uniformly sclerotised in one specimen; apophyses anteriores vary in length from as long as, to shorter than segment VIII.
Biology. The adults have been collected from early May to mid-August at altitudes between 970 and 2350 m.
Distribution. Afghanistan, Pakistan. Etymology. The specific name reflects the distribution of this new species in Afghanistan. Diagnosis. Externally this new species is recognised by the light brown forewing with the costal margin distinctly mottled with black (Fig. 40). Filatima fontisella Lvovsky & Piskunov, 1989 from Mongolia shares with Filatima karii sp. nov. the absence of row of scales on the ventral surface of the male hindwings and somewhat similar forewing pattern. However, in F. fontisella forewing is lighter, pale yellow, and the wingspan is smaller (11-15 mm contrary to 17.2 mm in F. karii sp. nov.). The male genitalia (Figs 41, 42) resemble those of F. fontisella, F. ukrainica Piskunov, 1971, and F. multicornuta, all with well-developed horn-shaped anellus sclerites. Apical U-shaped (V-shaped in above species) cornutus and very broad left extension of the phallus sheath are characteristic for the new species.

Filatima karii
Description. (Figs 4, 40). Wingspan 17.2 mm. Head covered with pale white, brown-tipped scales, frons white, labial palpus recurved, segment 2 white, dark brown at base, underside with brush of modified white scales and few brown scales at apex, segment 3 slender, 1/3 width and ~ 2/3 length of segment 2, white mixed with light brown, antennal scape white densely mixed with brown, flagellum ringed white and brown (Fig. 4); thorax and tegulae slightly darker than neck, brown mottled with pale white; forewing light brown, slightly darker in distal 2/3, diffuse dark brown spots in mid-wing at 1/3 and 2/3, fold slightly darker than adjacent area of forewing, costal margin and base with distinct black suffusion, cilia pale white to light brown, with distinct brown tips; hindwing grey in basal half and darker, light brown in distal half, veins distinct, mottled with dark brown.
Male genitalia (Figs 41-43). Tergum VIII egg-shaped, with distinct moderately broad anterolateral arms, anterior margin sclerotised; sternum VIII subtrapezoidal, posterolateral corners rounded, posteromedial emargination broad, anterolateral arms long and narrow (Fig. 43). Uncus basally as broad as long, narrowed to 3/4 length, apically weakly widened, posterior margin straight, laterally covered with strong setae; gnathos approx. length of uncus, apical 1/3 of medial sclerite curved at right angle, weakly broadened; tegumen elongated, sub-triangular, gradually narrowed distally, anteromedial incision reaching to ~ 1/2 of its length; valva moderately broad, gradually tapered to a bluntly pointed apex, gradually curved, extending to apex of gnathos; sacculus membranous, finger-shaped, of even width and apex bluntly rounded, 1/2 length of valva; sclerites of anellus symmetrical, with stout base and long horn-shaped outwardly turned distal sclerite, as long as sacculus; vinculum short, band-shaped, saccus weakly narrowed towards rounded apex, slightly extending beyond anterior projection of pedunculus; phallus slightly shorter than tegumen, weakly narrowed at base, with medial horn-shaped cornutus and apical U-shaped cornutus with its right process slightly longer than left process; additionally, there are two lateral extensions of the phallus sheath: the left one is long and broad with two basal teeth on left side, and the right one is short, narrow; bulbus ejaculatorius short.
Female genitalia. Unknown. Biology. The holotype was collected in late July at an altitude of c. 2800 m. The collecting site is the edge between a steep rocky slope and riverside sand dunes with plenty of Salix (see Bidzilya et al. 2019: 125, fig. 43).
Distribution. Tajikistan. Etymology. We dedicate this species to the late Kari Nupponen, leading specialist on the Scythrididae, outstanding collector, and a wonderful friend who passed away much too early. The species has been recently described from four males from Tuva Republic of Russia and Mongolian Altai. Our study of additional material from Mongolia resulted in the discovery of the hitherto unknown female which is described below.

Filatima multicornuta
Female genitalia (Figs 48,49). Papillae anales sub-ovate, densely covered with short setae; apophyses anteriores 4 × as long as apophyses posteriores; segment VIII subrectangular, slightly longer than broad; sternum VIII with posterior margin weakly emarginated, evenly sclerotised, with rounded sclerites covered with minute thorns at base of apophyses anteriores; medial sclerite narrow, cone-shaped, extending to the anterior margin of sternum VIII; ductus bursae short and broad, with indistinct transition to corpus bursae, numerous dense and strong needle-shaped spines do not extend so far anteriorly as on the right side, more delicate and less dense hair-like spines from 1/3 to 1/2 length in left side, several longitudinal overlapping folds extending to 1/4 to 1/2 length into corpus bursae; corpus bursae oval, signum basal plate rounded, covered with short thorns and two anteriorly directed horn-shaped lobes.
Remarks. The female genitalia of F. multicornuta (Figs 48,49) resemble that of F. zagulajevi Anikin & Piskunov, 1996 (Fig. 50), but the left side of the ductus bursae is more densely covered with microspines, whereas the right side is less covered with microspines in F. zagulajevi. Additionally, the longitudinal folds are longer and the medial sclerite is shorter in F. zagulajevi (Fig. 50).
Remarks. As the only Russian record of Filatima fontisella (Kostjuk et al. 1994: 10) is based on misidentification of F. multicornuta, this species should be removed from the list of the Lepidoptera of Russia.

Filatima nigrimediella
Remarks. The species is known only from the male holotype collected in Borzja, S of Zabaikalskiy kray of Russia. The original description is accompanied by a black and white photograph of the adult and a drawing of male genitalia in lateral view (Bidzilya et al. 1998, Figs 17, 18). Here we provide colour photographs of the holotype (Fig. 44) and the slide of the unrolled male genitalia (Figs 45-47). (Meyrick, 1936) Gelechia pagicola Meyrick, 1936: 44 Distribution. China: Taishan (Meyrick 1936: 44).