+1Kontinente:EU
2. Biologie
2.1. Nahrung der Raupe
- [Poaceae:] Xanthochloa paniculata [= Anthoxanthum paniculatum, Festuca paniculata, Patzkea paniculata]
Dass es bei einer neu beschriebenen Elachista auch gleich Angaben zur Raupe gibt, ist nicht selbstverständlich. Doch Nunes et al. (2026: 350-351) suchten an einem Fundort der Falter nicht nur nach Raupen, sondern sie hatten - mit viel Mühe - auch Erfolg und können berichten: "In the same habitat, Elachista larvae were searched for in perennial grasses. In February 2025, dead larvae were found inside mines in leaves of Xanthochloa paniculata (L.) P.M. Peterson, Romasch. & Soreng. In December of the same year and on 1 January 2026, several live larvae were detected at the same locality and host-plant and successfully reared to the adult stage, confirming that they belonged to the undescribed species known to the authors. The exact site where the larvae were found (Fig. 6) is sheltered by a stone wall and lies in a transition zone between open shrubland and sparse woodland dominated by Pinus pinaster Aiton, with Eucalyptus sp., Quercus orocantabrica Rivas Mart., Penas, T.E. Díaz & Llamas and Q. suber L. The larvae mine the leaf downwards, from the tip toward the base. Pupation occurs outside the mine, usually near the base of the host-plant, without the construction of a cocoon, and involves only a silk pad and a single silk thread encircling the pupa for support (see Fig. 5B). Among the larvae collected during the winter of 2025–2026, one individual was found to belong to a different species: Elachista consortella Stainton (gen. det. Nunes GP0085.11, specimen in coll. Nunes JN1597)."
(Autor: Erwin Rennwald)
3. Weitere Informationen
3.1. Etymologie (Namenserklärung)
Nunes et al. (2026: 351) erklären: "The new species name pluviosa is Latin for ‘rainy’ from the weather conditions under which adults were consistently observed in the field. Treated as a noun in the nominative singular standing in apposition to the generic name."
3.2. Taxonomie und Faunistik
Nunes et al. (2026: 351) diskutieren die Verwandtschaftsverhältnisse recht genau: "The new species belongs to subgenus Aphelosetia Stephens (for a description of the subgenus, see Kaila 1999). Kaila (2019) recognizes three species groups within this subgenus: the E. argentella, E. bedellella and E. dispilella groups. [...] Elachista pluviosa sp. nov. lies in the bedellella species group, and within the group it belongs to the E. catalana complex, which was revised by Kaila (2011), differing from the E. pollutella complex by the presence of a dense tuft of scales near the base of the valva (see Kaila 2011) and from other species in the E. catalana complex in colouration, male genitalia and DNA barcode. The E. catalana complex (sensu Kaila 2011) is currently represented by five species, three of which occur in the Iberian Peninsula."
Zum Barcode ist bei Nunes et al. (2026: 349) zu erfahren: "The DNA barcode (658 bp partial COI gene sequence) of the holotype (BOLD sample ID: INV10086) was successfully sequenced. The specimen exhibited a distinct haplotype, with E. liskai (BOLD sample ID: MM15377) being the closest related species (p-distance 7.3%), followed by E. modesta (BOLD sample ID: MM15372) and E. vulcana (BOLD sample ID: MM15435) with 8.2% and E. catalana (BOLD sample ID: MM16733) being the most distant within the group with 10% (p-distance)."
Wie bei neuen Arten üblich, sind nur wenige Fundorte bekannt, hier alle aus Portugal. Nunes et al. (2026: 351) schreiben dazu: "Currently known only from three localities in northern and central Portugal: two in Valongo and one in Marvão."
3.3. Typenmaterial
Nunes et al. (2026: 346-348) stellen zusammen: "Holotype: male, Portugal, Porto, Valongo, 29T NF4163, 41.2180N, 8.5059W, 247 m, 9.ii.2020, J. Nunes [leg.], M. Dale gen. prep. MD02789, DNA barcoded (BOLD sample ID: INV10086) to be deposited in NHMUK. [...] Paratypes: 1 male, Portugal, Portalegre, Marvão, 29S PD3962, 39.3965N, 7.3778W, 802 m, 20.iv.2000, M. Corley [leg.] P5682 (Corley gen prep 1473 m), P5683, P5684, same data as P5682, deposited in RCMC; 1 female, same data as Holotype, to be deposited in NHMUK; 1 female, Portugal, Porto, Valongo, 29T NF4259, 41.1827N, 8.4907W, 178 m, 24.ii.2022, J. Nunes [leg.], M. Dale gen. prep. MD03081, deposited in RCMC; 3 males and 1 female, Portugal, Porto, Valongo, 29T NF4259, 41.1827N, 8.4907W, 178 m, 14.xii.2025, J. Nunes [leg.], leafmines on Xanthochloa paniculata (L.) P.M.Peterson, Romasch. & Soreng (adults emerged between 19.i.2026 and 24.i.2026), deposited in RCJN; 8 males and 9 females, 1.i.2026 (adults emerged between 29.i.2026 and 15.ii.2026), otherwise same data, deposited in RCMC (1 male, M. Dale gen. prep. MD03684, and 1 female, M. Dale gen. prep. MD03685), and to be deposited in MHNC-UP (4 males and 3 females) and MZH (4 males and 4 females).
(Autor: Erwin Rennwald)
3.4. Literatur
- Kaila, L. (2011): A review of species related to Elachista catalana Parenti (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae: Elachistinae), with despriptions of two new species. — Entomologica Fennica 22 (2): 85-96. [PDF auf ojs.tsv.fi]
- Erstbeschreibung: Nunes, J., Corley, M. & S. Ferreira (2026): A new species of Elachista Treitschke (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) from Portugal. — Zootaxa, 5873 (2): 345–354.
