Ancylis unguicella Linnaeus 1758

Ancylis unguicella (Linnaeus, 1758)

Figs. 2–6, 59–60, 75

Phalaena (Tinea) unguicella Linnaeus, 1758, Systema Naturae (10th ed.): 536.

Phalaena ungvicella Clerck, 1759, Icones Insectorum Rariorum 1: pl. 12, fig. 7. [misspelling of unguicella] Pyralis unguicana Fabricius, 1775, Systema Entomologiae: 654. [unjustified emendation] Tortrix falcana Hübner, 1796 –1799, Samml. Eur. Schmett. 7: pl. 13, fig. 78.

Tortrix vappana Hübner, 1814 –1817, Samml. Eur. Schmett. 7: pl. 38, fig. 241.

Anchylopera plagosana Clemens, 1864, Proc. ent. Soc. Philad. 3: 417.

Diagnosis. Ancylis unguicella is one of few Anyclis with dark fasciate wing markings. In the Palearctic, A. achatana has a similar wing pattern, but the median fascia is not as well defined, and the male genitalia differ with a narrow valval neck and well–defined 90° saccular angle. The Nearctic A. pacificana is identical in wing pattern to A. unguicella, and the two species cannot be separated without dissection. In the male, the cucullus of A. unguicella is blunter with a nearly acute apex versus the elongate rounded cucullus in A. pacificana, and the phallus is longer (0.75 as long as valva in A. unguicella; 0.5–0.6 as long as valva in A. pacificana). In the female, the antrum of A. unguicella is wider posteriorly and the signa are smaller than in A. pacificana.

Redescription. Forewing. FWL Ƌ 7–8.5 mm (n=102), ♀ 7–9 mm (n=8). Forewings are gray and brown, with a brown to dark brown median fascia that is complete from costa to dorsum, white costal strigulae, and silvery striae. Some individuals have tan or light gray-tipped scales interspersed throughout the entire wing, especially in interfascial areas. Male genitalia. Uncus bifid to approximately half its length. Valva with shallow basal excavation extending to middle of neck; saccular angle weakly developed with variable triangular terminal projection; neck of uniform width from sacculus to cucullus; cucullus blunt, densely setose, outer margin rounded with several rows of short stout setae, apex nearly acute; caulis 0.5 to 0.75 as long as phallus; phallus 0.75 as long as valva, with small triangular tooth just proximal to apex; vesica with ca. 40–60 deciduous lanceolate cornuti. Female genitalia. Antrum sclerotized to 0.5 length of ductus bursae, widened at ostium to near distance between apophyses anteriores. Corpus bursae large, oval, expanding abruptly from ductus bursae; signa blade-shaped, unequal in size.

Molecular data. BIN URI: BOLD:AAB3498. The intraspecific divergence of the barcode region is moderate with average 0.84% and maximum 2.36% (n=46). However, North American and European populations cluster separately with a minimum distance of 0.87%. The minimum distance to the nearest neighbor A. mediofasciana is 4.5%.

Distribution. Ancylis unguicella has a Holarctic distribution. In the Palearctic, it is found from Western Europe to Siberia, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan (Razowski 2003). In the Nearctic, it is present from Alaska and British Columbia east to Ontario and south to Colorado.

Biology. Adults are present from May to early July. Larvae feed from July to August on various species of Erica (Ericaceae) and on Calluna (Ericaceae). Pupation takes place in early spring after larval hibernation in the final instar (Bradley et al. 1979; Razowski 2001). Ancylis unguicella prefers heathland and moors.

Remarks. This species is identical in wing pattern to A. pacificana. In the Pacific Northwest, where A. pacificana is also present, species-level determinations should rely on the male genitalia. We were unable to locate any specimens of A. unguicella from California or Oregon. Despite the weak genetic divergence of North American populations, we treat them as conspecific due to the morphological conformity.

FIGURES 2–16. Adults. 2–6, A. unguicella (2, Italy; 3–4, Germany; 5, Washington; 6, South Dakota). 7–10, A. pacificana (California). 11–16, A. uncella (11–12, Germany; 13, Japan; 14, Pennsylvania, A. carbonana holotype; 15, Connecticut; 16, Virginia).

FIGURES 17–31. Adults. 17–22, A. goodelliana (17, northeastern U.S.A., holotype; 18, Connecticut; 19, New York; 20–21, North Carolina; 22, Nova Scotia). 23 – 25, A. oregonensis (23, Oregon, holotype; 24–25, Oregon). 26–31, A. geminana (26–27, [no data]; 28–29, Germany; 30, Italy; 31, Austria).

FIGURES 32–46. Adults. 32–34, A. christiandiana (Austria). 35–38, A. diminutana (Germany); 39–43, A. diminuatana (39, New Jersey, holotype; 40, Ohio; 41, Nebraska; 42, Manitoba; 43, Washington). 44–46, A. diminuatana complex (44, Washington; 45, Colorado; 46, Alaska).

FIGURES 47–58. Adults. 47–52, A. saliana (47, Florida, holotype; 48–52, Florida). 53–58, A. subarcuana (53, Austria; 54– 57, Germany; 58, Finland).