Repetekiodes kuschkella (Zerny, 1914)

Salebria kuschkella Zerny, 1914. Annalen des naturhistorischen Hofmuseums, 28 (3–4): 313, pl. 24, fig. 12. TL: Afghanistan, Kuschk.

= Ambesa umbriferella ssp. senganella Amsel, 1950

= Repetekia gozmanyi Amsel, 1955

Type material examined. Leсtotypus of kuschkella ♂, “Kuschk” | “Stgr. 1914” | “ Salebria kuschkella Zerny, ♀ Type” | “kuschkella B.H. i.l.” | “ U.Roesler Lectotype ” | “M.W. 13.399” | “ U. Roesler GU ♂: 9870” (NHMW); Paralectotypus of of kuschkella ♀, | “Kuschk” | “Stgr. 1914” | “ Salebria kuschkella Zerny, ♀ Type” | “ U.Roesler Paralectotype” | “M.W. 13.400” | “ U. Roesler GU ♀: 9871” (NHMW).

Material examined. Russia, Astrakhan Province: 2 ♂, 14 км NE Dosang, N 46°59′14′′, E 48°03′25′′, 24.vi.2016, leg. Tsvetkov; 4 ♂, 4 ♀, 16 км NE Dosang, N 46°59′43′′, E 48°04′31′′, 21–22.vi.2016, leg. Tsvetkov; 1 ♀, 18 км NE Dosang, N 47°00′42′′, E 48°05′23′′, 23.vi.2016, leg. Tsvetkov (all ET); Kazakhstan, Aktobe Province: 6 ♂, 1 ♀, sands near river Irgiz, N 48°34′55′′, E 60°57′13′′, 18.vi.2019, leg. Tsvetkov (ET); 1 ♂, Shagyrai Plateau, Shagan river, N 46°50′, E 57°47′, 22.v.2006, leg. Trofimova & Shovkoon (H09-2010; PBLEA283-11) (CTT); 6 ♂, 1 ♀, sands near river Irgiz, N 48°34′55′′, E 60°57′13′′, 18.vi.2019, leg. Tsvetkov (ET); Kyzylorda Province: 6 ♂, 2 ♀, Aral Lake, Karatup peninsular, N 46°19′, E 59°43′, 28.v.2006, leg. Trofimova & Shovkoon (H08-2010, PBLEA282-11; E04- 2011, PBLEA337-11); Mangistau Province: 2 ♂, Dzhana-Aulie, Sengyrkum sands, N 43°47′, E 53°34′, 30.v.2009, leg. Trofimova & Shovkoon (E05-2011, PBLEA338-11); Jambyl Province: 12 ♂, 4 ♀, Muyunkum sands, N 44°17′, E 70°10′, 31.v–01.vi.2015, leg. Shovkoon; Turkestan Province: 5 ♂, 4 ♀, Kyzylkum, Desert, sand dunes, h= 176m, N 42°54′, E 66°59′, 17.v.2018, leg. Shovkoon (all CTT); Uzbekistan: 1 ♀, 70 km NW Gazli, Kyzylkum, 26.v.1965, leg. Falkovitsh; 1 ♀, Ayakguzhumdy, 40 km E Dzhingildy, Kyzylkum, 27.v.1965, leg. Pastukhov; 5 ♀, Zhamansai, 140 km NW Shafrikan, 24.v.1972, leg. Falkovitsh; Turkmenistan, 1 ♀, Repetek, 22.v.1981, leg. Krivokhatskiy (prep. № 278, Trofimova T.A.) (all ZIN).

Biology. R. kuschkella inhabits sand steppes and semi-deserts. Imagoes were observed from late May to early June in the south of the range (Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and the south Kazakhstan) while in Astrakhan Province of Russia and the northern part of Aktobe Province of Kazakhstan, just hatched imagoes were observed in late June. Host plant is unknown.

Distribution. Russia (Astrakhan Province), Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan (Roesler 1993; Slamka 2019). We report the species from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan for the first time.

Molecular data (Table 1–2, Fig. 1). The species has a BIN BOLD: AAU2737 (n=4; sequence length 658 bp in all specimens). Mean intraspecific variation 0.0%. The closest BIN: AAU5716, representing R. turanella sp. nov. (n=1) with a COI p-distance of 4.30%.