Scrobipalpa traganella

Scrobipalpa traganella (Chrétien, 1915)

Figs 75, 76, 141, 142, 187

Lita traganella Chrétien, 1915: 321–322.

Scrobipalpa traganella (Chrétien, 1915) — Povolný 1967: 230.

Material examined. South Africa: 1 ♂, Cederberg, Uitkykrevier, Pass, 20–21.x.2001, LF (Mey); 2 ♂, 9 ♀, Knersvlakte, Groot Graafwater, 27.x.2007, Turm (Mey) (gen. prep. 85/ 12♂; 86/ 12♀; 80/ 13♀; 437/ 14♀, O. Bidzilya) (MFN-00098; MFN-00099); 1 ♂, 50 km NE Bitterfontein, Drai Hoek, 25.xi.2008, LF (Ebert, Kühne, Mey); 1 ♂, East Cape, Sneeuberg, Asante-Sana, aut. Falle, 22–26.i.2012 (Mey). Namibia: 1 ♀, Namib, Vogelfederberg, 28.i.2009, LF (Mey); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Solitaire, Tsauchab, camp, 14.iv.2013, LF (Mey) (gen. slide 116/ 17♀, 129/ 17♂, O. Bidzilya) (all MfN).

Diagnosis. Scrobipalpa traganella is rather variably superficially species, although the pale, creamy forewing with a large number of black and bright light-brown to ochreous markings are characteristic. Paler specimens of S. obsoletella look somewhat similar to S. traganella, but they are usually lighter, less contrasting, lack the bright light-brown scales, and are larger in size. The male genitalia of S. traganella are characterized by a massive, broad, long uncus; a long sacculus (extending to 1/3 length of valva); a deep posteromedial emargination of the vinculum; and a knob-like apex of the saccus. A very long, slender, gradually curved signum is the most characteristic feature of the female genitalia.Although easily distinguished superficially, S. etoshensis sp. nov. has rather similar genitalia to S. traganella in both sexes. It can be separated from the former by its shorter (not extending beyond the top of the pedunculus), truncate saccus, rather than apically knobbed, and its shorter, stronger curved signum, and broader ductus bursae.

Biology. In the northern Africa, the larva was recorded feeding on Basia muricatus Moquin, Salsola vermiculata microphylla Moquin and Traganum nudatum Delille (Amaranthaceae) (Huemer & Karsholt 2010: 137). The host plant in southern Africa is unknown. Adults fly in October–November, January and April.

Distribution: Portugal, Spain (with Canary Island), southern France, Malta, North Africa, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Cape Verde Islands (Povolný 1986; Huemer & Karsholt 2010: 137), Namibia (first record), South Africa (Bidzilya 2019).

Remarks. The specimens from South Africa and Namibia match well, both externally and in the genitalia of both sexes, to specimens from the Palaearctic region.