Pleurota pellicolor Kaila & Mutanen & Sihvonen & Tyllinen & Tabell 2019, sp. nov.

Pleurota pellicolor Tabell, sp. nov.

Barcode Index Number: BOLD:ADI4007

Table 1, Figs. 11, 37, 48

Type material. Holotype ♂ (DNA sample 25565 Lepid Phyl): Morocco, Ouarzazate Prov., 1 km ESE Aguelmouss, N31.26232 W7.39616, 3.VII.2016, 2150 m, J. Tabell leg. (coll. MZH), BOLD sample ID: MM25565. Paratypes: 2 ♂ (GP 5715 J. Tabell, DNA sample 25566 Lepid Phyl; DNA sample 25564 Lepid Phyl), with same collecting data as holotype (coll. TAB).

Diagnosis. Pleurota pellicolor is characterized by an ochre forewing with indistinctly edged narrow pale ochre costal and median lines. In the male genitalia, the shape of uncus and the beak-shaped gnathos are characteristic.

Molecular diagnosis. All three specimens of P. pellicolor were sequenced, resulting in 658 bp, full-length DNA barcode fragments for two specimens, and a fragment of 573 bp for one specimen. The nearest neighbour to P. pellicolor is the morphologically distinctive P. gallicella with a 5.66% divergence. The barcodes of P. pellicolor exhibit no intraspecific variation (Table 1).

Description. Adult. Wingspan 24–25 mm. Labial palpus pale brown, mixed white and brown, ventrally widely dark brown, laterally with a small dark brown apical spot, long, about 7.4 x as long as diameter of eye (1 st and 2 nd segments), 3 rd segment long, 0.33 x length of 1 st and 2 nd segments. Scape dark brown, flagellum brown. Head white, tinged with pale brown, tegula and thorax concolorous with forewing. Forewing pale ochreous brown, apex slightly darker, costa narrowly pale ochre; subcostal line broad, parallel-sided, yellowish brown, extending from base to apex; two indistinct off-white narrow median lines. Fringe brown. Hindwing grey, fringe brown. Abdomen slightly lustrous, pale grey, each segment with transverse row of ochre scales.

Male genitalia. Uncus bell-shaped dorsoventrally, lined with several long bristles, proximal margin sinuous. Gnathos 1.5 x as long as uncus, funnel-shaped dorsoventrally, beak-shaped in lateral aspect, apical half moderately narrow, apex pointed. Valva upwards oblique, ventral margin evenly curved; sacculus narrow. Anterior extension of juxta straight, narrow; median part oval; posterior lobe narrow, reaching uncus; valval lobe elongate, base broad, apical part broadly folded, lined with several small nodules and short bristles. Vinculum U-shaped. Phallus curved, apex tapered, with one small elongate plate-shaped cornutus surrounded by numerous tiny spines.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown. The moths were collected at the beginning of July at light at dawn. The habitat is a steep slope at an elevation of 2150 m.

Distribution. Known from a single locality in the High Atlas mountains.

Derivation of name. The specific name refers to the coloration of forewing.