Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 99. (Budapest 2007)

Kun, A.: Studies on Palaearctic Ethmia Hübner, 1819 (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae)

Corpus bursae elliptical-ovoid, signum with rows of teeth of almost equal size, basal plate with deep, V-shaped emargination. Diagnosis - The old and worn specimens of Ethmia persica sp. n. (Fig. 1) are difficult to distinguish from E. infelix MEYRICK, 1914 (Fig. 2), although there are some small but typical characters which could help in the identification of the two taxa. The costal area of the forewing of E. infelix is darker than in E. persica, rather black than grey, with less prominent costal markings. In general, E. persica is brighter in appearance and more fragile than its sister species. The wing pattern of the E. derbendella SATTLER, 1967 and is. wursteri are more different than the two species mentioned above (characteristic black dots, in a constant arrangement). The male genitalia of the new species (Fig. 10) differ strongly in the shape of the anterior part of the gnathos, make the separation from E. infelix (Fig. 11) (and the other species of the group) rather easy (with two long processes bearing long bristles). The female genitalia of E. persica (Fig. 12) can be compared only with E. derbendella, and they differ mostly by the dentation of the signum as the teeth of the new species are more equal in size, showing smaller variability than those of E. derbendella, which has some long, thorn-like teeth, their size could be comparable with the total width of the signum. The new species and£. infelix are also very similar to E. similis SATTLER, 1967 (Fig. 8) which belongs to the suspecta species group. The useful characters for their separation are the larger wingspan of E. similis (21-25 mm), the yellow abdomen and fine differences in the forewing pattern. It is worth mentioning that the externally, often confusingly, similar species of the three species groups (the wurtseri, the suspecta and the bipunctella groups) are similar in size, but display extremely different structures in their genitalia, thus representing a good example for the parallel evolution of wing pattern. Distribution - The species occurs in Deh Bolorg-e Sisakht (Sisaht) in. Kohkiluyeh province (= Buyer Ahmad province on the labels) and in Fars province (MICROSOFT 2001). Bionomics - The specimens were collected at high altitude (2700 m) among shrub and oak trees. Etymology - The species name refers to the ancient Persian Empire. Remarks - According to the study of the female genitalia slide of the paratype of Ethmia kurdistanella AMSEL, 1959 (in coll. LMK, June 24-27, 2001; considered and figured as E. infelix in the Microlepidoptera Palaearctica by SATTLER 1967: plate 93, fig. 45), the drawing of the adult (the same female