Revision of the genus Anomologa Meyrick, 1926, including the description of a new species, and its impact on subfamilies of Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera)

Authors: BIDZILYA, OLEKSIY - National Academy Of Sciences Of Ukraine; RAJAEI, HOSSEIN - Stuttgart State Museum Of Natural History; Metz, Mark

Submitted to: Zootaxa
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/17/2024
Publication Date: 1/22/2025
Citation: Bidzilya, O., Rajaei, H., Metz, M. 2025. Revision of the genus Anomologa Meyrick, 1926, including the description of a new species, and its impact on subfamilies of Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera). Zootaxa. 5575(1):131-150. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.1.5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.1.5

Interpretive Summary: Efforts over the past decade to unravel the evolutionary relationships among species of leaf-tier moths has been confounded by missing examples of super-specific groups. These are called nominal taxa and the assumptions of natural groupings around the nominal taxa are unknown or poorly supported. Because classifications must be based on natural groupings among nominal taxa according to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, examination and analysis of these taxa are crucial. In this work, we examine important morphological features of the nominal taxa, Anomologa and Apatetris, for two subfamilies of leaf-tier moths and show they form a natural group. It is important to note, these two genera were not included in molecular and morphological phylogenetic analyses of previous authors due to lack of access to specimens. The current work results in the synonomy of two currently valid subfamilies, Anomologinae and Apatetrinae, and the elevation of an unrelated tribe, Aristotelini, previously thought to be part of a natural group with Anomologa, to the status of subfamily, Aristoteliinae. We also revise the small genus Anomologa and provide illustrations and a key to identify the known species, and we update the circumscription of the known genera for the new, subfamilial classification within the family. This publication will be used globally by researchers of leaf-tier moth systematics, and by amateur and expert identifiers of leaf-tier moths. The hypotheses of relationships will be incorporated into several online databases and identification web sites curating the classification of the family.

Technical Abstract: The genus Anomologa Meyrick, 1926 is revised, and its diagnosis is improved. Euryctista Janse, 1963 is considered a junior synonym of Anomologa. Four species, Anomologa dispulsa Meyrick, 1926, A. demens Meyrick, 1926, A. hobohmi (Janse, 1963) comb. nov. and A. terminata sp. nov. are recognized as valid. All Anomologa species are redescribed based on type specimens as well as additional material. Male and female genitalia of Anomologa demens and A. dispulsa, as well as female genitalia of A. hobohmi are described for the first time. Morphological characters of Anomologa indicate its affinity to Apatetris Staudinger, 1879 (type genus of the subfamily Apatetrinae), Chrysoesthia Hübner, 1825, Metanarsia Staudinger, 1871 and other genera of subfamily Apatetrinae, which convinced us to synonymize the family group name: Apatetrinae Le Marchand, 1947 syn. nov. of Anomologinae Meyrick, 1926. Accordingly, Aristoteliinae Le Marchand, 1947 stat. rev. is available for Anomologinae sensu auctorum as the oldest family group name for this taxon. The updated list of genera of the tribe Anomologini is provided.