Species Povolnya quercinigrella - Hodges#0627

0627

Caloptilia quercinigrella - De Prins and De Prins (2005) transferred this species to Povolnya, but their continuously updated database listed Povolnya as a synonym of Caloptilia as of 2/15/2012. Asked about this, Willy De Prins replied:

"What happened is that after the publication of our catalogue, we got a lot of comments of colleagues doubting whether Povolnya should be maintained as a separate genus. Therefore, in our database, which is continuously updated we have mentioned Povolnya among the synonyms of Caloptilia until clear evidence will be presented to separate that group as a monophyletic unit, either within, or as a sister-group of Caloptilia. In the first case, it would become a subgenus name, in the second one a genus name. If there is no such evidence, and we suspect this will be the case, then the name Povolnya will remain a synonym of Caloptilia as it is now. The evidence referred to will mainly have to provided by molecular data." However, when Bob Patterson suggested that the last published combination is the valid one, Willy replied: "Bob is right. It is better to leave things as they are! The last published situation (De Prins & De Prins 2005) mentioned Povolnya quercinigrella as a valid species with this combination. We shall also revert the online database www.gracillariidae.net to the same generic combinations as in the printed catalogue."

Genitalia:

♀

♂

De Prins, W., and J. De Prins. 2005. World Catalogue of Insects. Volume 6. Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera). Stenstrup: Apollo Books, 502 pp.

microleps.org

Moth Photographers Group