A revision of the Elachista regificella Sircom -complex (Lepidoptera : Elachistidae)

The Elachista regificella complex (Elachistidae) is revised and considered to consist of three closely related species: E. regificella Sircom, present ly only recorded from Great Britain, E. geminatella (Herrich-Schaffer),stat . rev. (= E. nieukerkeni Traugott-Olsen, syn. nov.) and E. tengstromi nom. nov.(= E. magnificella Tengstrom, 1848, nec Duponchel, 1843). The latter tw o species are widely distributed e.g. in Central Europe, the range of E. te ngstromi extending to Japan. The species arc diagnosed and illustrated. Lif e history records indicate that the species have, at least to some extent, different host plant preferences: Luzula sylvatica is recorded as the host plant of E. regificella and E. geminatella, of which the latter probably ex ploits other host plants as well. L. pilosa is the only known host plant of E. tengstromi in Europe, with further host plants recorded in Japan. Neoty pes are designated for Elachista regificella Sircom and Poeciloptilia gemin atella Herrich-Schaffer.