Phyllocnistis tethys Moreira & Vargas, 2012

Brito, Rosângela, Lopez-Vaamonde, Carlos, Gonçalves, Gislene L., Becker, Vitor O., Mielke, Olaf H. H. & Moreira, Gilson R. P., 2017, Taxonomic revision of Neotropical Phyllocnistis Zeller, 1848 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), with descriptions of seven new species and host plant associations, Zootaxa 4341 (3), pp. 301-352 : 327

Phyllocnistis tethys Moreira & Vargas, 2012

Figs. 3X , 4X , 5 , S1; Tab. 2

Phyllocnistis tethys ; Moreira & Vargas 2012: 4 –10, figs. 1–8. De Prins et al. 2016: 37.

Type material. Phyllocnistis tethys Moreira & Vargas, 2012 was described based on seven specimens from the Centro de Pesquisas e Conservação da Natureza Pró-Mata ( CPCN Pró-Mata), municipality of São Francisco de Paula , Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil . The holotype male ( Fig. 3X ) is deposited at DZUP, with the following labels (separated by forward slash symbols, Fig. 4X ): / Phyllocnistis tethys Moreira & Vargas HOLOTYPE #m / 155–58 Brasil . RS. Pró-Mata 05–08.V.2011 GRPM et al. (leg.) / DZ 22.623 /. According to the original description, two paratypes females ( LMCI 155–41 , 155–43 ) are deposited at DZUP (22.633, 22.643, respectively); two paratypes, one male and one female ( LMCI 155–31 , 155–26 ) at MCNZ (81901, 81902, respectively); and two paratypes, one male and one female ( LMCI 155–35 , 155–30 ) at MCTP (28635, 28636, respectively).

Forewing length. 2.56 mm (n=2).

Diagnosis ( Figs. 3X, S 1; Tab. 2). Dorsal forewing: ground color light gray. lf absent. tf1–tf4 fused into a large orange blotch that covers entirely the distal wing portion (III) preceding as. Costal and apical strigulae wellmarked, typical for the genus. Fringes of inner margin dark gray. This species is similar to P. abatiae , P. dorcas and P. puyehuensis due to the absence of lf, but differs from them especially regarding fusion of all transversal fasciae, forming a large orange blotch on the distal wing region.

Geographical distribution ( Fig. 5 ). Known only from to type locality, at 900 m altitude.

Natural history. According to the authors, the mines are found usually on the abaxial leaf surface. The egg is deposited on secondary veins, adhered to the leaf by a cement substance. After hatching the larva begins the mine construction, which is circular and expands in size during the larval development and can form a great blotch. The faeces are fine, dark gray and found along the path covered by the larva. The three sap-feeding instars feed from the spongy parenchyma; however, when densities per leaf are great, the larvae may feed from the palisade parenchyma. According to authors, up to 13 larvae can be found per leaf. The cocoon is endophyllous and constructed by the spinning larva at the final portion of the mine. The sampling was accomplished between summer and autumn, suggesting more than one generation per year.

Host plant(s). Passiflora organensis Gardner (Passifloraceae) .

Examined material. Holotype male and one specimen, with no sex identification. Brazil: Rio Grande do Sul - São Francisco de Paula ( Centro de Pesquisas e Conservação da Natureza—Pró-mata), 900 m, 05-08.V.2011, G. R. P. Moreira et al. legs., 1 male (DZ 22.623) ( DZUP), 1 specimen ( LMCI 155–24 ) ( LMCI) .

Remarks. Adults and immature stages of P. tethys were figured and described in detail in the original description. According to the authors, the presence of a conspicuous cornuti on the aedeagus, a single signum at the corpus bursae and the absence of strong spines on abdominal terga of the pupae in association can be used as diagnostic characters to distinguish P. tethys from the other Neotropical species from which these structures are known.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Forewings of Neotropical Phyllocnistis. (A) P. abatiae holotype (left forewing reversed); (B) P. aurilinea lectotype (left, reversed); (C) P. baccharidis holotype (left, reversed); (D) P. bourquini holotype (right); (E) P. citrella lectotype (left, reversed); (F) P. dorcas holotype (right); (G) P. drimiphaga holotype (right); (H) P. helios holotype (right); (I) P. jupiter paratype (left, reversed); (J) P. kawakitai holotype (left, reversed); (K) P. maxberryi holotype (right); (L) P. meliacella holotype (right); (M) P. norak holotype (right); (N) P. ohshimai holotype (right); (O) P. ourea paratype (right); (P) P. perseafolia holotype (left, reversed); (Q) P. petronellii paratype (right); (R) P. phoebus paratype (left, reversed); (S) P. puyehuensis holotype (right); (T) P. rotans lectotype (right); (U) P. sciophanta holotype (left, reversed); (V) P. selene specimen (left, reversed); (W) P. sexangula lectotype (left, reversed); (X) P. tethys specimen (right); (Y) P. tropaeolicola holotype (right); (Z) P. wygodzinskyi holotype (left, reversed); (AA) P. xylopiella holotype (right). Scale bars: 1 (A – H, K, L, O, P, R – Z), 0.5 mm (I, J, M, N, Q, AA).

FIGURE 4. Labels of Neotropical Phyllocnistis types found in museums. (A) P. abatiae; (B) P. aurilinea; (C) P. baccharidis; (D) P. bourquini; (E) P. citrella; (F) P. dorcas; (G) P. drimiphaga; (H) P. helios; (I) P. jupiter; (J) P. kawakitai; (K) P. maxberryi; (L) P. meliacella; (M) P. norak; (N) P. ohshimai; (O) P. ourea; (P) P. perseafolia; (Q) P. petronellii; (R) P. phoebus; (S) P. puyehuensis; (T) P. rotans; (U) P. sciophanta; (V) P. selene; (W) P. sexangula; (X) P. tethys; (Y) P. tropaeolicola; (Z) P. wygodzinskyi; (AA) P. xylopiella.

FIGURE 5. Geographical distribution of Phyllocnistis species endemic to the Neotropical region.