Philonome Chambers

Sohn, Jae-Cheon, Davis, Donald R. & Lopez-Vaamonde, Carlos, 2015, Revision of the genus Philonome Chambers and its proposed reassignment to the family Tineidae (Lepidoptera, Tineoidea), ZooKeys 494, pp. 69-106 : 72-74

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Lyonetiidae

Philonome Chambers

Philonome Chambers, 1874: 96; Dyar 1903: 563; McDunnough 1939: 100; Davis 1983: 8; 1984: 25.

Philonome Type species: Philonome clemensella Chambers, 1874, by monotypy.

Phillonome [sic]: Chambers 1880: 196, 199. Incorrect subsequent spelling.

Phyllonome [sic]: Chambers 1882: 15. Incorrect subsequent spelling.

Adult.

Head (Fig. 18): Vestiture of vertex rough with piliform scales; frons smooth with broad, flat, appressed scales; a band of broad, spatulate scales between the bases of the antennae, along the transfrontal suture, bounded both above and below by piliform scales. Antenna filiform in both sexes; antennal pecten absent; scape elongate, ~2.2 –2.4× length of adjacent pedicel. Labial palpus without bristle-like setae; 2nd segment 2 × longer than 1st, as long as 3rd. Maxillary palpus 5-segmented, longer than labial palpus. Proboscis naked, shorter than maxillary palpus.

Thorax: Foreleg epiphysis slender. Midfemur with apical tuft of elongate scales. Hind-tibia hairy dorsally. Forewing pattern elements (Fig. 2) including longitudinal fascia, costal fascia (absent in Philonome euryarga , Philonome albivittata , and Philonome spectata ), subapical spot (present only in Philonome cuprescens , Philonome wielgusi , Philonome nigrescens , Philonome clemensella , and Philonome lambdagrapha ), apical spot (present only in Philonome cuprescens , Philonome wielgusi , Philonome nigrescens , and Philonome clemensella ), tornal patch, and dorsal bar (absent in Philonome spectata ). Forewing venation (Fig. 20) with Rs 4-branched, all terminating on costa and arising from weak vein leading to M1; M2 and M3 stalked; CuA as one branch. Hindwing venation (Fig. 20) with Sc terminating on basal 1/4 of costa; Rs, M2+3, CuA weak, arising from weak vein leading to M1; CuP and 1A+2A weak, stalked.

Abdomen: Coremata on male sternum VIII present posterolaterally, short and stiff ( Philonome albivittata sp. n., Philonome clemensella , Philonome euryarga , and Philonome wielgusi sp. n.), long and hair-like ( Philonome lambdagrapha sp. n.) or absent ( Philonome curvilineata sp. n. and Philonome rivifera ).

Male genitalia: Paired processes (uncus, Fig. 28) from tergum IX (tegumen) and often surrounding tuba analis either present or absent ( Philonome albivittata sp. n. and Philonome euryarga ); valva divided or deeply cleaved into two portions ( Philonome albivittata sp. n., Philonome clemensella , Philonome euryarga , Philonome penerivifera sp. n., and Philonome rivifera ) or entire; anellus funnel-shaped; basal ring of anellus moderately sclerotized; vinculum broad; saccus present.

Female genitalia: Ovipositor telescopic with two primary segments; papillae anales semi-elliptical, setose; lamella antevaginalis conical or cylindrical; additional protrusion behind ostium bursae present ( Philonome nigrescens and Philonome rivifera ) or absent; ductus bursae slender; corpus bursae obovate or elliptical; signum absent.

Biology.

Chambers (1878) mentioned that he repeatedly collected Philonome clemensella from the type locality where Gleditschia triacanthos L., Ulmus americana L., Prunus serotina Ehrh., and Celtis occidentalis L. grow in the immediate vicinity. He then assumed that the larvae may feed on some weeds or shrubs growing nearby. Forbes (1923) noted that the larvae of Philonome clemensella feed on hickory and linden. These records were, however, based on ambiguous label data which state only plant names without details and thus require verification. Nothing is known about the biology for other congeners of Philonome clemensella .

Included species (arranged by the similarities in the forewing pattern and the male genitalia):

Philonome cuprescens Walsingham, 1914

Philonome wielgusi sp. n.

Philonome nigrescens sp. n.

Philonome clemensella Chambers, 1874

Philonome lambdagrapha sp. n.

Philonome curvilineata sp. n.

Philonome euryarga Meyrick, 1915

Philonome albivittata sp. n.

Philonome penerivifera sp. n.

Philonome kawakitai sp. n.

Philonome rivifera Meyrick, 1915

Philonome spectata Meyrick, 1920

Philonome sp.

Keys to the species of Philonome based on external appearance

* Four species, curvilineata sp. n., rivifera Meyrick, penerivifera sp. n., and kawakitai sp. n., are indistinguishable from one another based on external appearance; see Table 2 for their differences in male genitalia (except kawakitai sp. n. whose males are unknown).