Chileporter huemeri Cepeda, 2018

Cepeda, Danilo E., 2018, New genus and species of Yponomeutidae (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea) associated with Maytenus boaria Molina (Celastraceae) from Chile, with descriptions of immature stages and natural history observations, Insecta Mundi 647, pp. 1-12 : 3-5

Chileporter huemeri Cepeda , new species

Diagnosis. Forewing pale gray, with scattered white, yellowish and black scales; with a small group of raised black scales in ante-medial area. Hindwing whitish. Socii sub triangular with bifid apex. Gnathos with marginal spines. Ductus bursae elongated with micro-processes. Corpus bursae ovoid. Signum projecting with serrated edges. Because of their morphological similarity, this new species is compared with Neotropical and Nearctic species of Zelleria . For example, it is distinguished from Z. cirrhoscia Meyrick by its sub-triangular socii with bifid apices, and valva with costa arched, from Z. leucoschista Meyrick by having a thin, slender saccus and an elongated phallus, and from Z. pistopis Meyrick by its digitiform and serrated signum ( Meyrick 1931; Clarke 1965). This combination of genitalic characters also distinguishes C. huemeri from Z. arizonica Braun , Z. pyri Clarke , Z. haimbachi Busck and Z. semitincta Meyrick ( Busck 1915; Meyrick 1930, Braun 1940; Clarke 1942, 1965; La Gasa 2016). Finally, C. huemeri can be distinguished from Z. celastrusella Kearfott and Z. retiniella Forbes ( Kearfott 1903; Forbes 1923) by the forewing color patterns. In Z. celastrusella , the basal fourth of the forewing has a dark fascia, and there are multiple well-defined white patches toward the apex; these markings are absent in C. huemeri . In Z. retiniella , the forewing is bright gold instead of pale gray.

Description of male holotype. Wingspan, 12 mm. Head with frons covered by whitish scales; vertex and occiput covered by elongated erect white scales, and some scattered yellowish scales. Antennae filiform, non-ciliate. Scape with bicolored pecten, yellowish and brown. Flagellomeres with dark basal band. Labial palpus white and non-acute; second segment with scattered dark scales. Thorax and tegulae white, with scattered yellowish scales. Scutellum covered with dark scales. Forewing light gray, covered with scattered white, yellowish, and dark scales. Ante-medial sub-basal area; with small triangular shaped group of raised black scales. Termen fringed with long golden-yellow scales. Hindwing brilliant, whitish and both margins fringed with yellowish scales; which are more elongated in basal margin.

Male genitalia. As described for the genus.

Female paratypes. Similar to male in coloration of wings, head and thorax, but with a larger black patch on sub-medial region of forewing.

Female genitalia. As described for the genus.

Final larval instar ( Fig. 16–20 ). Maximum length 9 mm (n = 3). Body with light-green coloration and with a dark dorsal central longitudinal band that extends from T2 to A10. Head brown with few scattered flecks. Antennae first and second segments darker brown than third. Stemmatal zone, clear with black stemmata. Clypeus bilobed, light-colored, with a large V-shaped notch in middle, with 12 spines on the outer surface. Mandible strongly sclerotized with four acute teeth. Spinneret short and sub-triangular, with rounded apex. Labial palpus cylindrical and elongated. Prothorax with distinct thoracic shield, lighter in color than the rest of tegument, with few scattered macules, medial dorsal groove present. Spiracle small, circular. Thoracic legs green, with a simple and acute tarsal claw. Prolegs with biordinal crochets in a circle. Anal shield well differentiated, rounded, light-green with a few scattered dark maculae. Integument covered by star-shaped micro-processes ( Fig. 19 ). Antennal microstructure: First segment annular and short, second segment cylindrical, with five sensilla, one campaniform near the base, two trichodeal, the larger in distal half and two basiconic sensilla, third segment cylindrical, elongated, larger than half the length of the second segment, with three sensilla, one styloconic and two basiconic.

Chaetotaxy of final larval instar ( Fig. 21–24 ). Head. Epicranial notch in contact with epicranial suture. Six stemmata, arranged in oblique rectangle, 1 and 2 dorsal, 5 and 6 ventral. S1 antero-ventral to stemmata 2; S2 anteriorly to stemmata 1; S3 postero-ventral to S2; SS2 postero-ventral to stemmata 5; SS3 postero-ventral to SS2; SS1 antero-ventral to SS3; A1, A2, A3 forming an extended obtuse angle; AF1, AFa and AF2 present; P1 below AF2-P2 line; V1 elongated, V2, Va and V3 present.

Thorax. Prothorax with SD1 close to SD2. L trisetose, slightly antero-dorsal to spiracle, with L1, L2 and L3 unaligned. SV bisetose on pinaculum ventral to L group. V1 present ventrally. Mesothorax and metathorax; with D bisetose, both setae located on the same pinaculum; D2 slightly postero-dorsal to D1. Group SD bisetose, located on the same pinaculum, SD2 postero-dorsal to SD1. L2 and L1 on the same pinaculum, L2 slightly antero-dorsal to L1, L3 posteriorly to L1. SV uni-setose and postero-ventral to L3. V1 near the base of coxa.

Abdomen. A1 and A2, D bisetose, with both setae on separate pinaculum, D1 antero-dorsal to D2. SD bisetose, slightly antero-dorsal to spiracle and postero-ventral to D1, SD2 separate from SD1. L2 antero-ventral to L1, and L3 ventral to L2. SV bisetose in A1, and trisetose in A2. V1 present. A3-A6 similar to A1 and A2, but with SV trisetose. V1 present. A7 similar to A2, but with SV bisetose. A8 similar to A1 and A2, but with SD bisetose and slightly antero-dorsal to spiracle; with SD2 separate from SD1 and SV uni-setose. In A9, D1 setae on pinaculum separated from D2. SD1 postero-dorsal to L group. L bisetose, on the same pinaculum. SV uni-setose. V1 present. A10 (Anal shield) with 4 pairs of setae, with SD1, D1 and SD2 forming an acute angle, SV1-SV3 and V1 present. Crochets biordinal.

Pupa ( Fig. 25–27 ). Maximum length 5.5 mm, maximum width 1.5 mm (n = 3). Greenish initially, later dark brown. Head, frons with a small central incision. Clypeus broad and convex. Labrum small, subtrapezoid, with short posterior margin. Labium short and lanceolate, less than one third the length of proboscis. Antennae extend slightly the mesothoracic legs, and the forewing tip. Abdominal segments 2 to 9 without spinal processes, few spiracles apparent. Segment 10 acute, anal pore (on ventral surface) with Y-shaped sulcus. Cremaster with two pairs of elongated filaments.

Host. Maytenus boaria Molina (Celastraceae) .

Natural history. The larvae were observed feeding on leaves and the small inflorescences of M. boaria in the austral spring (September through November). This action left an abundant trail of silky threads adhered to the feeding areas. To pupate, the larva builds an elongate compact silky cocoon sharpened at its ends ( Fig. 28 ), usually on the underside of a leaflet. A similar behavior has been recorded for most Yponomeutidae , including some species of Zelleria ( Agassiz 1996; Gershenson and Ulenberg 1998). Initially the pupa is greenish, and after hardening it gradually becomes dark brown. In a laboratory setting at room temperature, adults emerged 7–19 days after initial formation of the pupae. The host plant appeared to tolerate the degree of larval feeding that was encountered.

Distribution. Colina, Province of Chacabuco; La Pintana, Province of Santiago, both localities of the Metropolitan Region. This distribution corresponds to the central Chile sub-region, Province of Santiago ( Morrone 2015).

Etymology. The name is dedicated to Peter Huemer, Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck, Austria, who is always willing to collaborate and share knowledge.

Material examined. 20 specimens. 1 Holotype ♂, La Pintana , Provincia de Santiago, Región

Metropolitana, CHILE; larva 4 octubre, nac. 20 octubre 2016, en Maytenus boaria, Coll. D.E. Cepeda ( MEUC) ; 7 Paratypes ♂ and ♀ from the same location as holotype, nac. 30 noviembre 1984, Coll. G. Barria en maitén ( MEUC) ; 1 Paratype ♀ Colina, Región Metropolitana, 18 noviembre 2001, ex. maitén, Coll. G. Barría ( MEUC) ; 4 Paratypes ♂ and ♀ from the same location as holotype, nac. 26, 29 octubre, 3 noviembre 2016 Coll. D. E. Cepeda ( TLMF) ; 4 Paratypes ♂ and ♀ from the same location as holotype, nac. 10, 11, 17 octubre 2017 Coll. D. E. Cepeda en Maytenus boaria ( ZMUC) ; 3 Paratypes ♂ and ♀ from the same location as as holotype, nac. 23, octubre, 6 noviembre 2017 Coll. D. E. Cepeda en Maytenus boaria ( USNM)

Figures

Figures 12–20. Chileporter huemeri n. gen. and n. sp. 12–15. Adult female. Scale bar: 0.25 mm. 12) Female genitalia. 13) Ductus bursae. 14) Corpus bursae. 15) Signum. 16) Larva, dorsal view. Scale bar: 1.0 mm. 17–20. Larval structures. Scale bar: 0.20 mm. 17) Mandible. 18) Crochets. 19) Microprocesses on integument. 20) Antennae.

Figures 21–25. Chileporter huemeri n. gen. and n. sp. 21–24. Larva, chaetotaxy. Scale bar: 0.5 mm. 21) Head, lateral view. 22) Head, frontal view. 23) Thorax and abdomen, lateral view. 24) Anal shield. 25) Pupa, developing.

Figures 26–28. Chileporter huemeri n. gen. and n. sp., pupa. Scale bar: 1.0 mm. 26) Ventral view. 27) Cremaster. 28) Cocoon on leaflet.