Additions to the plume moth fauna of The Bahamas (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) with description of four new species Matthews, Deborah L. Miller, Jacqueline Y. Simon, Mark J. Goss, Gary J. Insecta Mundi 2019 2019-06-07 708 708 1 35 9WXL (Murtfeldt, 1880) Murtfeldt 1880 [192,681,1084,1108] Insecta Pterophoridae Adaina Animalia Lepidoptera 20 19 Arthropoda species ambrosiae   Fig. 24, 36a, b, 58, 67–71   Diagnosis.Distinguished from  A. perplexusby the usually darker, mottled fuscous and white ground color and fuscous lateral patches on abdominal segments A4 and A5. Male genitalia with a small circular sclerotized disc protruding from the ventral margin of the right valve near the apex which can often be seen without dissecting specimens ( Fig. 36a). Female genitalia with a short stout ductus bursae and broad irregularly shaped corpus bursae without signa ( Fig. 58).   Pinned material examined.  BAHAMAS:  Abaco: Central Abaco, vic. Wilson City, 26.372500°, −77.010667°,  3.vi.2016, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, ex. leaves of  Neurolaena lobata( 2 ♂, 1 ♀);  South Abaco, Schooner BayInstitute, 26.161333°, −77.187667°,  31.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR ( 1 ♂);  Schooner Bay, coppice trail, 26.167000°, −77.181167°,  6.vi.2016, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, ex.  Melantheraleaves ( 1 ♂); vic. ferry landing SE of Lobster Rd., 25.995000°, −77.398500°,  1.xi.2014, ex.  Melanthera, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR ( 1 ♀);   Eleuthera Island:  4.3 mi.S of Palmetto Pt., 25.109584°, −76.151370°,  29.vi.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, on leaves of  N. lobata( 9 ♂, 10 ♀);   Grand Bahama Island: Lucayan National Park, S of Grand Bahama Hwy., 26.602538°, −78.400230°,  25.x.2014, ex.  Melantherasp., DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR ( 1 ♂); S of Owl’s Hole, 26.583820°, −78.467092°,  28.x.2014, ex. leaves of  N. lobata, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR ( 3 ♂, 3 ♀);   Long Island: Deadman’s Cay, vic. airport, 23.175500°, −75.096333°,  29.v.2014, ex.  Melantherasp., DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG ( 1 ♂, 1 ♀);   San Salvador Island:  0.25 mi.W of Gerace Research Centre, 24.119145°, −74.469955°,  12.vi.2018, JYM, DLM ( 1 ♂);  Brandy Hill Road, SE of lighthouse, 24.090794°, −74.440046°,  13.vi.2018, DLM, JYM ( 1 ♂, 2 ♀, slide DM 2153);  Gerace Research Centre, Alfred Pike Trail, 24.117166°, −74.463864°,  10.vi.2018, DLM, JYM, ex. leaves of  Wedalia bahamensis( 1 ♂);  Gerace Research Centre, vic. Water Tanks, 24.117589°, −74.465207°,  22.vii.2015, DLM, TAL, R.W. Portell( 1 ♂, slide DM 2162, 1 ♀); same location,  11.vi.2018, JYM, DLM ( 1 ♀).  Preserved material examined.  BAHAMAS:  Abaco: Central Abaco, Public Beach access of Treasure Cay Road, 26.696815°, −77.303424°, 7.vi.2016DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, on leaves of  Neurolaena lobata(3 L); vic. Wilson City, 26.372500°, −77.010667°, 3.vi.2016, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, on leaves of  N. lobata(4 L); South Abaco, Schooner Bay Institute, 26.161333°, −77.187667°, 30.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR, on leaves of  N. lobata(15 L); same location, 1.vi.2016, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, on leaves of  N. lobata(1 L); same data except 4.vi.2016(1 L); vic. ferry landing SE of Lobster Rd., 25.995000°, −77.398500°, 4.vi.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, on leaves of  N. lobata(1 L); same data except on leaves of  Melanthera(1 L);  Eleuthera Island: 4.3 mi.S of Palmetto Point, 25.109584°, −76.151370°, 29.vi.2014, JYM, MJS, GJG, DLM, larvae feeding on leaves of  N. lobata(10 L);  Grand Bahama Island:S of Owl’s Hole, 26.583820°, −78.467092°, 28.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR, on leaves of  N. lobata(3 L, 1 LS);  San Salvador Island:Brandy Hill Road, SE of lighthouse, 24.090794°, −74.440046°, 13.vi.2018, DLM, JYM, on leaves of  Wedalia bahamensis(5 L, 1 LS, 1 PC); Gerace Research Centre, Alfred Pike Trail, 24.117166°, −74.463864°, 10.vi.2018, DLM, JYM, on leaves of  N. lobata(1 L); same data except on leaves of W. bahamensis(2 L); Gerace Research Centre, Lucayan Trail, 24.114762°, −74.465374°, 14.vi.2018, DLM, on leaves of W. bahamensis(1 L); Gerace Research Centre, vic. water Tanks, 24.117589°, −74.465207, 22–26.vii.2015, DLM, TAL, on leaves of W. bahamensis(11 L); same data except, on leaves of  N. lobata(6 L).   Life history.In the USA, larvae feed on the leaves of several genera of composites including  AmbrosiaL.,  BorrichiaAdans.,  HelianthusL.,  MelantheraRohr,  PlucheaCass.,  RudbeckiaL., and  XanthiumL. ( Matthews and Lott 2005). In The Bahamas, larvae were found feeding on the upper surface of leaves of  Melanthera aspera(Jacq.) Small,  Wedalia bahamensis(Britt.) O.E. Schulz, and  Neurolaena lobata(L.) R.Br. ex Cass. Larvae have the peculiar habit of chewing out a resting groove, usually along a leaf midvein, from which the larva stretches out to feed on surrounding leaf tissue or makes forays to other parts of the leaf, then returns when not feeding ( Fig. 67, 68). These grooves are visible on leaves many weeks after larvae have matured and moved to another leaf to pupate. Larvae were most commonly found on  N. lobata( Fig. 66). Usually only one larva is found on a leaf. In rare cases, several larvae may be found on the same leaf, also favoring the midvein ( Fig. 67). Pupation occurs on the hostplants with the larval skin usually adhering to silk near the tip of the abdomen ( Fig. 70, 71). Adults come to light and may also be found perching in the vicinity of the hosts ( Fig. 69).   Distribution.This species is known from Bermuda, the DominicanRepublic, Ecuador, Mexico, Puerto Rico, USA, and the Virgin Islands. It was not previously recorded in The Bahamas, and has now been collected on Abaco, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, Long, and San Salvador Islands. 2565952629 2016-06-03 Bahamas Wilson City 20 19 3 1 2 South Abaco 2565952531 2014-10-31 Bahamas Schooner Bay 20 19 1 1 South Abaco 2565952527 2016-06-06 Bahamas Schooner Bay 20 19 1 1 South Abaco 2565952542 2014-11-01 Bahamas Lobster Rd. 20 19 1 1 South Abaco 2565952532 2014-06-29 Bahamas Island 20 19 19 10 9 South Eleuthera 2565952533 2014-10-25 Bahamas Island Hwy. Lucayan National Park 20 19 1 1 West Grand Bahama 2565952598 2014-10-28 Bahamas Owl's Hole 20 19 6 3 3 West Grand Bahama 2565952571 2014-05-29 Bahamas Deadman's Cay 20 19 2 1 1 Long Island 2565952535 2018-06-12 Bahamas 0.25 mi. W of Gerace Research Centre 20 19 1 1 San Salvador Island 2565952550 2018-06-13 Bahamas Brandy Hill Road 20 19 3 2 1 San Salvador Island 2565952569 2018-06-10 Bahamas Alfred Pike Trail Gerace Research Centre 20 19 1 1 San Salvador Island 2565952552 2015-07-22 R. W. Portell Bahamas Water Tanks Gerace Research Centre 20 19 2 1 1 San Salvador Island 2565952590 [605,1133,1824,1848] 2018-06-11 R. W. Portell Bahamas Water Tanks Gerace Research Centre 20 19 1 1 San Salvador Island 2565952529 21 20 20 19 2565952547 21 20 2565952575 21 20 2565952544 21 20 2565952530 21 20 2565952539 [845,1440,351,376] 21 20 2565952543 21 20 2565952536 21 20 2565952528 21 20 2565952537 21 20 2565952541 21 20 2565952538 21 20 2565952534 21 20