Eudioptes [sic] indica Saunders, 1851: 163
Diaphania indica (Saunders)
Peck et al. , 1998 : 227
Taxonomic revision of the Spilomelinae (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae s. l.) of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Bernard Landry
Revue suisse de Zoologie
2016
123
2
315
399
Saunders, 1851
Saunders
1851
[939,1329,529,552]
Insecta
Pyralidae
Diaphania
CoL
Animalia
Lepidoptera
20
335
Arthropoda
species
indica
Spilomelinae
Figs 16, 101, 147
Eudioptes[sic] indicaSaunders, 1851: 163. Diaphania indica(Saunders): Peck et al., 1998: 227. ‒ Causton et al., 2006: 141. ‒ Roque-Albelo & Landry, 2015.
Material examined: 6 ♀, 13 of undetermined sex from the Galápagos Islands: – San Cristóbal: 4 kmSE P[uer] to Baquarizo [sic]; La Toma, ca. 6.5 kmeast El Progreso, GPS: 299 melev[ation]., S 00° 55.356’, W 89° 31.089’. – Santa Cruz: Charles Darwin Research Station; Charles Darwin Research Station, base of El Barranco, GPS: S 00° 44.305’, W 90° 18.105’; Horneman Farm, 220 m; Media Luna, pampa zone. Deposited in CAS, CDRS, CNC, MCZ, and MHNG.
Diagnosis:In the Galápagosthis species ( Fig. 16) is similar to Diaphania hyalinata(L.) ( Fig. 15), but it is generally smaller ( 19-25 mmversus 26-29 mm) and its forewing dark brown marginal band slightly expands anteriorly before reaching the inner margin whereas this terminal band is straight until the inner margin in D. hyalinata.
Biology:The larva feeds on various Cucurbitaceae, but it has also been recorded on Annonaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Oleaceae, Poaceae, and others ( Robinson et al., 2014). In the Galápagos, in contrast to D. hyalinata, D. indicawas collected mostly in anthropized habitats in the littoral zone, but also in the highest (pampa) zone at about 700 min elevation on Santa Cruz. Collecting dates of the available Galápagosspecimens are in February and March.
Distribution:Around the world in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions on all continents (including Australia) and many islands (BMNH and MHNG specimens; Shaffer et al., 1996; Robinson et al., 2014). In the Galápagosit has been collected so far on San Cristóbaland Santa Cruz, but see above under Distribution for Diaphania hyalinata(L.).
Remarks:I confirmed the identification of a Galápagosspecimen by comparing it with specimens in the BMNH. The latter had been curated by Michael Shaffer, who wrote to Jack Clarke about two syntypesof D. indicafound in the University Museum of Oxford and his manuscript lectotypeand paralectotypedesignations, made available by Clarke (1986: 80).