Phyllocnistis abatiae Hering, 1958

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 : 307

Phyllocnistis abatiae Hering, 1958

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

Phyllocnistis abatiae ; Hering 1958: 310, 312, figs. 14D, 15–16. Davis & Miller 1984: 27. De Prins et al. 2016: 34.

Type material. Phyllocnistis abatiae Hering, 1958 was described based on one male from Tucumán, Argentina. The holotype ( Fig. 3A ) illustrated by the author in the original description is deposited at ZMHB, with the following labels (separated by forward slash symbols, Fig. 4A ): / Holotypus / Mine an Abatia stellata Lillo / IM R Her. 3 / Tafí, 1700 m. Tucumán 1.III.1953 Wygodzinsky / Phyllocnistis abatiae Her. #m Holotype /. Next to the labels is found the dissected genitalia, slide–mounted with glycerin, containing the same information.

Forewing length. 3.60 mm (n = 1).

Diagnosis ( Figs. 3A, S 1; Tab. 2). Dorsal forewing: ground color silver, lf absent; tf1 short, slightly marked, light brown, reaching the median region of the wing (II); tf2 similar and parallel to tf1, appearing as small goldenyellow blotches on the costal margin of the wing. On distal region, tf3 and tf4 are united and diffused, also forming a golden yellow distal blotch. Costal strigulae dark brown emerging from tf2, tf3 and tf4. P. abatiae is similar to P. dorcas Meyrick , P. puyehuensis Davis , P. tethys Moreira & Vargas and P. petronellii Brito & Lopez-Vaamonde sp. nov. due to the absence of the lf. However, it differs from them by having much shorter tf1 and tf2.

Geographical distribution ( Fig. 5 ). The type specimen was recorded at Quebrada de la Angostura, Tafí Del Valle department, Tucumán province, Argentina, 1700 m . However, the original description cites 1800 m.

Natural history. Immature were collected and reared by Dr. P. Wygodzinsky (dated February 26th, 1953). According to reports of Dr. Wygodzinsky and Hering, mines are found on adaxial leaf surface, with a greenish serpentine shape. The larva usually begins construction of the leaf mine next to the petiole, followed by a thin black trail of frass. During ontogenesis the mine increases in size and tracks the leaf apex, returning posteriorly to the base, where the larva constructs the endophyllous cocoon. The adult leaves the pupal exuvium half protruded from the cocoon after eclosion.

Host plant(s). Abatia stellata Lillo (Salicaceae) .

Examined material. Holotype.

Remarks. There are no records of other specimens collected after the original description. Consequently, there are no data in the literature that complements information regarding the biology and morphology of P. abatiae . Since only one specimen is deposited at the collections, no genitalia were dissected for this review.

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.