Phyllocnistis drimiphaga Kawahara, Nishida & Davis, 2009

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 : 311-312

Phyllocnistis drimiphaga Kawahara, Nishida & Davis, 2009

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

Phyllocnistis drimiphaga ; Kawahara et al. 2009: 12–17, figs. 2A, 4A–E, 7A–L, 10A–K. De Prins et al. 2016: 36.

Type material. The description of Phyllocnistis drimiphaga Kawahara, Nishida & Davis, 2009 was based on two males, four females, two larvae and three pupae, from 6 km ENE of Vara Blanca, Cerro de la Muerte, La Cãnón, Genesis II and Paraíso del Quetzal, Costa Rica. The female holotype ( Fig. 3G ), figured and illustrated by the authors on the original description, is deposited at USNM. The holotype has the following labels (separated by forward slash symbols, Fig. 4G ): / HOLOTYPE Phyllocnistis drimiphaga Kawahara, Nishida and Davis #m / COSTA RICA, Prov. Heredia 6 km ENE Vara Blanca 2050 m, 10º 10’34” N, 084º06’41” W 27-I-2004 adult emergence INbio–OET-ALAS transect col./rear: Kenji NISHIDA / Digital Image Captured / pupae collected: 30- XII-2003 host plant: Drimys granadensis leaf miner on underside Phyllocnistis sp. with pupal shell / Digital Image Captured /. According to the original description, the paratypes (two males, three females, two larvae and three pupae) are deposited with the holotype at USNM, one paratype female at INBIO and another at UCR.

Forewing length. 3.12 mm (n=1).

Diagnosis ( Figs. 3G, S 1; Tab. 2). Dorsal forewing: ground color light gray. lf golden yellow with dark brown borders, emerging at the base of the costal margin, running slightly concave, diagonally to center, reaching the tf l. On the median portion, connected to lf and close to the inner margin, there is a small, dark brown blotch. tf1 and tf2 with same coloration as lf; tf1 is strongly inclined to the apex, reaching the middle portion of the wing; tf2 v-shaped, with narrow central region. From this fascia towards the distal region (III) of the wing, an orange blotch formed by the tf3 + tf4. Strigulae are typical for the genus. Inner fringes with coloration varying from golden yellow to dark yellow at basis, and apex light gray. P. drimiphaga is similar to P. tropaeolicola Kawahara, Nishida & Davis ; however, differs from this species by having a broader lf and a small brown blotch attached median-posteriorly to it, and also by the absence of a second black blotch at the wing apex.

Geographical distribution ( Fig. 5 ). The original description mentions Talamanca Cordillera and Central Volcanic Cordillera, 2000 m, more precisely 6 km ENE of Vara Blanca, Heredia province; Paraíso del Quetzal and Cerro de la Muerte, San José province; and Genesis II and Cerro de la Muerte, Cartago province, both provinces of Costa Rica. At Chirripó National Park, San José province, mines belonging to this species were also found at high elevations between 2200-2700 m .

Natural history. According to the authors, mines constructed by P. drimiphaga are narrow and followed by a black thin trail of frass. At the initial stage, larvae construct a spiral-shaped mine around the site where the egg was deposited, that changes during ontogenesis into a serpentine mine of greenish yellow coloration. Most of the mines were found on young leaves on apical branches of the host plant, and usually only a single mine was found, more frequently on the abaxial surface of the leaf. Many mines were found empty or containing dead larvae; corresponding mortality was possibly due either to rupture of leaf epidermis causing the desiccation of larvae or to the attack from parasitoids. As other congenerics, this species builds an endophyllous cocoon close to the leaf border.

Host plant(s). Drymis granadensis L. F. ( Winteraceae ).

Examined material. Holotype female (labeled as a male).

Remarks. The last larval instar and pupa, as well as the adults including genitalia morphologies, were figured and described in detail in the original description. The authors indicate as diagnostic characters in the female genitalia the presence of one pair of dissimilar signa, and on the pupae the presence of a flattened cocoon-cutter that is flanked by a pair of short and curved spines.

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.