Phyllocnistis norak Brito & Lopez, 2017

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 : 316-317

Phyllocnistis norak Brito & Lopez –Vaamonde, sp. nov.

Figs. 3M , 4M , 5 , 6G, 6J, S 1; Tab. 2

Type material. French Guiana: Nouragues Natural Reserve , 4°2’16.8” N 52°40’22.8” W, 57 m elevation. Preserved dried and pinned. C. Lopez – Vaamonde leg., 05.IX.2010. HOLOTYPE: #f (Sample ID: CLV1381; Process ID: LNOUC318–10 ), with genitalia on slide ( GRPM 50–140 ), deposited at MNHN. Cluster number BOLD: AAV4618 .

Diagnosis. Dorsal forewing: lf slightly convex, located along the costal margin, distally connected to tf1; tf2 cshaped, separated from tf1, crossing the wing entirely and slightly distinct from tf3; presence of a blotch on the distal region formed by tf3+tf4 that is ornamented with a small black blotch on the center. This species is morphologically similar to P. aurilinea , P. kawakitai and P. jupiter . However, it differs from P. aurilinea by having tf1 separated from tf2; from P. kawakitai by the crossing of tf2 from the costal to the inner margin, and can be distinguished from P. jupiter by the connection between the lf and tf1.

Description ( Figs. 3M, S 1; Tab. 2). Forewing length 1.73 mm (n=1). Head: covered with light gray scales; antennae with same coloration, longer than wings. Thorax: forewing ground color light gray. lf yellowish, with dark brown borders, running on the costal margin from the basis of the wing to median (II) region, and connected with tf1. The latter is thin, dark brown and short, almost restricted to costal margin. tf2 c-shaped, similar in color, separated from tf1, but, partially connected to tf3, crossing the wing entirely. tf3 and tf4 fused, forming a golden yellow blotch on the distal region (III); small black blotch at the center. Costal strigula a emerges from the base of tf2 and the other two (b, c) from the distal blotch. Apical strigulae (d–g) emerge from as. Inner marginal fringes vary from golden yellow to dark brown. Hindwings light gray, reduced, with long light gray fringes. Abdomen: covered with light gray scales.

Male genitalia: unknown.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 6G, 6J ): Abdominal segment VII subrectangular, segment VIII reduced. Anterior and posterior apophyses similar in shape and size, both reaching the median region of the VIII abdominal segment; apophysis types with ~0.5 x the length of anal papilla. The latter covered with setae of different sizes, most arranged along the distal margin ( Fig. 6G ). Ductus bursae membranous and slender. Anterior limit of corpus bursae reaching V abdominal segments; wide bursa containing one pair of separated signa, similar in size, with membranous base and spine-shaped ( Fig. 6J ).

Geographical distribution ( Fig. 5 ). The specimen of P. norak is known only from Nouragues Natural Reserve, French Guiana.

Natural history. The only adult found of this species was collected at light (C.L.-V.). Host plant(s). Unknown.

Etymology. The species name is dedicated to the Amerindian tribe Nouragues, who once inhabited the region where the species was collected.

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.

FIGURE 6. Genital morphology of the new species of Phyllocnistis. (A) P. helios; (B) P. jupiter; (C) P. ohshimai; (D, E, I) P. xylopiella; (G, J) P. norak; (F, K) P. kawakitai; (H) P. petronellii. (A – D) male genitalia, ventral view; (E – H) female genitalia, lateral; (I – K) detail of female signa. Scale bars: 50 (A – D), 100 (E – H), 50 µm (I – K).