Philodoria, Walsingham, 1907

Kobayashi, Shigeki, Johns, Chris A. & Kawahara, Akito Y., 2021, Revision of the Hawaiian endemic leaf-mining moth genus Philodoria Walsingham (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae): its conservation status, host plants and descriptions of thirteen new species, Zootaxa 4944 (1), pp. 1-175 : 33-34

Philodoria sp. A near P. lysimachiella

Figs. 26G , 56H .

Material examined. 6♀, 1 (sex unknown), Halehaku, Ko'olau Gap, Maui, 9.viii.2014 (stored), K. Bustamente leg., 20.7767N, 156.2076W, host: Lysimachia sp., CJ346a–e [CJ346a / SK 753♀ & ♀, CJ346b / 2 ♀, CJ346d / sex unknown (no abdomen)]; deposited in BPBM. Seven specimens were examined, all of which have parts of their body missing. Because specimens are incomplete, we refrain from formally describing this species until a complete specimen becomes available. What remains of seven specimens are: 1 specimen with only 75% of forewing and hindwing remaining, wings without mountant under a coverslip ( CJ346 a / SK753); 5 specimens with only wings and abdomen remaining; sample CJ346d which has wings unmounted and damaged in four separate vials ( CJ346 a– e). The head, antenna, thorax, and legs for all samples were sacrificed for molecular analysis .

Diagnosis. The forewing pattern is similar to P. lysimachiella ( Fig. 26G ), but Philodoria sp. A is distinguished by a bronze color band (bb 2) interrupted at middle by an orange patch and female genital characters are differed by the trapezoid lamella antevaginalis rather narrowing at posterior part and shorter cup-shaped antrum and short spines on signa ( Fig. 56H ).

Adult ( Fig. 26G ). See Material examined and diagnosis sections.

Male genitalia. Unknown.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 56H ) (n=1). 1520 µm long. Ostium bursae large; antrum short, cup-shaped; lamella antevaginalis 360 µm, trapezoid, rather narrowing at posterior part, inflexed on the posterior margin. Corpus bursae 700 µm long; paired signa each with a short linear spine.

Distribution. Maui.

Host plants. Primulaceae : Lysimachia sp. This host plant may be a new species discovered by Keahi Bustamente and Hank Oppenheimer (K. Bustamente & H. Oppenheimer pers. comm.)

Biology. Unknown.

Remarks. We observed Philodoria leaf mines on L. remyi in Iao Valley on West Maui ( Fig. 80C, F ). These larvae form white linear mines with a dark brown frass line on the adaxial leaf surface, similar to that of P. molokaiensis . Unfortunately, adults did not emerge from our rearing efforts, and therefore cannot confirm for certain that these were the mines of P. lysimachiella .

Figures

FIGURE 26. Forewing pattern variation in Philodoria. Specimens from recent collection efforts that were preserved in ethanol or RNA stabilization reagent, originally for molecular studies. Wings were placed without mountant under a coverslip. A P. succedanea (sex unknown, CJ419), B P. auromagnifica, male (CJ148/SK689), C P. basalis, female (CJ410), D P. splendida, female (CJ488a), host: Syzygium sp., E P. splendida (sex unknown, CJ488b), host: Syzygium sp., F P. molokaiensis, male (CJ509b/ SK667), G P. sp. A nr. P. lysimachiella, female (CJ346a/SK753), H P. lysimachiella, female (CJ530), lateral view, I P. pipturiella, female (CJ529), J Same species, male (CJ529), K P. haelaauensis, female (CJ209), L Same species, female (CJ216), M P. floscula, female (CJ426/SK845), N P. wilkesiella, male (CJ009/SK649), O P. epibathra, male (CJ506a/SK678), P Same species, female (CJ506b/SK681). Arrows point to diagnostic characters of species: black patch at base (A), basal fascia (D), transverse fasciae (tf) (F, G), white spot (ws) (I, J), white patch (K–M). Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 56. Female genitalia of Philodoria. A P. succedanea, paralectotype, Maui, SK714, B Same species, Hawaii (Big Island), SK624, C P. auromagnifica, Hawaii (Big Island), SK623, D P. kauaulaensis, holotype, SK690, E Same species, lateral view, F P. kolea, paratype, Hawaii (Big Island), SK634, G P. lysimachiella, SK654, H P. sp. A, SK753, I P. molokaiensis, SK668, lateral view, J Same ventral view, K P. splendida, SK621, L P. lama, paratype, SK813.

FIGURE 80. Philodoria species on the host plant, Lysimachia. A, B, D, E: P. molokaiensis, Molokai, host: L. hillebrandii, C, F: Philodoria sp., Maui, host: L. remyi. A–C Leaf mine, D, F Late instar larva, E Cocoon.