Neoblastobasis camelliae Chen & Wu

Chen, Fuqiang, Huang, Dunyuan & Wu, Chunsheng, 2013, Camellia fruit borer, Neoblastobasis camelliae, a new species of Blastobasinae in China (Lepidoptera, Blastobasidae), Zootaxa 3682 (4), pp. 556-562 : 557-559

Neoblastobasis camelliae Chen & Wu , sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Neoblastobasis camelliae is similar to N. ianella Adamski, 2003 ( Thailand) in genital structures. However, the lower part of valva in N. camelliae is as long as the upper part, while it is shorter than the upper part in N. ianella . In N. camelliae , a broadly curved spine-like sclerite is present in the phallus, which is not mentioned in the original description of N. ianella . Moreover, N. camelliae (4.9–5.3 mm) has smaller forewing length than N. ianella (6.3–7.0 mm).

Description. Adult ( Figs. 3, 4 ). Head. Vertex with scales gray brown tipped with pale gray. Frontoclypeus yellow. Labial palpi upturned, fuscous on outer surface pale yellow on inner surface. Antennal scape yellow, flattened; pedicel small; flagellomeres fuscous, male ciliated and with first flagellomere notched ( Fig. 7 ). Proboscis pale yellow.

Thorax. Tegula and mesonotum gray brown. Legs gray brown mixed with gray scales on outer surface, pale yellow on inner surface; tibia and tarsus brown.

Forewing. Length of male 4.9–5.3mm (n=3); base 1/4, medial and discal area fuscous, area surrounding cell and apical part from crossvein of cell gray brown mixed with fuscous scales; fringe gray brown; undersurface yellow brown. Hindwing brown.

Abdomen. Body brown. Tergite I reduced; series of tergal spines present on posterior part of tergites II–VIII; tergite VIII with tergal spines absent ( Figs. 5 , 8 ).

Male genitalia ( Figs. 6 , 9 ). Uncus lingulate, extended ventrally, dorsoventrally flattened; gnathos sclerotized bandlike, posteroventral margin with a protuberant medial part bearing two small dentitions; tegumen wide, series of tergal setae on lateral surface of tegumen anterior to gnathos; valva divided into two parts, upper part digitate and setose, overlaid basally by a subsemicircular membranous area with dense microtrichiae, lower part gradually constricted from medial to apex, forming a hooked process; process flattened on inner surface, setose on outer surface to 2/3; base of ventral part protuberant beyond margin, bearing an elongate seta, broadly extended dorsally and inwards; juxta divided into two weakly sclerotized parts; phallus elongate, with a broadly curved spine-like sclerite; anellus setose.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Holotype. 3, CHINA, Jiangxi, Xinyu, Yushui, 80m, 16.XI.2011 (collected), 25.III.2012 (emergence), coll. Huang DunYuan (gen. slide: WU0189).

Paratypes. Same data as holotype, 2 3 (gen. slide WU0048, WU0421).

Host plant. Camellia oleifera Abel (Theaceae) .

Biological notes ( Figs. 1, 2 ). The larva of Neoblastobasis camelliae feeds on Camellia oleifera Abel (Theaceae) . It bores into seeds of Camellia fruits. Under laboratory conditions, the insect overwintered as a pupa and emerged in the spring of the following year. This species appears to be univoltine. It is usually co-occurring with two pyralid moths, Acrobasis sp. and Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, [1813]). All these species can lead to the fruits cracking and dropping. In 2011, these insects caused 20% loss of the Camellia fruits in the forest of Shuibei.

Distribution. China (Jiangxi).

Etymology. The specific name refers to the generic name of the host plant.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4, Neoblastobasis camelliae sp. nov. 1, larva; 2, pupa; 3, adult; 4, holotype, scale bar 5 mm.

FIGURES 7 – 9. Neoblastobasis camelliae sp. nov. 7, notch of first flagellomere; 8, tergal spines on tergites II – VII; 9, male genitalia (a, phallus); scale bar 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 5 – 6, Neoblastobasis camelliae sp. nov. 5, tergites II – VIII; 6, male genitalia (a, phallus); scale bar 0.5 mm.