Cameraria hexalobina ( Vári, 1961 ) Prins & Kawahara, 2012

Prins, Jurate De & Kawahara, Akito Y., 2012, Systematics, revisionary taxonomy, and biodiversity of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Zootaxa 3594 (1), pp. 1-283 : 40-42

5. Cameraria hexalobina ( Vári, 1961) , n. comb.

( Figs 25–27 , 151–153 , 296, 297 , 359 )

Lithocolletis hexalobina — Vári (1961: 211–212; pl. 22, fig. 6; pl. 65, fig. 3; pl. 104, fig. 4).

Phyllonorycter hexabolina [incorrect subsequent spelling]— Vári & Kroon (1986: 41, 136, 157).

Phyllonorycter hexalobina — Kroon (1999: 37, 105), Dall’Asta et al. (2001: 34), Vári et al. (2002: 26), De Prins & De Prins (2005: 301).

Diagnosis. Only blackish fuscous markings present on forewings—a diagnostic feature that easily separates C. hexalobina from the other Afrotropical Cameraria species. However in some specimens the whitish very narrow fasciae can follow the blackish markings. Nevertheless, the wing pattern of C. hexalobina can superficially be confused with that of the melanosparta group of Phyllonorycter , Cremastobombycia morogorene and C. kipepeo . In the melanosparta species group the forewing possesses a first costal strigula at 1/3 of forewing, whereas the forewing pattern of C. hexalobina is defined by fasciae. The specific differences in genitalia are the main diagnostic characters. The combination of genitalia characters as described below easily separates C. hexalobina from C. morogorene , C. kipepeo and the melanosparta species group. Male genitalia of C. hexalobina are characterized by long, narrow, setose valva, tubular juxta, and by large and deeply bidendate sternum VIII. In female genitalia, the ostium bursae of C. hexalobina opens at the joint of segments VII and VIII at depth of posterior extention of segment VII and corpus bursae possesses two signa areas—prominent diagnostic characters for this species.

Material examined. Holotype: ♂, [1] [ South Africa] ‘ Punda Maria / 12.iv.1952 / L. Vári / Ac[quisition]. no: 474’; [2] ‘9’; [3] ‘HT’; [4] ‘G[enitalia] / 6927♂’; [5] ‘ Lithocolletis / hexalobina Vári / ♂ HOLOTYPE No 6364’, in TMSA.

Paratypes: 3♂ and 2♀ (including 1♂ and 1♀ genitalia preparations). South Africa: 1♀, Punda Maria, 10.iv.1952, L. Vári, Ac[quisition]. no. 474’, G[enitalia]. 7137♀’; Lithocolletis hexalobina Vári ♀ ALLOTYPE No 6365, in TMSA. 1♂, Punda Maria, 10.iv.1952, leg. L. Vári, Ac[quisition]. no. 474, G[enitalia] 6928♂’; ‘ Lithocolletis hexalobina Vári PARATYPE No 6366’, in TMSA. 2♂, 1♀, Punda Maria, 15.iv.1952, 21.iv.1952, 22.iv.1952, leg. L. Vári Ac[quisition]. no. 474; Lithocolletis hexalobina Vári PARATYPE No 6367–6369, in TMSA .

Additional material: 1♀ (including 1♀ genitalia preparations) and 1 specimen. Democratic Republic of the Congo: 1♀, Bas-Congo, Nat.[ure] Res.[erve] Luki-Mayumbe, 05°27’S 13°05°E, 05.iv.2006, leg. J. De Prins; gen. prep. De Prins 3707♀ ( RMCA 00418); ID: RMCA ENT 000003295, in RMCA, DNA voucher CLV16207 in CCDB. South Africa: 1 specimen, Zuurberg Pass, 27.iii.1954, leg. L. Vári, Ac[quisition]. no. 1160, in TMSA.

Redescription. Adult ( Figs 25–27 ). Forewing length: 2.9–3.1 mm.

Head: Vertex tufted with reddish-ochreous scales and with a suffusion of a few white scales posteriorly; frons smooth, shiny white. Labial palpus whitish dorsally, dark fuscous ventrally. Antenna slightly shorter than forewing, flagellum slightly ringed with broad fuscous bands dorsally and whitish ventrally; scape reddish ochreous dorsally and whitish ventrally with a few dark brown scales anteriorly; flagellomeres pale beige at basal 1/3 and fuscous at apical 2/3.

Thorax: Reddish ochreous; tegulae uniformly reddish-ochreous. Forewing ground colour reddish ochreous; blackish fuscous markings consist of two transverse fasciae, one costal strigula and marked blackish-fuscous area along termen; basal streak short, narrow stripe slightly oblique towards apex, not touching base of forewing; first fascia at 1/3, narrow, slightly oblique towards apex, interrupted in paratypes 6366 and 6368 or present only as a short costal strigula (paratypes 6365, 6367, and 6369), a narrow white irregular elongate line bordering first fascia basally (holotype) or at midline when first fascia absent (paratypes); second transverse fascia just beyond middle of forewing, twice broader at dorsal margin than at costal margin of forewing, oblique towards apex, with fine edging of white scales basally; first costal strigula at 3/4 patch as small whitish spot bordered apically by narrow curving path connected with second fascia, apical area along termen broadly covered with blackish fuscous scales forming an irregularly shaped band with hardly visible white edges basally; fringeline with blackish-tipped scales, more distinct from middle of termen to dorsum; fringe along dorsal margin pale beige. Hindwings pale ochreous greyish with long pale fringe slightly darker shaded than hindwing. Fore femur and fore tibia dark fuscous, foretibia dark fuscous with two white lateral patches one subbasally and other medially, tarsomere I white at basal half and apically, tarsomere II with white basal half and fuscous apical half, apical tarsomeres completely white; mid-femur white with dark fuscous irroration basally and at apical half, mid-tibia white with blackish fuscous base and two oblique blackish fuscous stripes at 1/3 and 2/3, tarsomere I white with two blackish fuscous patches subbasally and subapically, tarsomere II white with blackish fuscous apex, tarsomere III blackish fuscous at basal 2/3, apical 1/3 white, tarsomeres IV–V fuscous; hind femur white with two fuscous patches basally and subapically, hind tibia white to middle with a basal fuscous patch, apical half dark fuscous, tarsomere I white with a small blackish fuscous patches subbasally and subapically, tarsomere II fuscous with white apex, tarsomere III fuscous at basal 2/ 3, white apically, tarsomeres IV–V white.

Abdomen: Dark fuscous dorsally, white ventrally with a median fuscous line. Genital segment pale ochreous white. Sternum VIII of male very large, deeply bidentate caudally.

Male genitalia ( Figs 151–153 ). Tegumen rather large, forming inverted elongate V with blunt apex, ca. 2/3 length of valva, sclerotized, especially laterally and basally, tuba analis not protruded. Valvae symmetrical, long, 1/ 3 longer than sternum VIII, banana-curved, slender, suddenly tapering apically towards gently blunted apex, conspicuously dilated at base, densely setose with long, slender, hair-like setae. Vinculum strongly sclerotized, narrow; saccus slender, moderate ca. 1/3 length of valva, tapering apically; anellus sclerotized, tubular. Aedoeagus slightly shorter than valva, slender, vesica very weakly sclerotized, coecum enlarged, bulbous.

Female genitalia ( Figs 296, 297 ). Papillae anales compressed posteriorly, covered with long slender setae, ca. 180 µm long, basal bar narrow, but strongly sclerotized. Posterior apophyses strongly sclerotized, short, ca. 220 µm long, slender, slightly broader at bases, apices sharply pointed, reaching bases of anterior apophyses. Segment VIII weakly sclerotized, connected dorsally and ventrally. Anterior apophyses almost as long as posterior apophyses, ca. 210 µm, a little bit broader at bases, slender, slightly bent with sharp apices. Ostium bursae located at posterior margin of segment VII, opens at depth of trapezoidal sclerotized posterior extention of segment VII, antrum moderate, tubular, with a strongly sclerotized plate at ca.160 µm from ostium bursae. Ductus bursae moderate, almost twice as long as segment VII, ca. 1.08 mm long, with smooth transition to corpus bursae, narrow, slender, slightly stronger sclerotized anteriorly. Corpus bursae moderate, oval, slightly enlarged anteriorly, with an oval, crenulated, membranous area and a smaller, oval, smooth-edged, strongly sclerotized signum, a fine narrow needle-like ridge, ca. 175 µm long, crossing entire signa area. Ductus seminalis short with associated large bulla seminalis. Bulla spermathecae small, oval, located at anterior sector of segment VI. Ductus spemathecae of moderate length consisting of 13 elongate convolutions, with convolutions slightly larger anteriorly.

DNA sequences. COI barcode data are available for C. hexalobina ([Molecular sample code Chex, Genbank number JX888170 ]; Table S1 ).

Variation. There is a small variation in width and coloration of the first fascia of forewing (hardly visible in paratype 6369). The width of first costal strigula can vary significantly: from comma-shape forming a bridge with second fascia to small dark patch along costa with separate few dark fuscous scales connecting first costal strigula to second fascia.

Remarks. The female specimen collected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo does show very slight differences in wing pattern and in female genitalia compared with the specimens of C. hexalobina , collected in South Africa. The specimen collected in DRC has narrow whitish fasciae following blackish markings on forewing and possess a slightly enlarged triangular funnel-shaped sterigma in female genitalia. The available series of specimens from two distant localities (in South Africa and DRC) does not allow us to evaluate whether the slight morphological deviation of the signum falls within the intraspecific variation of C. hexalobina . Since sequence data from the primary types of C. hexalobina are still to be studied we assign the female specimen collected in DRC to the species C. hexalobina until more data become available.

Habitat. Savannah vegetation with high standing dry grass.

Host plant(s). Annonaceae : Hexalobus monopetalus (A. Rich.) Engl. & Diels (= H. glabrescens Hutch & Dalziel. )— Vári 1961: 212, Kroon 1999: 37, Dall’Asta et al. 2001: 34, De Prins & De Prins 2005: 301, Robinson et al. 2011, manuscript notes of Vári: note No 0474 of 30/03/1952, note No 1160 of 22/03/1954.

Mine. A large, oval or oblong, opaque, tentiform, semi-transparent tentiform mine on the upperside of the leaf with one fold; no loose frass, but speared out in centre on lower surface of mine; pupation in very flat white cocoon which is made on lower surface of mine ( Vári 1961: 211–212, De Prins & De Prins 2005: 301). The mining period is ca. 5–11 days (Vári’s notes: note No 0474 of 30/03/1952, note No 1160 of 22/03/1954).

Flight period. We have recorded adults on wing from late March to late April.

Distribution. ( Fig. 359 ). Democratic Republic of the Congo (new record) and two localities in South Africa ( Vári 1961: 212).

Figures

FIGURES 21–26. Adults. Scale bar 1 mm. 21, Hyloconis luki, holotype ♂, DRC, Bas-Congo, Luki-Mayumbe NR, 23.v.2007, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004800. 22, Neolithocolletis mayumbe, holotype ♂, DRC, Bas-Congo, Luki-Mayumbe NR, 22.iii.2006, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000003293. 23, Neolithocolletis nsengai, paratype ♀, DRC, Bas-Congo, Luki-Mayumbe NR, 16.v.2007, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004793. 24, Neolithocolletis pentadesma, ♀, Seychelles, Fregate island, 4.x.2002, leg. J. Gerlach, in CUMZ. 25, Cameraria hexalobina, holotype 6364♂, South Africa, Punda Maria, 12.iv.1952, leg. L. Vári, in TMSA. 26, Cameraria hexalobina, paratype 6368♂, South Africa, Punda Maria, 15.iv.1952, leg. L. Vári, in TMSA.

FIGURES 27–32. Adults. Scale bar 1 mm. 27, Cameraria hexalobina, ♀, DRC, Bas-Congo, Luki-Mayumbe NR, 05.iv.2006, leg. J. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000003295. 28, Cameraria fara, holotype ♀, Cameroon, Faro riverside, 27.xi.2003, leg. J. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000003284. 29, Cameraria landryi, holotype ♂, DRC, Bas-Congo, Luki-Mayumbe NR, 23.v.2007, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004448. 30, Cameraria landryi, paratype ♂, DRC, Bas- Congo, Luki-Mayumbe NR, 16.v.2007, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004450. 31, Cameraria varii, holotype ♂, South Africa, Pretoria, 30.x.1968, leg. L. Vári, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004276. 32, Cameraria varii, paratype ♀, South Africa, Pretoria, 07.xi.1968, leg. L. Vári, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004277.

FIGURES 151–156. Male genitalia. Scale bar 100 µm. 151–153, Cameraria hexalobina, holotype, the drawing is made by Willy De Prins after the genitalia prep. Vári 6927, in TMSA. 151, ventral view. 152, sternum VIII. 153, aedoeagus. 154–156, Cameraria landryi, holotype, genitalia prep. MRAC/KMMA 00417, in RMCA. 154, ventral view. 155, sternum VIII. 156, aedoeagus.

FIGURES 295–297. Female genitalia. Scale bar 200 µm. 295, Neolithocolletis pentadesma, genitalia prep. De Prins 3796, in CUMZ. 296–297, Cameraria hexalobina, genitalia prep. MRAC/KMMA 00418, in RMCA. 296, segments VII–X, lateral view. 297, corpus bursae.

FIGURES 356–366. Distribution of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae species. 356, Hyloconis luki. 357, Neolithocolletis mayumbe. 358, Neolithocolletis nsengai. 359, Cameraria hexalobina. 360, Cameraria fara. 361, Cameraria landryi. 362, Cameraria varii. 363, Cameraria perodeaui. 364, Cameraria sokoke. 365, Cameraria zaira. 366, Cameraria torridella.