Phyllonorycter grewiaecola ( Vári, 1961 )

Prins, Jurate De & Kawahara, Akito Y., 2012, Systematics, revisionary taxonomy, and biodiversity of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Zootaxa 3594 (1), pp. 1-283 : 77-79

21. Phyllonorycter grewiaecola ( Vári, 1961)

( Figs 7 , 16 , 48, 49 , 191–197 , 312 , 375 , 427 , 438 )

Lithocolletis grewiaecola — Vári (1961: 212–213; pl. 22, fig. 7; pl. 65, fig. 4; pl. 104, fig. 6).

Phyllonorycter grewiaecola — Vári & Kroon (1986: 39, 136, 157), Dall'Asta et al. (2001: 33), Vári et al. (2002: 26), De Prins & De Prins (2005: 298).

Diagnosis. The pattern of the forewing is indistinguishable from Phyllonorycter grewiaephilos . However, P. grewiaecola can be well diagnosed in male and female genitalia. The conspicuous fultura superior with two slender cruved horns of the anellus in the male genitalia is unique character to Afrotropical Lithocolletinae and is a highly distinctive feature for this species. The large caudally bidentate sternum VIII in males is diagnostic. Females are less easily separated, however, the cup-like sterigma, the broad lamella antevaginalis with long sterigmatic lateral appendages, and the elongate narrow signum on the corpus bursae in the female genitalia of P. grewiaecola distinguish this species from the similar P. grewiaephilos .

Material examined. Holotype: ♂. [1] [ South Africa] ‘ Waterpoort / 4.v.1956 / [leg.] L. Vári / Ac[quisition] no: 1945’; [2] ‘81’. [3] ‘3122’; [4] ‘G[enitalia] / 7507’; [5] ‘ Lithocolletis / grewiaecola Vári / ♂ HOLOTYPE No 6370’, in TMSA.

Paratypes: 2♀ (including 2♀ genitalia preparations). 1♀, [Namibia]: Abachaus [Abaehaus], S.W.A. [South West Africa], v.’45, [leg.] G. Hobohm; G[enitalia] 7499; Lithocolletis / grewiaecola Vári ♀ PARATYPE No 6372, in TMSA . 1♀, Zimbabwe: Beitbridge, 22.iv.1956, [leg.] v[an] Son & Vári’; 7677; Lithocolletis grewiaecola Vári ♀ ALLOTYPE No 6371, in TMSA.

Additional material: 27♂, 24♀ (including 6♂, 4♀ genitalia preparations) and 4 specimens). Kenya: 25♂, Tsavo National Park, Taita Discovery Centre, 03°40’S 38°45’E, 530 m, mine 12.iv.2002, leg. J. De Prins; e.l. Grewia tristis K. Schum. (Tiliaceae) , from 14.iv.2002 to 24.iv.2002, specimen IDs: RMCA ENT 000003003–000003027, gen. prep. De Prins 3520♂ (MRAC/KMMA 00257), 3515♂ (MRAC/KMMA 00273), 3666♂ (MRAC/KMMA 00274), 3667♂ (MRAC/KMMA 00275), descaled head prep. (MRAC/KMMA 00532), in RMCA, 1♂ ( RMCA ENT 000003025), DNA voucher CLV11407, in CCDB . 22♀, same data, specimen IDs: RMCA ENT 000003029—000003049 and 000003051, gen. prep. De Prins 3673♀ (MRAC/KMMA 00277), 3675♀ (MRAC/KMMA 00286) in RMCA, 1♀ ( RMCA ENT 000003046), descaled head prep. De Prins 3789♀ ((MRAC/KMMA 00530), in RMCA, DNA voucher CLV11507, in CCDB . 1♀, Taita Discovery Centre, Mwakaramba Tank 03°40’S 38°46’E, 500 m, 02.iv.2001, leg. J. & W. De Prins, ex Grewia sp. , specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000003050, gen. prep. De Prins 3399♀ (MRAC/KMMA 00259), in RMCA . 1♂, Tsavo National Park, Taita Discovery Centre, 03°40’S 38°45’E, 530 m, 13.iv.2002, leg. J. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000003028, gen. prep. De Prins 3672♂ (MRAC/KMMA 00284), wing venation preparation De Prins 3787♂ (MRAC/KMMA 00528), specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000003028, in RMCA . 1♀, same locality data, except the date 12.iv.2002, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000003052, gen. prep. De Prins 3674♀ (MRAC/KMMA 00285), in RMCA. Namibia: 1 specimen, Abachaus [Abaehaus], S.W. A. [South West Africa], Feb’[ruary] [19]43, G. Hobohm . 1 specimen, same data, except the date Aug[ust]’ [19]43, in TMSA . 2 specimens, same locality data, except the date Mar[ch] [19]43 . 1♂, Erongo Mt., Farm Ameib, 23.ii.1975, S. Endrödy–Younga, gen. prep. De Prins 3452♂ ( TMSA 14603), in TMSA . South Africa: 1 specimen, Skukuza, 22.vi.1980, L. Vári, Ac[quisition]. no. 3807, in TMSA .

Redescription. Adult ( Figs 49, 50 ). Forewing length: 2.4–2.6 mm.

Head: Vertex tufted with ochreous, piliform scales intermixed with white, more abundant posteriorly; frons mostly white but in some specimens can be intermixed with slightly golden scales. Labial palpus as long as diameter of compound eye, white with a few dark fuscous scales on outer side, slender, directed downwards. Maxillary palpus tiny, minute, white, proboscis light beige. Antenna slightly shorter than forewing, not ringed, smoothly scaled, with first five flagellomeres lighter than remaining ones, gradually darkening from white to greyish fuscous on upper side and slightly lighter on underside; pedicel shiny white with a few light ochreous scales posteriorly; scape white shiny anteriorly and ochreous brown posteriorly, pecten thick, white, reaching 1/3 of eye.

Thorax: Ochreous brown, with white semicircular transverse band and white apical spot; tegulae ochreous brown anteriorly and white posteriorly. Forewing elongate, ground colour ochreous brown with white markings consisting of basal streak, two fascia and one dorsal strigula; basal streak short slender reaching 1/6 of forewing, directed towards costa but not reaching it, finally edged with one row of blacked scales posteriorly; first fascia at 1/ 5, slender, very oblique directed towards apex, running transverse, but not reaching costa, tapering and sharply ending at 1/3 of costa, finely edged on both sides with one row of blackish fuscous scales; second fascia at 1/3 parallel to first fascia, oblique, irregular, directed towards apex but not reaching costa, curving at 3/5, and extending as an elongate wide parabola to apex; initial half of second fascia shaped as a transverse band, edged on both sides with one row of blackish fuscous scales; a row of dark brown scales at dorsal edge connect both fascia, parabola-shaped band of second fascia edged posteriorly with suffusion of blackish fuscous scales dispersed towards tornal sector; a small costal indistinct white patch consisting of white scales sometimes with suffusion of a few blackish scales is present at 1/2 of costa; white apical marking intermixed with a few blackish scales elongate towards costa at apex; triangular dorsal strigula at 3/5 directed towards apex, edged basally; fringe is ochreous from apex to near tornus and whitish with golden shine along dorsal margin of forewing. Hindwing pale ochreous with golden shine with long, pale golden, shiny fringe. Legs whitish pale with a few dark markings dorsally; fore femur suffused with fuscous, tibia with dark fuscous scales, tarsomeres I and II white with dark fuscous apical halves, tarsomere III fuscous, tarsomeres IV and V fuscous in male, whitish in female; mid-tibia with two oblique narrow parallel ochreous-fuscous stripes first stripe to 1/2 of mid-tibia, second stripe from 1/2 of mid-tibia to apex, first tarsomere with a small basal fuscous patch and apical ringed with dark fuscous scales, tarsomere II with subapical dark fuscous ring, tarsomere III white; terminal segment darker, spurs white with fuscous small spot at 1/2; hind femur shiny white with indistinct light ochreous small patch at 1/2, hind tibia with an ochreous-fuscous patch streching from 2/3 to near apex, tibial spurs with subapical fuscous patch, tarsomere I with a basal and subapical dark fuscous patch, tarsomere II with a very small subapical dark fuscous patch, terminal tarsomeres white except apex of last tarsomere which is darker.

Abdomen: Grey dorsally, golden light fuscous ventrally, terga VII and VIII shiny light fuscous. Sternum VIII, in males long with mostly parallel margins to 1/3 of sternum, then tapering towards apex to 2/3 and abruptly narrowing with deeply bidentate caudal apex.

Male genitalia ( Figs 191–197 ). Tegumen rather long, with three lobes: middle lobe long, tapering, with gently rounded apex, without setae, laterally two symmetrical lobes tapering apically, reaching 2/3 of length of tegumenal mid-lobe. A pair of setae located on small triangular appendices at base of long lobe-like tegumenal appendages. Valvae symmetrical; valva very long and narrow, almost as long as sternum VIII, straight, weekly curved at middle; bluntly rounded at apex; a row of long solitary hairs as long as width of valve, extending from 1/3 along ventral margin, more dense in subapical region; thick setae over apical section of valva. Vinculum narrow, sclerotized, Ushaped; fused with saccus, saccus 1/3 as long as valva, slightly bulged basically, tapered and rounded caudally; transtilla narrow sclerotized, incomplete, consisting of two hook-shaped lateral arms; anellus with well developed, sclerotized fultura superior carring two sinuate slender horns posteriorly, 1/2 as long as valva. Aedoeagus slightly longer than valva, significantly enlarged and bulged at coecum, parallel sided at middle, straight with two sclerotized rod-shaped cornuti ca. half as long as aedoeagus, extending parallel from middle to vesica; vesica unsclerotized, weakly wrinkled and pinaculate distally, covered with numerous tiny tubercules of setulae (clearly visible at 200×).

Female genitalia ( Fig. 312 ). Papillae anales connected dorsally, flattened caudally, 2× wider than long, sclerotized posteriorly, covered with round tubercules of long setae, 2–3× as long as papillae anales with even longer setae basally; basal bar very narrow, weakly sclerotized, slightly wider ventrad from posterior apophyses. Posterior apophyses well sclerotized, ca. 0.4 mm long, reaching anterior 1/3 of segment VII, wider at bases, broader and slightly curved on basal 1/3, running tapering to apex, apically pointed. Segment VIII weakly sclerotized, connected to segment VII ventrally and dorsally. Anterior apophyses shorter, more than half compared to posterior apophyses, reaching anterior 1/3 of segment VII, ca. 0.18 mm long, bases of anterior apophyses situated at posterior margin of segment VIII, almost at connection with segment VII. Ostium bursae heavily sclerotized, located at posterior margin of segment VII, cuticle forms a sclerotized cup-like sterigma with long lateral appendices acting as additional pair of anterior apophyses; antrum spirally membranous, funnel-formed. Ductus bursae rather wide, as long as segment VII, initial section bulbed and more sclerotized, suddenly doubling in width at anterior 1/3 of segment VII, then gradually widening towards anterior sector of segment VI to half of bursa diameter. Corpus bursae large, oval in mid-sector of corpus, with heavily sclerotized, spine-like signum; signum ca 0.1 mm long, broader at anterior portion of bursa and tapering towards posterior portion, sharply ridged, surrounded by sclerotized ellipsoid area.

Variation. The tuft of scales on the vertex can slightly vary in coloration: dark piliform scales show intermediate colours from dark brown to light ochreous and the intermixed white, piliform scales on the posterior section of tuft can vary in their abundance. Frons mostly white but can be intermixed with a few ochreous golden scales. There is significant variation in depth of caudal margination of the sternum VIII of male abdomen and level of sclerotization in fultura superior of anellus.

Habitat. Moths of C. grewiaecola have been found in savannah areas at altitudes of 470 m to 920 m ( Fig. 438 ).

Host plant(s). Malvaceae : Grewia kwebekensis N. E. Br. : needs confirmation— Vári (1961: 213). In note 1945 written by Vári on 23 April 1956 (field notebook of Vári) it is stated that he collected at ”Waterpoort North side a few mines on Grewia [species not mentioned]. The first moth emerged on 04.v.1956. [ grewiaecola [types]”, Dall’Asta et al. (2001: 33), De Prins & De Prins (2005: 298).

G. tristis K. Schum. (new record) ( Fig. 427 ).

Mine. The underside tentiform mine is mostly round or oval, 25–35 mm diameter. The mine is opaque, pale cream, whitish or light yellow. No folds are perceptible, frass loosely scattered; pupation without cocoon. Exuvium protrudes from epidermis of the leaf before the adult emerges. We observed the larvae of P. grewiaecola feeding on G. tristis bushes growing close to each other. Mines of the moths examined were collected in Kenya in the period between 23 March and 12 April. Mines were found locally but in abundance and in similar stadium of larval development. The plants are mostly exploited in the first half of the rainy season, when new leaves are well developed.

Flight period. Adults fly from February to August.

Distribution. ( Fig. 375 ). Recorded from Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe ( Vári 1961: 213), and Kenya (new record).

Figures

FIGURES 5–10. Adult head morphology of the Afrotropical Lithocolletinae genera. 5, Neolithocolletis nsengai, descaled head prep. MRAC/KMMA 00537. 6, Cameraria landryi, descaled head prep. MRAC/KMMA 00529. 7, Phyllonorycter grewiaecola, descaled head prep. MRAC/KMMA 00532. 8, Phyllonorycter hibiscina, descaled head prep. MRAC/KMMA 00531. 9, Cremastobombycia solidaginis, descaled head prep. De Prins 3791. 10, Porphyrosela teramni, descaled head prep. MRAC/KMMA 00433.

FIGURES 11–20. Wing morphology of the Afrotropical Lithocolletinae genera. 11, Hyloconis luki, wing venation prep. MRAC/KMMA 00454. 12, Neolithocolletis mayumbe, wing venation prep. MRAC/KMMA 00535. 13, Neolithocolletis nsengai, wing venation prep. MRAC/KMMA 00427. 14, Cameraria perodeaui, wing venation prep. MRAC/KMMA 00453. 15, Cameraria torridella, wing venation prep. MRAC/KMMA 00490. 16, Phyllonorycter grewiaecola, wing venation prep. MRAC/KMMA 00528. 17, Phyllonorycter melanosparta, wing venation prep. MRAC/KMMA 00497. 18, Cremastobombycia kipepeo, wing venation prep. MRAC/KMMA 00494. 19, Cremastobombycia morogorene, wing venation prep. MRAC/KMMA 00667. 20, Porphyrosela teramni, wing venation prep. MRAC/KMMA 00434.

FIGURES 45–50. Adults. Scale bar 1 mm. 45, Phyllonorycter lantanae, holotype 6377♀, South Africa, Louis Trichardt, 20.iv.1955, leg. L. Vári, in TMSA. 46, Phyllonorycter lantanae, ♀, Kenya, Rift Valley, Gilgil, 26.xi.2005, leg. D.J.L. Agassiz, in BMNH. 47, Phyllonorycter gato, holotype ♀, Rwanda, Nyungwe, mine 03.viii.2008, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000005151. 48, Phyllonorycter grewiaecola, holotype 6370♂, South Africa, Waterpoort, 4.v.1956, leg. L. Vári, in TMSA. 49, Phyllonorycter grewiaecola, ♂, Kenya, Tsavo, mine 12.iv.2002, leg. J. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000003003. 50, Phyllonorycter grewiaecola, ♂, Kenya, Tsavo, mine 12.iv.2002, leg. J. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000003018.

FIGURES 191–197. Male genitalia. Scale bar 100 µm. 191–197, Phyllonorycter grewiaecola. 191–193, genitalia prep. MRAC/KMMA 00273, in RMCA. 191, ventral view. 192, sternum VIII. 193, aedoeagus. 194–197, genitalia prep. TMSA 14603, in TMSA. 194, valva. 195, aedoeagus. 196, sternum VIII. 197, fultura superior.

FIGURES 312–313. Female genitalia. Scale bar 200 µm. 312, Phyllonorycter grewiaecola, genitalia prep. MRAC/KMMA / 00277, in RMCA. 313, Phyllonorycter grewiaephilos, paratype, genitalia prep. MRAC/KMMA 00265, in RMCA.

FIGURES 367–378. Distribution of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae species. 367, Phyllonorycter achilleus. 368, Phyllonorycter adderis. 369, Phyllonorycter agassizi. 370, Phyllonorycter chionopa. 371, Phyllonorycter encaeria. 372, Phyllonorycter kazuri. 373, Phyllonorycter lantanae. 374, Phyllonorycter gato. 375, Phyllonorycter grewiaecola. 376, Phyllonorycter grewiaephilos. 377, Phyllonorycter grewiella. 378, Phyllonorycter acutulus.

FIGURES 427–431. Leaf mines of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae species. 427, Phyllonorycter grewiaecola abaxial mine on Grewia tristis [Malvaceae], Tsavo, Kenya, 12 April 2002. 428–429, Phyllonorycter grewiaephilos mine on Grewia villosa [Malvaceae], Tsavo, Kenya, 23 March, 2004. 428, adaxial side. 429, abaxial blotch/tentiform mine. 430, Phyllonorycter grewiella mine on Grewia villosa [Malvaceae], Tsavo, Kenya, 12 April 2002. 431, Phyllonorycter ocimellus mine on Ocimum gratissimum [Lamiaceae], Taita Hills, Kenya, 09 April, 2001.

FIGURES 437–440. Habitats of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae species. 437, Arabuko Sokoke Forest, Kenya, April 2001. The habitat contains elements of coastal mixed forest as well as miombo / Cynometra woodland. 438, Tsavo, Kenya, April 2002. The habitat contains elements of semi-arid grassland and savannah. 439, Ololua Forest, Rift Valley, Kenya, April 2002. The habitat is dominated by tree vegetation. 440, Taita Hills, Kenya, April 2003. The habitat is a precambrian mountain range covered with moist forest housing many endemic species of flora and fauna.