Phyllonorycter madagascariensis ( Viette, 1949 )

Prins, Jurate De & Kawahara, Akito Y., 2012, Systematics, revisionary taxonomy, and biodiversity of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Zootaxa 3594 (1), pp. 1-283 : 119-120

41. Phyllonorycter madagascariensis ( Viette, 1949)

( Figs. 85 , 392 , 436 )

Lithocolletis madagascariensis — Viette (1949: 175–176, fig. 5), Paulian & Viette (1955: 153, 157: fig. 15).

Phyllonorycter madagascariensis — Viette (1990: 30), Dall’Asta et al. (2001: 34), De Prins & De Prins (2005: 316).

Diagnosis. Wing pattern closely resembles that of Phyllonorycter didymopa . Based on the original description of the wing pattern, P. madagascariensis hardly can be distinguished from P. didymopa . Phyllonorycter madagascariensis is the only Phyllonorycter species that feeds on Dombeya spectabilis .

Holotype: ‘ Madagascar, Tananarive [Antananarivo], Tsimbazaza , [leg] (R. Paulian). Coll. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle.’

Since the holotype of Lithocolletis madagascariensis Viette, 1949 cannot be found the original illustrations of the name-bearing type specimen were studied.

Remarks. Phyllonorycter madagascariensis is described only from the holotype which is missing its abdomen. Unfortunately, all efforts to find the holotype and additional specimens of P. madagascariensis were unsuccessful. We have searched the type collection of Viette at the MNHN; written letters to Paolo Triberti, who has worked on the Gracillariinae material in the MNHN, and corresponded with the late P. Viette. Referring to the letter of P. Viette dated 15 September 2002 the only type specimen (the holotype without abdomen) of P. madagascariensis cannot be found.

(Re)description (based on the original description).

Adult. ( Fig. 85 ).

Head: Covered with silvery white scales. Labial palpus silvery white with dark apex. Antennae ringed brown and light grey; scape covered with silvery white scales.

Thorax: Covered with silvery white scales; forewing very pale ochreous, golden, marked with two silvery white fascia; basal streak of same colour; first fascia, slightly oblique, situated at proximal 1/3 of wing, narrower at costa than at dorsum; second fascia submedian, almost straight, basally bordered with black scales, especially in its costal half; first coastal and first dorsal strigulae at distal 1/4, right triangular shape, slightly oblique towards apex, both first dorsal and first costal strigulae connected at midline of forewing, bordered basally and apically with black scales; apical sector of wing distally from apical edging of first costal and first dorsal strigulae, forms a semicircle; apex with white dot, tornal sector covered with sparse black scales; fringe pale ochreous golden, a little darker than ground colour of forewing with black apical fringe line. Underside yellowish grey with scattered black scales. Hindwings dorsally and ventrally equally dark grey.

Abdomen. Unknown.

Male and female genitalia. Unknown.

Habitat. The species has been found in the Botanical garden of Tsimbazaza, housing mainly indigenous Malagasy plant species.

Host plant(s). Malvaceae : Dombeya spectabilis Bojer — Paulian & Viette, 1955: 153 ( Fig. 436 ).

Mine. Larvae mine leaves from June—August. Early instars form a long narrow semi-transparrent, curved gallery which terminates as an irregular, more or less rounded blotch on the abaxial side of the leaf without folds, but with slight swelling on the adaxial side of the leaf. Many mines can be observed on one leaf ( Paulian &Viette 1955: 157, fig. 15).

Flight period. Probably July-August (Paulian &Viette 155: 153).

Distribution. ( Fig. 392 ). This species is recorded only from Antananarivo, Tsimbazaza in Madagascar ( Viette 1949: 176, Paulian & Viette 1955: 153, Viette 1990: 30).

Figures

FIGURES 81–86. Adults. Scale bar 1 mm. 81, Phyllonorycter didymopa, holotype 6494♀, South Africa, Tswaing, 16.i.1955, in TMSA. 82, Phyllonorycter didymopa, ♀, South Africa, Tswaing, 16.xi.2004, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000003287. 83, Phyllonorycter loxozona, holotype ♀, Uganda, Busunju, 02.x.1935, leg. H.C. Taylor, in BMNH. 84, Phyllonorycter loxozona, ♀, South Africa, Rustenburg, 10–17.xi.1976, leg. Potgieter & Molekane, in TMSA. 85, Phyllonorycter madagascariensis, holotype, Antananarivo, leg. R. Paulian. The drawing is made by Willy De Prins after the original description and the drawing of Viette (1949: 175–176, fig. 5). 86, Phyllonorycter aarviki, holotype ♀, Tanzania, Morogoro, 25.iii.1992, leg. L. Aarvik, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004128.

FIGURES 391–402. Distribution of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae species. 391, Phyllonorycter loxozona. 392, Phyllonorycter madagascariensis. 393, Phyllonorycter aarviki. 394, Phyllonorycter anchistea. 395, Phyllonorycter melanosparta. 396, Phyllonorycter melhaniae. 397, Phyllonorycter rongensis. 398, Phyllonorycter mida. 399, Phyllonorycter tsavensis. 400, Phyllonorycter obandai. 401, Phyllonorycter farensis. 402, Phyllonorycter fletcheri.

FIGURES 432–436. Leaf mines of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae species. 432–433, Phyllonorycter umukarus mine on Triumphetta cordifolia [Malvaceae], Nyungwe, Rwanda, 28 July, 2008. 432, adaxial side. 433, host plant in open cutting. 434, Phyllonorycter ipomoellus mine on the climbing plant Ipomoea bracteata [Convolvulaceae], Nyungwe, Rwanda, 31 July, 2008. 435, Phyllonorycter adderis mine on Urena lobata [Malvaceae], Nyungwe, Rwanda, 03 August, 2008. 436, Phyllonorycter madagascariensis semi-transparrent, curved gallery mine which terminates as an irregular rounded blotch on Dombeya spectabilis [Malvaceae], Madagascar. The drawing is made by Willy De Prins after the description and the drawing of Paulian &Viette (1955: 157, fig. 15).