Phyllonorycter anchistea ( 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 : 123-125

43. Phyllonorycter anchistea ( Vári, 1961)

( Figs 87, 88 , 128 , 243–245 , 334 , 394 )

Lithocolletis anchistea — Vári (1961: 210–211; pl. 22, fig. 5; pl. 65, fig. 2; pl. 104, fig. 2).

Phyllonorycter anchistea — Vári & Kroon (1986: 9, 136, 157), Swain & Prinsloo (1986: 14), Kroon (1999: 5, 104), Dall’Asta et al. (2001: 33), Vári et al. (2002: 26), De Prins & De Prins (2005: 269).

Diagnosis. Phyllonorycter anchistea can be easily confused with P. melanosparta and P. aarviki which have a similar forewing pattern. In general, P. aarviki is smaller and lighter. Hind tarsomere I dotted in P. anchistea , but not so in P. melanosparta and P. aarviki . The male genitalia of P. anchistea is most similar to P. melanosparta , and thus these two species may be closely related. In males of P. anchistea the apex of valva consists of one unit and is straight, sharp, and pointed. Furthermore, the apex of the valva in P. anchistea has a bristle, whereas in P. melasnosparta the apex of valva is bifurcate and lacks a bristle; the saccus in P. anchistea is rather long (ca. 1/3 of valval length), whereas it is short and broad in P. melanosparta . The female genitalia of P. anchistea are more similar to P. aarviki than to P. melanosparta . Female genitalia of P. anchistea and P. melanosparta can be easily separated by the form of corpus bursae: in P. anchistea it is elongate teardrop-shaped with a tiny signum, whereas it is round or slightly oval, with a signum plate with signum in P. melanosparta . A signum plate is absent on the corpus bursae of P. anchistea . The main diagnostic difference between the female genitalia of P. anchistea and P. aarviki are:

the base of cuticle appendages initiate at the mid-sector of sterigma in P. anchistea , whereas the base of appendages in P. aarviki originate at the anterior margin of sterigma.

antrum of P. anchistea is well sclerotized and tubular. It is not diffentiated from the remainder of ductus bursae in P. aarviki .

Material examined. Holotype: ♂, [1] [ South Africa]: ‘ Louis Trichardt / 11.v.1953 / [leg.] L. Vári / Ac.[quisition] no: 708’; [2] ‘11’; [3] ‘HT’.[4] ‘G[enitalia] / 7138♂’; [5] ‘ Lithocolletis / anchistea Vári / ♂ HOLOTYPE No 6348’, in TMSA.

Paratypes: 1♂ and 2♀ (including 1♂, 2♀ genitalia preparations) and 12 specimens. South Africa: 1♀, Louis Trichardt, 10.v.1953, [leg.] L. Vári Ac[quisition]. no. 708’; G.[enitalia] / 7139♀; Lithocolletis anchistea Vári ♀ ALLOTYPE No 6349’, in TMSA. 1♂, Pretoria, 15.ii.1955, [leg.] L. Vári, Ac.[quisition] no. 1521; G.[enitalia] 7170♂’; Lithocolletis anchistea Vári PARATYPE No 6356, in TMSA. 1♀, Pretoria, 31.xii.1951, [leg.] L. Vári, Ac.[quisition] no. 431; G.[enitalia] 7133♀; Lithocolletis anchistea Vári PARATYPE No 6354, in TMSA. 4 specimens, Louis Trichardt, 08.v.1953, 08.iv.1955, 09.iv.1955, 14.iv.1955, [leg.] L. Vári, Ac.[quisition] no. 752, 1588’; Lithocolletis anchistea Vári PARATYPE No 6350–6353, in TMSA. 8 specimens, Pretoria, 31.xii.1951, 14.ii.1955, 16.v.1955, 16.xii.1955, 18.xii.1955, 07.i.1957, [leg.] L. Vári, Ac.[quisition] no. 431, 1521, 1655, 1696, 1990; Lithocolletis anchistea Vári PARATYPE No 6355, 6357–6363’, in TMSA.

Additional material: 2♂ and 2♀, (including 2♂ and 2♀ genitalia preparations) and 25 specimens. Botswana: 1♀, 2 specimens, Selinda, Mount, 13.iv.1956, 14.iv.1956, 18.iv.1956, L. Vári, Ac[quisition]. no. 1786, gen. prep. 7525♀, in TMSA. South Africa: 1♂, 1♀, Pretoria, 02.i.1979, 18.i.1979, L. Vári, Ac[quisition]. no. 3734, gen. prep. 10702♂, 10703♀, in TMSA. 17 specimens, Pretoria, 15.xii.1964, 22.i.1965, 24.i.1965, 26.i.1965, 27.i.1965, 21.ii.1973, 28.xii.1978, 29.xii.1978, 30.xii.1979, L. Vári, Ac[quisition]. no. 2789, 3135, 3190, 3734, in TMSA. 1 specimen, Pretoria N[orth]., 28.iii.1980, L. Vári, Ac[quisition]. no. 3789, in TMSA. 4 specimens, Buffelspoortdam, Marikana, 29.vi.1971, 13.vii.1971, 20.vii.1971, Ac[quisition]. no. 3149, in TMSA, 1♂ same locality data, De Prins 3696♂ (MRAC/KMMA 00382), specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004151, in RMCA.

Remarks. 1♂, Pretoria, 10.ii.1955, L. Vári, Ac[quisition]. no. 1521, in ZMHB. 1♀, Pretoria, 20.xii.1955, L. Vári, Ac[quisition]. no. 1696, in ZMHB. These two specimens are not mentioned in the original description ( Vári 1961: 210–211) but they bear exactly the same data as paratypes no 6356 and 6361 in the TMSA and they are labeled as paratypes in the ZMHB.

Redescription. Adult ( Figs 87, 88 , 128 ). Forewing length: 2.5–3.3 mm.

Head: Vertex tufted with brown ochreous piliform scales intermixed with a suffusion of white tufted scales; white shorter scales predominant on occiput and directed posteriad, dark brown very short piliform scales collected in a bunch on laterovertex above eyes and directed anteriad; frons smooth, shiny white, covered with long appressed piliform scales, a few ochreous scales border frons with vertex. Labial palpus ca. 1.5 longer than eye, straight, directed downwards, palpomeres white dorsally, blackish fuscous ventrally; maxillary palpus white; haustellum light beige. Antenna slightly shorter than forewing, dorsally pale ochreous fuscous, flagellomeres, except pedicel, with apical fuscous halves appearing slightly ringed, ventrally first two flagellomeres whitish, remainder pale fuscous; pedicel dark fuscous; scape golden ochreous with 8–11 whitish pecten of different length. Thorax: Ochreous with dorsal white stripe usually indistinct; tegulae uniformly ochreous. Forewing ground colour ochreous blackish fuscous, markings consisting of two transverse fasciae, three costal strigulae, one dorsal strigula and marked blackish-fuscous area along termen; first costal strigula at 1/4, narrow, rod shaped, truncate, oblique toward apex of forewing, whitish edged apically; first fascia at 1/3, sharply angulated at middle, often interrupted, costal part of first fascia twice thicker than dorsal, costal part weakly-edged apically, second costal strigula short and thick triangular shaped, just beyond middle of forewing, whitish edged apically, second fascia at apical 1/3 of forewing, reversed Y shaped, forked branches of second fascia sinuate—one branch to apical 1/3 of dorsum, other branch sinuate to tornus, third costal strigula a rod-like stripe at apex fusing with an irregular blackish fuscous apical patch, expended on apical area and along termen, apical dot is not well perceptible in all specimens; dark fuscous patch can be slightly darker in apical area like in paratypes 6349, 6355, 6357; first dorsal strigula at basal 1/6 of forewing, very narrow stripe running from dorsum strightforward up to midline of forewing, consisting only from one row of black scales; fringe line with blackish-tipped scales, more distinct from middle of termen to dorsum; fringe along dorsal margin pale fuscous. Hindwing pale grey with long pale fuscous fringe of slightly darker shading than hindwing. Fore femur dark fuscous dorsally, dirty white ventrally, fore tibia dark fuscous, tarsomeres dark fuscous, except tarsomere I, which is dirty white with fuscous apical patch. Mid-femur dirty white with brownish numerous fuscous dots irregularly distributed dorsally, midtibia white with three brownish fuscous markings: basal circular band and two oblique tapering longitudinal stripes, one running from 1/2 of tibia to subapex, other smaller from subapex to apex, tibial spurs dirty white with tiny brownish fuscous scales subbasally, tarsomere I white with fuscous subbasal and apical patches, tarsomere II white with tiny basal fuscous patch, tarsomere III–IV brownish fuscous, tarsomere V dark fuscous. Hind femur dark beige mottled with numerous dark brown spots, hind tibia pale ochreous with irregularly mottled dark brown dots, medial spurs pale ochreous with a few dark brown scales, apical spurs dirty white with narrow subapical brown ring, tarsomere I white with golden shine, a few brownish ochreous small round scales alighned longitudinally, narrow dark ochreous band subapically, tarsomere II whitish at basal half and fuscous subapically, tarsomere III–IV white basal halves and fuscous subapices, tarsomere V dark fuscous.

Abdomen: Greyish fuscous dorsally except for ochreous shade on genitalia; ventrally uniformly whitish except genitalia. Sternum VIII of male moderately large, significantly tapering caudally to pointed apex.

Male genitalia ( Figs 243–245 ). Tegumen moderate, sclerotized, ventally slightly folded, covered with numerous slender microsetulae, more abundant in apical area and laterally, tegumen arms broad, strongly sclerotized, of equal width, running parallel to basal 1/3 of tegumen, tuba analis not protruded. Valvae symmetrical, valva moderate, weakly setose, broad to 1/3, then just beyond 1/3 sharply becoming very narrow and strongly tapering, becoming very long and narrow with a pointed apex, a fine long bristle 1 present just before tip of apex, bristle 2 with forked distal part shorter than bristle 1 and situated at apical 1/3 of valva, just before valval apical part becomes straight and narrow, single bristle 3, shorter than bristle 2, situated just slightly beyond bristle 2, moved towards base of valva; basal edge of valva has two projections: one—short, broad triangular at ventral basal edge of sacculus and other projection long, ca. 1/4 of basal valval length, straight, narrow, terminating with sharply pointed apex. Broad basal part of valva covered with short but stiff setae. Broad ventral margin of valva well sclerotized. Transtilla developed; it connects apices of dorsal basal valval projections with a short sclerotized movable junction. Vinculum strongly sclerotized, very narrow; saccus slightly longer than narrow part of valva, very broad basally and gently tapering to about 1/3 of its length, then becoming straight and slender to apex, apex of saccus slightly dilating, and gently rounded. Aedoeagus long, about twice as long as genital capsule, tubular, straight, dorsal margin of basal half stronger sclerotized, vesica with minute hook before truncated apex.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 334 ). Papillae anales slightly ventrodorsally compressed, rather long, triangular shaped, with slender setation, basal bar not developed. Posterior apophyses very long, almost straight, slender, reach middle of segment VII, slightly broadening at basal 1/4, apically pointed. Segment VIII long and narrow weakly sclerotized. Ostium bursae located at subposterior sector of segment VII, sterigma cone-like projection of cuticle, appendages of sterigma short and narrow, about 1/4 as long as posterior apophyses, angulated at 1/2, pointed at apices. Antrum moderate, tubular, sclerotized. Ductus bursae moderate, almost twice as long as segment VII, very narrow, slender, sinuous Corpus bursae moderate, slightly elongate teardrop-shaped, with a tiny pointed signum.

Variation. The specimen from Tanzania is smaller and brighter than those from Botswana and South Africa. In many specimens, the basal streak is very narrow and usually consists of a row of dark fuscous scales, which are hardly visible. Furthermore, the streak can appear as a vertical row of scales that begin at middle of the forewing and runs up to the dorsal margin. The apical area of forewing can show a slight variation in fuscous coloration.

Habitat. Savannah or semi-urban areas with low growing trees and bush vegetation.

Host plant(s). Malvaceae : Grewia occidentalis L.— Vári 1961: 210, Swan & Prinsloo 1986: 14, Kroon 1999: 5, Dall’Asta et al. 2001: 33, De Prins & De Prins 2005: 269, manuscript notes of Vári: note No 0431 of 26/12/ 1951, note No 0708 of 04/05/1953, note No 0752 of 06/05/1953, note No 1521 of 05/02/1955, note No 1655 of 14/ 04/1955, note No 1786 of 08/04/1956, note 1990 of 01/01/1957, note No 2789 of 19/01/1973, note No 3149 of 29/ 06/1971, note No 3190 of 12/02/1973.

Mine. A moderate, oblong, semi-transparent, tentiform mine on the underside of the leaf with four or five folds; upper epidermis finelly mottled or with irregular patches; black frass loosely scattered throughout mine, but mainly in a cluster at one end of it; pupation in very slender white cocoon; exuvium protrudes through lower epidermis before adult emerges ( Vári 1961: 210, De Prins & De Prins 2005: 269). The mining period is ca. 5–10 days (notes of Vári).

Flight period. Adults are on the wing almost all year round except from August–November.

Distribution. ( Fig. 394 ). This species is recorded from Botswana (new record) and South Africa ( Vári 1961: 210–211).

Figures

FIGURES 87–92. Adults. Scale bar 1 mm. 87, Phyllonorycter anchistea, holotype 6348♂, South Africa, Louis Trichardt, 11.v.1953, leg. L. Vári, in TMSA. 88, Phyllonorycter anchistea, ♂, South Africa, Buffelspoortdam, 20.vii.1971, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004151. 89, Phyllonorycter melanosparta, holotype 360♀, South Africa, Barberton, 31.xii.1910, leg. A.J.T. Janse, in TMSA. 90, Phyllonorycter melanosparta, ♀, Kenya, Kakamega Forest, mine 19.iv.2001, leg. J. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004144. 91, Phyllonorycter melhaniae, holotype 6396♂, Zimbabwe, Hot Springs, 29.iv.1956, leg. L. Vári, in TMSA. 92, Phyllonorycter melhaniae, paratype 6399♀, Zimbabwe, Hot Springs, 03.v.1956, leg. L. Vári, in TMSA.

FIGURES 123–131. Diagnostic characters in hind legs between congeneric Afrotropical Lithocolletinae species. 123, Cameraria fara, hind tarsus white with a brownish spot subbasally and two blackish rings: narrow medially and broad subapically, tarsomere V white. 124, Cameraria landryi, hind tarsus white with two blackish small spots basally and two blackish rings: narrow medially and broad subapically, tarsomere V white with dark fuscous tip. 125, Cameraria varii, hind tarsus white with a blackish small spot basally and three blackish rings of median width, tarsomere V white. 126, Phyllonorycter encaeria, hind tarsomeres I–III with faint fuscous subapical patches. 127, Phyllonorycter lantanae, hind tarsomere I with subbasal and subapical dark fuscous patches, tarsomere II with dark fuscous apical half, tarsomere III with a dark fuscous basal half. 128, Phyllonorycter anchistea, hind tarsomere I dotted. 129, Phyllonorycter melanosparta, hind tarsomere I not dotted. 130, Phyllonorycter hibiscina, hind tarsomere I white with a dark fuscous apex. 131, Phyllonorycter pavoniae, hind tarsomere I with a faint subapical ochreous patch.

FIGURES 243–245. Male genitalia. Scale bar 100 µm. 243–245, Phyllonorycter anchistea, holotype, the drawing is made by Willy De Prins after the genitalia prep. Vári 7138, in TMSA. 243, lateral view. 244, aedoeagus. 245, valva.

FIGURES 334–335. Female genitalia. Scale bar 200 µm. 334, Phyllonorycter anchistea, paratype, the drawing is made by Willy De Prins after the genitalia prep. Vári 7139, in TMSA. 335, Phyllonorycter melanosparta, genitalia prep. MRAC/ KMMA 00374, in RMCA.

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.