Phyllonorycter leucaspis, Triberti, 2004

Prins, Jurate De & Kawahara, Akito Y., 2012, Systematics, revisionary taxonomy, and biodiversity of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Zootaxa 3594 (1), pp. 1-283 : 104-105

The leucaspis group

The leucaspis group includes six species: P. albertinus De Prins , n. sp., P. caudasimplex Bland, 1980 , P. leucaspis Triberti, 2004 , P. ololua De Prins , n. sp., P. ruizivorus De Prins , n. sp., and P. trochetellus De Prins , n. sp. Adults of this group possess a well defined first fascia, very oblique, directed towards apex; a median fascia, narrow at costal margin and broad at dorsal margin. Larvae of the leucaspis group feed on Malvaceae plants. The external features in the leucaspis group are mostly superficial, not well defined, usually subtle, and if specimens are worn the external characters fail to define this group. Hence, genitalia dissections provide the only means for the assignment of species to the leucaspis group and further accurate identification.

The male genitalia of the leucaspis group are reduced, with a truncate tegumen; long valvae, more than 1.6× the length of sternum VIII, with a widened subapical part; and a slender strongly folded saccus at the junction with vinculum. The transtilla is well developed, heavily sclerotized, thick, and half square-shaped; the aedoeagus of all species of this group is shorter than the valva, blunt, cylindrical.

The female genitalia of the leucaspis group are characterized by a sinuous, narrow ductus bursae anteriorly, gradually widening to the corpus bursae, lacking a distinct junction of the two, and the absence of a signum. The ostium bursae of all species within this group opens almost at the posterior margin of segment VII, close to the junction with sternum VIII.

Key to males of leucaspis group based on genitalia*

1. Cucullus with emargination.............................................................................. 2

– Cucullus without emargination, valva smoothly enlarged subapically and bluntly tapering caudally..................... 3

2. Emargination of cucullus from midline of valva towards valval costa straight, sacculus thick, short, slightly longer than 1/2 of valval width at the broadest part, in intact genitalia saccus reaches apical 2/3 of sternum VIII ( Fig. 227, 228 )... 35. leucaspis

– Emargination of cucullus from midline of valva towards costa deep arc-shaped, sacculus slender, almost as long as valval width at the broadest part, in intact genitalia saccus slightly longer than sternum VIII ( Fig. 230 )................36. ololua

3. Saccus 1/3 shorter than vinculum ( Fig. 224 ).......................................................33. albertinus

– Saccus longer than vinculum............................................................................. 4

4. Cucullus with abrupt rounded apex with very short bluntly pointed appendicule on ventral margin ( Fig. 231 )... 37. ruizivorus

– Cucullus with gently tapering and elongate apex ( Fig. 234 )......................................... 38. trochetellus

* male genitalia of P. caudasimplex unknown.

Key to females of leucaspis group based on genitalia*

1. Anterior apophyses longer than posterior apophyses ( Fig. 330 )........................................37. ruizivorus

– Anterior apophyses shorter than or of equal length of posterior apophyses......................................... 2

2. Anterior apophyses slightly shorter than posterior apophyses, antrum small and rounded ( Fig. 329 )........... 35. leucaspis

– Anterior apophyses equal in length to posterior apophyses, antrum broad, slightly less than half as broad as posterior margin of segment VII, rectangular shaped ( Fig. 328 ).................................................... 34. caudasimplex

* female genitalia of P. albertinus , P. ololua , and P. trochetellus unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 230. Male genitalia. Scale bar 100 µm. 230, Phyllonorycter ololua, holotype, genitalia prep. MRAC/KMMA 00369, in RMCA.

FIGURES 227–229. Male genitalia. Scale bar 100 µm. Phyllonorycter leucaspis, paratype, genitalia prep. MRAC/KMMA 00424, in RMCA. 227, ventral view. 228, sternum VIII. 229, aedoeagus.

FIGURES 224–226. Male genitalia. Scale bar 100 µm. 224–226, Phyllonorycter albertinus, holotype, genitalia prep. De Prins 3504, in BMNH. 224, ventral view. 225, sternum VIII. 226, aedoeagus.

FIGURES 231–236. Male genitalia. Scale bar 100 µm. 231–233, Phyllonorycter ruizivorus, holotype, genitalia prep. De Prins 3723, in BMNH. 231, ventral view. 232, sternum VIII. 233, aedoeagus. 234–236, Phyllonorycter trochetellus, holotype, genitalia prep. De Prins 3720, in BMNH. 234, ventral view. 235, sternum VIII. 236, aedoeagus.

FIGURES 330–331. Female genitalia. Scale bar 200 µm. 330, Phyllonorycter ruizivorus, paratype, genitalia prep. 32528, in BMNH. 331, Phyllonorycter didymopa, holotype, the drawing is made by Willy De Prins after the genitalia prep. Vári 7169, in TMSA.

FIGURES 328–329. Female genitalia. Scale bar 200 µm. 328, Phyllonorycter caudasimplex, holotype, the drawing is made by Willy De Prins after the original description, examination of the genitalia prep. 21279, in BMNH and the drawing of Bland (1980: 33, fig. 2c). 329, Phyllonorycter leucaspis, paratype, the drawing is made by Willy De Prins after the original description, examination of the genitalia prep. trb 2793 in ZMHB and the drawing of Triberti (1980: 81–82, fig. 6d).