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

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3594.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B00799F3-F397-438C-B1E1-A8440E636921

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5259450

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03ADE350-B174-FFE2-F1CF-FAA88B15CFFA

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Phyllonorycter leucaspis
status

 

The leucaspis View in CoL 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 View FIGURES 227–229 )... 35. leucaspis View in CoL

– 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 View FIGURE 230 )................36. ololua View in CoL

3. Saccus 1/3 shorter than vinculum ( Fig. 224 View FIGURES 224–226 ).......................................................33. albertinus View in CoL

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

4. Cucullus with abrupt rounded apex with very short bluntly pointed appendicule on ventral margin ( Fig. 231 View FIGURES 231–236 )... 37. ruizivorus View in CoL

– Cucullus with gently tapering and elongate apex ( Fig. 234 View FIGURES 231–236 )......................................... 38. trochetellus View in CoL

* male genitalia of P. caudasimplex unknown.

Key to females of leucaspis group based on genitalia*

1. Anterior apophyses longer than posterior apophyses ( Fig. 330 View FIGURES 330–331 )........................................37. ruizivorus View in CoL

– 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 View FIGURES 328–329 )........... 35. leucaspis View in CoL

– 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 View FIGURES 328–329 ).................................................... 34. caudasimplex View in CoL

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

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