Phyllonorycter albertinus De Prins, 2012

Prins, Jurate De & Kawahara, Akito Y., 2012, Systematics, revisionary taxonomy, and biodiversity of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Zootaxa 3594 (1), pp. 1-283 : 105-107

33. Phyllonorycter albertinus De Prins , new species

( Figs 74 , 224–226 , 386 )

Diagnosis. P. albertinus is very similar in wing pattern to P. leucaspis , P. caudasimplex , P. trochetellus and P. ruizivorus . P. albertinus differs from the latter species by slightly fuscous shading of ground colour and washed basal margin of first fascia and apical margin of second fascia. These margins in all the other species belonging to leucaspis group are well bordered. The main diagnostic differences are in male genitalia. The species can be separated by a combination of the following characters: a) shape of cucullus of valva, b) width of vinculum c) length of saccus, and d) length of sternum VIII. According to the shape of cucullus P. albertinus reminds mostly P. trochetellus . However, in P. albertinus the subcuculus area is more dilated, apex of cucullus more sharpened, than in P. trochetellus . Caudal part of vinculum in P. albertinus is about twice as broad as in P. trochetellus . Saccus in P. albertinus is ca. as long as width of caudal area of vinculum; saccus in P. trochetellus is ca. 2.5× longer than width of caudal part of vinculum. In P. albertinus both lateral margins of sternum VIII sharply abuting, which makes sternum almost triangular shaped, however with gently rounded narrow caudal apex; in P. trochetellus both margins run almost parallel to each other gently rounding at apex, which gives sternum VIII a elongate half orbital shape. Females of both closely related species: P. trochetellus and P. albertinus are unknown.

Holotype: ♂, [1] ‘ Kenya, Rift Valley Prov.[ince] / Turi , 8000 ft / 5.ii.1999 / [leg.] D. J. L. Agassiz’; [2] ‘Gen. Prep. 3504♂ / De Prins’; [3] ‘Holotype ♂ / Phyllonorycter / albertinus / De Prins, 2012 ’, in BMNH.

Paratype: 1♂ (including 1♂ genitalia preparation). Kenya: 1♂, Rift Valley, Prov[ince]. Turi, 8000 ft, 18.i.1999, [leg.] D. J. L. Agassiz; specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000006147, gen. prep. De Prins 3731♂ (MRAC/ KMMA 00656), in RMCA, DNA voucher CLV13707, in CCDB.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 74 ). Forewing length: 3.36 mm (holotype) and 3.27 mm (paratype).

Head: Vertex tufted with light beige piliform scales, intermixed with dirty white medially, a small bunch of short, dirty white, piliform scales directed latero-posteriorly on central part of occiput, a small bunch of brightly ochreous, short, piliform scales directed posteriorly on lateral side of occiput, behind eyes; frons smooth, white with silver shine, a row of long broad smooth scales borders vertex, and a layer of more slender long piliform scales covers frontoclypeus. Labial palpus slightly longer than eye, straight, directed ventrally, white with silver shine dorsally and dark brown except basal part of palpomere I laterally from outer side, terminal palpomere dark beige with sharp apex; maxillary palpus porrect, dirty white with beige base, haustellum developed, medially long, 2.5× curved, light beige. Antenna almost as long as forewing, consisting of 41–42 flagellomeres, flagellomeres dorsally light ochreous intermixed with dark ochreous at basal 1/3 and smoothly transiting to greyish median apically, all flagellomeres with darker tipped apices, however, antenna lacking ringed appearance; pedicel pale beige with narrow dark brown apex; scape dirty white anteriorly and beige posteriorly with 8–10 white pecten of different length.

Thorax: Ochreous with white lateral and anterior margins; tegulae dark ochreous anteriorly and shiny white posteriorly. Forewing greyish ochreous with white markings consisting of short basal streak, two transverse fasciae, two costal and one dorsal strigulae; basal streak short, straight, in midline of forewing, parallel to costa, not edged; first fascia at basal 1/4, slightly curved, reaches costa, basal margin obscure, with light pale ochreous transition area, apical margin curved, dorsal margin ca. 2× broader than costal, edged with irregular row of black scales; second fascia at middle of forewing, narrow at costal margin, ca.3× broader at dorsal margin, with constriction at midline, fine edged with irregular row of black scales basally; obscure smoothly transitting to ground colour apically, an irregular midsize black patch on midline of forewing bodering apical margin of second fascia, first costal strigula at 3/4, small triangular shaped, not reaching midline of forewing, richly edged on both sides; first dorsal strigula opposite first costal strigula, broad triangular shaped, significantly larger than first costal strigula, reaching midline of forewing, finely edged basally, a few dark brownish scales edging top of first dorsal strigula apically; an irroration of black scales connects tips of first costal and first dorsal strigulae, a white elongate spot at apex of forewing; termen irrorated with black scales; black irregular spot at apex, on edge of forewing, beyond white spot, fringe line not expressed. Fringe short silver grey with intermixture of a few hairs possessing white base along termen, long dirty white with silver shine along dorsum. Hindwing dark beige with fuscous shading fringe long greyish. Fore femur dark brown with fuscous shading dorsally and whitish ventrally, fore tibia brownish fuscous with white subapical patch, tarsus brown with three dirty white patches, tarsomere I dirty white with brown apical 1/3, tarsomeres II dirty white with brown apical half, tarsomeres III–IV brown, tarsomere V and tip of fore leg dirty white; mid-femur light beige with fuscous spot at apex, mid-tibia pale beige with three fuscous longitudinal patches: small basally, longitudinal row medially and large irregular shaped apically, tibial spurs whitish with fuscous basal parts, tarsus pale brownish fuscous with two broad dirty white rings, tarsomere I dirty white with pale brownish fuscous apex, tarsomere II dirty white with pale brownish fuscous base and apex, terminal tarsomeres pale brownish fuscous; hind femur dirty white with brown base and ochreous median patch, hind tibia dirty white basal half and brown apical half, tibial spurs long, whitish with fuscous median parts, tarsus pale fuscous with dirty white irregular patches, tarsomeres I pale fuscous with dirty white apex, tarsomere II pale fuscous with white bases, terminal tarsomeres pale grey, except tarsomere IV, which is dirty white.

Abdomen: Dorsally fuscous, ventrally unicolorously pale beige. Sternum VIII of males long, ca. 470 µm, finally setose, acuminating caudally, with gently rounded apex.

Male genitalia ( Figs 224–226 ). Tegumen sclerotized, subconical, of medium size, ca. 415 µm long, subscaphium arms narrow, approaching each other forming inverted U, fused subapically, apex of tegumen well sclerotized, conus-shaped, obtuse, covered with numerous tiny microtrichiae, tuba analis not protruding. Valvae symmetrical, valva long, about 2× longer than sternum VIII, ventral margin ca. 810 µm in length, costal margin oblique ventrad to half of valval length, ventral margin of valva slightly bent, costal margin of valva sinuates at cucullus area, subcucullus area enlarged, gradually acuminating towards elongate and narrow sacculus; two narrow sclerotized seams run from basal sector to middle of valva on median ventral surface; a row of short, narrowly spaced setae along ventral margin of valva; ventral surface of valva and costal margin at subcucullus area densely covered with long stiff setae, more abundant towards margins, basal and apical parts of valval ventral surface are setae free. Vinculum strongly sclerotized, half rounded, very broad caudally, as broad as ca. 210 µm; saccus slender, folded on junction with vinculum, slightly bulbed caudally, ca. as long as caudal part of vinculum (ca. 215 µm). Transtilla complete, strongly sclerotized, rectangular shaped lateral arms bi-parted, lateral lobes on cephalic margin without appendices, angled 90°. Aedoeagus about 2.5× longer than saccus, ca. 625 µm long, slightly broader at coecum and gently tapering towards blunt vesica; vesica unsclerotized, wrinkled at apex, apical part of aedoeagus with two long, slender cornuti, ca. 160 µm long, parallel to each other dilating at vesica.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Etymology. The species’ name refers to the Albertine Rift Valley, the area of occurrence.

Habitat. Savannah areas with intermixed secondary vegetation.

Host plant(s). Unknown.

Flight period. Specimens have been attracted to light from mid-January to early February.

Distribution ( Fig. 386 ). Known only from the type locality—Albertine Rift in Kenya.

Figures

FIGURES 69–74. Adults. Scale bar 1 mm. 69, Phyllonorycter hibiscola, holotype ♀, Kenya, Kakamega Forest, mine 28.iii.2003, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000003278. 70, Phyllonorycter hibiscola, paratype ♀, Kenya, Kakamega Forest, mine 17.iv.2001, leg. J. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000003266. 71, Phyllonorycter jabalshamsi, holotype ♂, Oman, Jabal Shams, Al Hamra, 07.i.1993, leg. B. Skule, in ZMUC. 72, Phyllonorycter lemarchandi, holotype ♂, Madagascar, Antananarivo, mine 03.i.1949, in MNHN. 73, Phyllonorycter albertinus, holotype ♂, Kenya, Rift Valley, Turi, 05.ii.1999, leg. D.J.L. Agassiz, in BMNH. 74, Phyllonorycter albertinus, paratype ♂, Kenya, Rift Valley, Turi, 18.i.1999, leg. D.J.L. Agassiz, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000006147.

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 379–390. Distribution of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae species. 379, Phyllonorycter brachylaenae. 380, Phyllonorycter dombeyae. 381, Phyllonorycter hibiscina. 382, Phyllonorycter ipomoellus. 383, Phyllonorycter turensis. 384, Phyllonorycter hibiscola. 385, Phyllonorycter lemarchandi. 386, Phyllonorycter albertinus. 387, Phyllonorycter caudasimplex. 388, Phyllonorycter leucaspis. 389, Phyllonorycter ololua. 390, Phyllonorycter didymopa.