Dejongia californicus (Walsingham, 1880)

Matthews, Deborah L., Miller, Jacqueline Y., Simon, Mark J. & Goss, Gary J., 2019, Additions to the plume moth fauna of The Bahamas (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) with description of four new species, Insecta Mundi 708 (708), pp. 1-35 : 9-10

Dejongia californicus (Walsingham, 1880)

Fig. 10 , 30a, b , 44 , 60–65

Diagnosis. Forewing cleft extending to about 0.5× length to wing base; lobes narrow with acute apices and no distinct termen. Forewing ground color tawny-olive and drab, mottled with white ( Fig. 10 ). First lobe with alternating fuscous and mottled white bands, second lobe mottled with indistinct white band near base and fuscous band extending from base into discal cell area. Cleft base with tawny-olive dash between fuscous bands at base of lobes. Cleft fringes drab overscaled with white spatulate scales. Anal fringe of second lobe drab admixed with fuscous and tawny-olive spatulate scales, interrupted by two white patches. Hindwing with first and second lobe uniformly drab; third lobe tawny-olive with a double fuscous scale tooth in fringes of anal margin (small cluster at apex), larger triangle one-third from apex. Linear fringe scales drab except white at lobe apex and just basad of larger scale tooth. Scattered white elongate spatulate scales also in fringes basad of scale tooth. Legs banded white, fuscous and, drab, with a thin fuscous stripe on basal part of hind tibia. Fourth abdominal segment with large paired fuscous rectangular patches ( Fig. 10 ). Male genitalia with valvae darkly sclerotized, with recurved tips and a distinctive recessed cavity subapically on the mesal surface ( Fig. 30a ). Female genitalia with uniformly slender ductus bursae inserted into a midventral darkly sclerotized conical ostium/antrum projecting from beneath sternite VII ( Fig. 44 ). Bahamas specimens noticeably smaller than mainland specimens, appearing more gray as opposed to brown; with more white overscaling of the forewing and banding on lobes fuscous as opposed to benzo brown.

Pinned material examined. BAHAMAS: Abaco: South Abaco, Schooner Bay Institute, 26.161333°, −77.187667°, 1.vi.2016, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, at MVL in morning (1 ♂) ; South Abaco, vicinity of Sandy Point , 26.008833°, −77.404667°, 1.xi.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR, ex. shoots of Ambrosia hispida (3 ♂, 7 ♀, 5 LS, 9 PC) ; same data except 4.vi.2016, DLM, JYM (1 ♂, 3 ♀) ; Cat Island: vic. Ocean Dream Resort , E of Smith Town, 24.232273°, −75.454536°, 23.vi.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG (5 ♂, slide DM 1356) ; same data except 25.vi.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, on leaf shoots of A. hispida (3 ♀) ; Crooked Island: vic. Seaview Settlement , 22.820375°, −74.280567°, 8.vi.2015, MJS, GJG (1 ♀) ; Grand Bahama Island: Freeport, Sea Gate Ln. , 26.502796°, −78.650086°, 24.x.2014, DLM, MJS (1 ♂, 2 ♀) ; same data except, ex. larva on shoots of A. hispida (5 ♂, slide DM 2164, 1 ♀) ; S of Owls Hole , 26.583820°, −78.467092°, 28.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR, ex. larva on shoots of A. hispida (3 ♂, 1 ♀) ; Xanadu Beach , 23.vi.1987, W.E. Steiner, M.J. & R. Molineaux (1 ♀, slide DM 0095/USNM 106,065) [USNM] ; Mayaguana Island: Pirates Well, Baycaner Beach , 22.435833°, −73.102222°, 31.vii–1.viii.2014, MJS, GJG (1 ♂) ; San Salvador Island: Brandy Hill Road , SE of lighthouse, 24.090794°, −74.440046°, 13.vi.2018, DLM, JYM (2 ♂, 3 ♀) ; same data, ex. A. hispida (6 ♂, 6 ♀) ; Gerace Research Centre , 24.119502°, −74.464410°, 24.vii.2015, DLM, on A. hispida (2 ♂, 1 ♀) ; S of Fortune Hill Settlement, vic. Pigeon Creek , 24.011944°, −74.458889°, 12.vi.2018, DLM, JYM, ex. A. hispida (1 ♀) ; vic. Cockburn Town , 24.051031°, −74.532069°, 24.vii.2015, DLM, TAL, beach strand, on A. hispida (1 ♀) ; Graham’s Harbour, North Point , 24.125283°, −74.457553°, 26.vii.2015, DLM, TAL, on A. hispida , (10 ♂, 10 ♀, slide DM 2151) .

Preserved material examined. BAHAMAS: Abaco: South Abaco, Schooner Bay, beach trail vic. coppice, 26.167000°, −77.181167°, 5.vi.2016, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, on leaves of Ambrosia hispida (4 L); vicinity of Sandy Point, 26.008833°, −77.404667°, 1.xi.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR, on leaves and shoots of A. hispida (8 L, 2 LS, 1 PC), same location, 4.vi.2016, DLM, JYM, on leaves of A. hispida (3 L, 1 P, 1 PC); Cat Island: vic. Ocean Dream Resort, E of Smith Town, 24.232273°, −75.454536°, 25.vi.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, larvae on shoots of A. hispida (7 L, 4 LS, 1 P, 3 PC); Grand Bahama Island: Freeport, Sea Gate Ln., 26.502796°, −78.650086°, 24.x.2014, DLM, MJS, on shoots of A. hispida (5 L, 7 LS, 5 P, 1 PC); S of Owl’s Hole, 26.583820°, −78.467092°, 28.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR, on leaves and shoots of A. hispida (2 L, 1 LS); San Salvador Island: beach N & NE of Gerace Research Centre, 24.120114°, −74.461898°, 22–26.vii.2015, DLM, TAL, on leaves of A. hispida (18 L); Brandy Hill Road, SE of lighthouse, 24.090794°, −74.440046°, 13.vi.2018, DLM, JYM ex. A. hispida (33 L, 3 LS, 3 P, 1 PC); Graham’s Harbour, North Point, 24.125283°, −74.457553°, 26.vii.2015, DLM, TAL, on A. hispida (2 L); same data, on leaves of A. hispida (16 L, 3 LS, 3 P, 2 PC); same location, 13.vi.2018, DLM, JYM, on A. hispida (15 L); vic. Cockburn Town, 24.051639°, −74.532920°, 24.vii.2015, DLM, TAL, R.W. Portell, on leaves of A. hispida (58 L, 2 LS, 2 PC); S of Fortune Hill Settlement, vic. Pigeon Creek, 24.011944°, −74.458889°, 12.vi.2018, DLM, JYM, ex. A. hispida (33 L, 3 LS, 3 PC).

Life history. In the western USA, larvae feed on species of Grindelia Willd. and in Florida, on leaves and shoots of Heterotheca subaxillaris (Lam.) Britton and Rusby. In The Bahamas, larvae feed on leaves, shoots, and developing flowers and pollen of Ambrosia hispida Pursh ( Fig. 59 ). Populations can be locally dense, with several individuals infesting the same shoots or racemes. Larvae ( Fig. 63–65 ) are bright red, in contrast to the green leaves, with the final instar (about 5 mm in length) turning green prior to pupation. Larvae are quite remarkable in having long clear setae with inflated tips which, as in M. leucodactylus , exude a sticky secretion. Pupae ( Fig. 61–62 ) also have primary and secondary setae with swollen tips. The larval and pupal chaetotaxy of Bahamas specimens are identical to Florida specimens, yet pupae in Florida have a more distinct bright reddish trapezoidal spot on the dorsum of second and third abdominal segments. In The Bahamas, this species is found in coastal areas where the hostplant grows such as disturbed sites, coastal rock communities, and beach dunes. The adults ( Fig. 10 , 60 ) cling to the plants in windy conditions and are best spotted at night in taller plants protected behind sea oat dunes.

Distribution. This species is known to occur across the USA from Florida to California and north into Nebraska. In The Bahamas it has been collected on Abaco, Cat, Crooked, Grand Bahama, Mayaguana, and San Salvador Islands. It is also reported to occur in Cuba ( Núñez and Barro 2012).

Comments. COI barcoding and analysis (BOLD, Kimura 2 model) place The Bahamas specimens in the same BIN (barcode index number) as mainland D. californicus . Pairwise distances between Florida and Bahamas specimens range between 1.48–2.01% with greater variation within the BIN. Additional studies of haplotype networks may further delineate population segregates across the range of the species.

Figures

Figures 10–17. Bahamas Pterophoridae pinned adults. 10) Dejongia californicus ♀, San Salvador Island, 26.vii.2015. 11) Exelastis pumilio ♂, Abaco, 2.xi.2014. 12) Exelastis montischristi ♀, Cat Island, 25.vi.2014. 13) Exelastis dowi ♂, Abaco, 30.x.2014. 14) Emmelina buscki ♀, Grand Bahama Island, 27.x.2014. 15) Oidaematophorus androsensis Matthews, new species, ♀, holotype, North Andros Island, 11.vi.2012. 16) Hellinsia paleaceus ♂, Abaco, 6.vi.2016. 17) Hellinsia chlorias ♂, Crooked Island, 20.ix.1988. Scale line below each name equals 1 mm.

Figures 29–32. Bahamas Pterophoridae male genitalia. 29a) Megalorhipida leucodactylus, slide DM 2160. 29b) phallus, same individual. 30a) Dejongia californicus, slide DM 2164. 30b) phallus, same individual. 31a) Exelastis pumilio, slide DM 2163. 31b) phallus, same individual. 32) Exelastis dowi, slide DM 2165, phallus in situ.

Figure 43–48. Bahamas Pterophoridae female genitalia. 43) Exelastis dowi, slide DM 2114. 44) Dejongia californicus, slide DM 2151. 45) Sphenarches anisodactylus, slide DM 2158. 46) Exelastis pumilio, slide DM 2149. 47) Exelastis montischristi, slide DM 2113. 48) Michaelophorus salensis Matthews, new species, paratype, slide DM 2117.

Figures 59–65. Life history of Dejongia californicus. 59) Coastal rockland habitat with larval host, Ambrosia hispida in the foreground, North Point, Graham’s Harbour, San Salvador Island, June 2018. 60) Adult D. californicus, perching on hostplant, South Abaco Island, June 2016. 61) Dorsal view of pupa, San Salvador Island, June 2018. 62) Lateral view, same individual. 63) Frontal view of larva on leaf shoot of host, San Salvador Island, June 2018. 64) Lateral view of larva feeding on developing flowers and pollen, same location. 65) Lateral view of larva, showing glandular setae, same location.