Simplimorpha (Roscidotoga)

Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius & Solis, M. Alma, 2018, A Gondwanan concept of Simplimorpha Scoble (sensu lato): a step toward clarity in the generic diagnostics of global Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera), Zootaxa 4521 (2), pp. 151-182 : 158

Subgenus Roscidotoga Hoare, 2000 , stat. nov.

( Figs. 3, 4, 9, 10, 15–17, 22, 23, 29–33, 41–44, 56, 57 , 61, 62 )

Roscidotoga Hoare, 2000 : 293, 294.

Type species: Roscidotoga callicomae Hoare, 2000: 295 , 296.

Diagnosis. From the subgenus Simplimorpha , Roscidotoga differs in the presence of triangular silver mark on the costa of forewing, three distal veins of forewing (two in Simplimorpha ), simply shaped, triangular valva in the male genitalia (valva with a ventral lobe in Simplimorpha ), and the broad anterior apophyses in the female genitalia (anterior apophyses slender in Simplimorpha ). Roscidotoga is also distinctive because it feeds on Oxalidales (Eurosids I / Fabids) and is distributed in Australia, compared to the subgenus Simplimorpha that occurs in Africa and Mediterranean and feeds on Sapindales (Anacardiaceae) .

From Myrtinepticula , s.g. Roscidotoga differs by the presence of three distal veins (four in Myrtinepticula ), absence of an anal loop in the forewing (present in Myrtinepticula ), two distal veins of the hindwing (three in Myrtinepticula ), and the simple-shaped, generally triangular valva (in Myrtinepticula valva is very elaborate basally, see Figs. 18, 19). Myrtinepticula occurs in South America. The constituent species feed on Myrtales (i.e. Eurosids II / Malvids), while Roscidotoga species feed on Oxalidales (Eurosids I / Fabids). See also Discussion.

Remarks. Description was provided by Hoare 2000: 293, 294. Larvae are leaf miners ( Fig. 61 ) of Cunoniaceae and Elaeocarpaceae ( Oxalidales, Fabids or =Eurosids I). Currently the subgenus is comprised of four species, distributed in eastern Australia, including Tasmania ( Hoare 2000, van Nieukerken et al. 2011) ( Fig. 62 ).

Figures

FIGURES 50–57. Wing venation of Simplimorpha Scoble, 1983 (sensu lato). 50, S. nielseni, forewing, Hua-Hum, Argentina, slide RA619; 51, same, hindwing; 52, 53, S. promissa, forewing, Crimea, Europe, temporary slide, LEU; 54, lanceifoliella, forewing (modified after Scoble 1983); 55, same, hindwing; 56, S. eucryphiae, forewing (modified after Hoare 2000); 57, same, hindwing Remarks: yet although the wing venation in general is valuable it is not without its limitations: independent losses are likely; being extreme tiny moths, the venation can be rather easily got reduced even in cases of related species (Figs. 53, 54) or, occassionally, within same species (Puplesis & Robinson 2000). Note that the morphological structures are drawn in different scales.

FIGURES 58–64. Simplimorpha Scoble, 1983 (sensu lato). 58–61, examples of leaf mines: 58, S. nielseni, Hua-Hum, Argentina, ZMUC; 59, S. lanceifoliella (modified after Vári 1955); 60, S. promissa, Crimea, Europe, LEU; 61, S. sapphiripes, S. callicomae and S. eucryphiae (modified after Hoare 2000); 62, distribution map; 63, 64, adult of S. promissa (Staudinger, 1870), currently the only Simplimorpha species known from the Northern Hemisphere (courtesy of Peter Buchner, Schwarzau am Steinfeld, Austria). Note: the plant taxa names follow APG IV (2016) and Stevens (2017)