Scrobipalpa incola ( Meyrick, 1912 )

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., 2021, A review of the genus Scrobipalpa Janse, 1951 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) in the Afrotropical region, Zootaxa 5070 (1), pp. 1-83 : 12-13

Scrobipalpa incola ( Meyrick, 1912)

Figs 1–7 , 91–94 , 153–157

Megacraspedus incola Meyrick, 1912: 60 .

Apatetris incola ( Meyrick, 1912) — Meyrick 1925: 24.

Gelechia bletrias Meyrick, 1913: 292 . Synonymized by Janse 1958: 136.

Scrobipalpa incola ( Meyrick, 1912) — Janse 1958: 17, 136, pl. 28h, 36a, 42d, 74e; 1960: 237.

Type material examined. Holotype of bletrias ♀, “Middelburg, 20.Oct.1910, A.J.T. Janse ” | “4795” | “ G. bletrias , 4795” | “ Gelechia bletrias M., Type No. 612.” (gen. slide 103/17, O. Bidzilya) ( TMSA).

Material examined. South Africa: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Pretoria, Transvaal , Nov. 1928 (gen. slide 5498 ♀; 8301 ♂) ; 1 ♀, Imbazuan, Zululand, x.24, A.S.T.J., Gelechia bletrias 1/1, E. Meyrick det., E. Meyrick Coll.; 1 ♀, Pretoria , 14.xi.’15 (Janse) ; 2 ♂, 4 ♀, Nylsvlei, Naboomspruit , 4,10,14,18,19. x.1975, C. Scholtz (10307 ♂; 10646 ♀ (gen. slide 280/ 12♀, 112/ 17♂, 113/ 17♀, O. Bidzilya); 2♀, Pretoria , 14.xi.1915 (Janse) ; 1 ♀, Salisbury, Jack. , 26.ii.’15 (Janse) ; 2 ♂, Cullinan, TP, Nov.1939 (Ghent.) (gen. slide 279/12, 121/17, O. Bidzilya) (all TMSA) ; 1 ♂, Gauteng, Roodeplaat, 25˚38’S, 28˚23’E, 30.iv.2009 (D. Visser) | Pupa 31.v.2009, moth 27.vii.2009, eggplant gall (cut open) (MFN- 00093) (gen. slide 138/12, O. Bidzilya) ( MfN) ; 2 ♂, 2 ♀, Rietvleidam, Naturreservaat , 2.iv, 25,26. v.1981, ex Datura (Vari) (gen. slide 273/ 12♂, 274/ 12♀, 109/ 17♀, 119/ 17♂, O. Bidzilya) ( TMSA) . Namibia: 1 ♂, Caudom Game Res. , 17–19.xi.2008, 18˚ 30 S/ 20˚ 45 E (Koch) ( MfN) . Zimbabwe: 2 ex, Makoni , Rhodesia, galls Solanum , ex 14.xi.1910, Jack 201, 1911, 242, 400087 | No. 201 from interesting galls on Solanum sp .; 1 ♂, Makoni , 11.xi.1910 (gen. slide 14226) ; 1 ♀, Shangani , Rhod., G amberi, 20.ii.’18 (Janse) (all TMSA) . Tanzania: 1 ♀, Zanzibar, Ungoja Kisimbani , 20.x.1987 (Feijen) ( TMSA) ; 1 ♀, Tanzania, Arumeru District, Usa River , 1170 m, 13.viii.1991 (Aarvik) (gen. slide 2340, O. Bidzilya) ; 1 ♂, same data but 3.ix.1991 (gen. slide 288/17, O. Bidzilya) (all NHMO) . Kenya: 1 ♀, Muguga , 28.x.1955 (Gardener), ex galls on Solanum trepidans (NHMUK) ; 1 ♀, Kenya, Rift Valley, Niavasha , 25˚ 45’S, 36˚24’E, 23.iv.2003 (Agassiz) (gen. slide No. DJLA 1426) ( DA) .

Diagnosis. Scrobipalpa incola is a large species (wingspan 16–25 mm) with a yellowish-brown forewing with contrasting, distinct black markings along the longitudinal axis and a brown suffusion along the veins, especially at the apex and termen. Scrobipalpa wieseri sp. nov., S. turiensis sp. nov., and S. ochroxantha sp. nov. are darker and more uniformly coloured. Scrobipalpa concreta is usually smaller (11–16 mm), and the black markings are smaller and less distinct. The male genitalia of S. incola are characterized by a short, broad gnathos; a broad, apically rounded vincular process; and a sacculus with a straight inner portion and strongly narrowed outer margin in the distal part. Scrobipalpa ochroxantha sp. nov. is very similar, but differs in having the saccus distinctly narrowed apically (rather than nearly parallel-sided) and a longer caecum that is more than 1/3 the length of the saccus (1/ 3 in S. incola ). The female genitalia are characterized by the anteromedially wrinkled subgenital plates with the outer margin outwardly projected near the base of the apophyses anteriores; a distally inflated antrum; and the signum hook usually bearing a short tooth on the upper surface. Scrobipalpa ochroxantha sp. nov. and S. wieseri sp. nov. differ in having longer apophyses anteriores, foam-sculptured rather than a wrinkled subgenital plate, and a different shape of the signum.

Re-description. Adult ( Figs 1–7 ). Wingspan 16–25 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae yellow, tegulae with brown base; labial palpus strongly upcurved, palpomere 2 yellow or yellow mixed with light brown on outer and lower surface, palpomere 3 slightly shorter and 1/2 width of palpomere 3, acute, yellow with a few brown scales before apex; scape yellow to light brown, flagellomeres dark yellow with narrow light brown rings; forewing ground colour yellow to light brown, four black dots edged with brown along longitudinal axis from base to 2/3, blackishbrown patch at base of costal margin, light brown suffusion along veins in costal 1/2 and apical 1/3 mainly, termen spotted with brown, cilia yellow, mixed with brown at wing apex; hindwing white, veins, margins and subapical 1/3 mottled with light brown, cilia white.

Male genitalia ( Figs 91–94 ). Uncus elongate, slightly shorter than 1/2 length of tegumen, weakly narrowed apically, conspicuously broadened at base; gnathos stout, distal sclerite broad, with pointed tip; tegumen twice as long as wide, with indistinct transition to uncus, weakly narrowed towards uncus, anteromedial emargination triangular, extending to 1/2–1/3 length of tegumen; valva weakly curved, slightly narrowed in middle, apex weakly inflated, extending to about top of uncus; sacculus about 1/3 length of valva, inner margin straight, outer margin narrowed apically in distal 1/2, separated from valva by deep, broad gap; vincular processes digitate, as long as sacculus but broader, apex rounded, separated from sacculus by deep, narrow gap; vinculum broad, posterior margin with deep, narrow, V-shaped medial incision; saccus broad at base, weakly narrowed towards truncate apex, usually projecting far beyond apex of pedunculus; phallus about as long as tegumen, caecum moderately inflated, about 1/3 length and from 1/4 to 1/2 width of phallus, apex pointed or rounded, with large downward curved hook.

Female genitalia ( Figs 153–157 ). Papillae anales elongate, ovate; apophyses posteriores about as long as of corpus bursae and ductus bursae combined; segment VIII slightly longer than wide, subgenital plates 1/3 width of segment VIII, posteromedially distinctly wrinkled along inner margin, outer margin with outwardly directed tooth near base of apophyses anteriores, anteromedial incision slender, subtriangular; apophyses anteriores 1/3 length of segment VIII, weakly broadened at base; ductus bursae long, gradually broadened towards comparatively small, egg-shaped corpus bursae, antrum short, rounded, distinctly inflated, colliculum comparatively long; signum broad at base, distal hook weakly curved with short tooth on upper surface, situated on right side near middle of corpus bursae.

Biology. In his original description of M. incola, Meyrick (1912: 60) indicated that the type specimen was bred from “a large ovate woody gall (34 mm x 23 mm) on twig of unnamed shrub”. Among the material examined are specimens bred from galls on eggplant ( Solanum melongena L.), Datura spp. and Solanum trepidans C.H. Wright (all Solanaceae ). Adults were collected in October–December, February and April in South Africa and Zimbabwe, August–September in Tanzania, and late October in Kenya.

Distribution: Kenya (first record), Tanzania (first record), Zimbabwe, Namibia (first record), South Africa.

Remarks. Megacraspedus incola was described from a single female collected in “ Cape Colony, Kimberley, in December (Bro. J.H. Powell); one specimen ” (SAM) that lacks the abdomen. Janse (1958) considered Gelechia bletrias a junior synonym of M. incola on the basis their external similarity. Gelechia bletrias was described from a single female from Middelburg. Janse did not dissect the holotype, but provided a description of the genitalia of both sexes based on a series of specimens from others localities externally identical to the holotype. The female genitalia of the holotype of G. bletrias , examined by me, agree with those of S. incola in all details except for slightly shorter and broader apophyses anteriores, confirming the synonymy proposed by Janse.

Figures

FIGURES 1–10. Scrobipalpa spp., adults. 1–7. Scrobipalpa incola. 1. South Africa, Roodeplaat, male. 2. South Africa, Gullinan, male (gen. slide 121/17, OB). 3. South Africa, HT of S. bletrias, female. 4. South Africa, Rietvleidam, male (gen. slide 273/12, OB). 5. South Africa, Rietvleidam, female (gen. slide 119/17, OB). 6. Tanzania, Usa River, male (gen. slide 288/17, OB). 7. Tanzania, Usa River, female (gen. slide 2340, OB). 8–10. S. ochroxantha sp. nov., South Africa. 8. Grahamstown, HT, male (gen. slide 278/12, OB). 9. Petersburg, PT, female (gen. slide 108/17, OB). 10. Grahamstown, PT, female (gen. slide 261/12, OB). Scale bar = wingspan.

FIGURES 91–95. Scrobipalpa spp., male genitalia. 91–94. S. incola, South Africa. 91. Nylsvlei, Naboomspruit (gen. slide 112/17, OB). 92. Roodeplaat (gen. slide 138/12, OB). 93. Rietvleidam (gen. slide 273/12, OB). 94. Gullinan (gen. slide 121/17, OB). 95. S. ochroxantha sp. nov., South Africa, Grahamstown, HT (gen. slide 278/12, OB).

FIGURES 153, 154. Scrobipalpa incola, female genitalia, South Africa. 153. Nylsvlei, Naboomspruit (gen. slide 113/17, OB). 154. Middelburg, HT of bletrias (gen. slide 103/17, OB).

FIGURES 155, 156. Scrobipalpa incola, female genitalia. 155. Tanzania, Usa River, (gen. slide 2340, OB). 156. Kenya, Naivasha (gen. slide DJLA No. 1426).

FIGURES 157–159. Scrobipalpa spp., female genitalia. 157. S. incola, South Africa, Rietvleidam (gen. slide 109/17, OB). 158. S. ochroxantha sp. nov., South Africa, Asante-Sana, PT (gen. slide 147/17, OB). 159. S. wieseri sp. nov., Namibia, Windhoek, PT (gen. slide 114/12, OB).