Syncola pulverea ( Meyrick, 1907 )

Jadhav, Mahesh M., Adamski, David, Shashank, P. R., Rajgopal, N. N., Meshram, Naresh M., Mohanasundaram, A. & Singh, J. P., 2022, Syncola crypsimorpha (Meyrick, 1922) (Gelechioidea: Blastobasidae): A new pest species associated with cultured lac in India, Zootaxa 5155 (4), pp. 539-548 : 545-546

Syncola pulverea ( Meyrick, 1907)

( Figs. 2 , 9−10 , 12 , 15−16 )

Diagnosis. Syncola pulverea is similar to S. crypsimorpha by sharing a similar forewing pattern and an absence of a notchlike space demarcated by a modified first flagellomere. It differs from S. crypsimorpha by having a more densely setose uncus; a wider, and a mesially emarginated ventroposterior margin of the gnathos, a narrower base to the apical part of the lower part of the valva; a broadly curved sclerite of phallus, with spinose apices; a sclerotized antrum; a long, multi-coiled ductus bursae; and a platelike and spinose signum on the inner wall of the corpus bursae.

Redescription. Adult: Head: Vertex and frontoclypeus with brownish-gray scales tipped with white; outer and inner surfaces of labial palpus with scales brownish gray tipped with white intermixed with white scales along apical margin of second palpomere; scape and flagellum of antenna brownish gray, pecten pale yellow; male first flagellomere unmodified. Proboscis brownish gray.

Thorax: Tegula and mesoscutum brownish gray. Legs brownish gray intermixed with pale brownish scales near apical margins of all segments and tarsomeres.

Forewing ( Fig. 2 ), length 6.6−7.8 mm (n=3), with brownish-gray scales tipped with pale brownish gray, and brownish-gray scales; cell with two brownish-gray spots, one near middle, one near distal end near tornus. Undersurface brownish gray. Hindwing translucent grayish brown gradually darkening to apex.

Abdomen: Male with seven irregular rows of spinelike setae on terga 2−7, and three irregular rows of spinelike setae on tergum 8; female with seven irregular rows of spinelike setae on terga 2−6.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 9−10 ) with uncus densely setose, widened dorsally, gradually narrowed to an obtuse apex with a keeled edge. Gnathos separated from tegumen by membrane, shallowly notched medially along ventroposterior margin. Valva divided into an upper part and lower part; upper part widened basally, gradually narrowed to a broadly rounded apex; densely setose from slightly beyond base to apex; lower part widened basally, gradually narrowed to about 4/5, abruptly constricted, forming a spinelike apical process, acutely curved apically, setose along outer margin of basal 2/3. Vinculum narrowly U-shaped. Juxta platelike, ventral margin emarginate. Phallus broadly curved, base bulbous; sclerite of phallus wide, dilated apically into a bifurcate process; process obtuse, apically spinose; anellus with microsetae.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 12 ) with apical part of ovipositor with three telescopic subdivisions. Papillae anales, two broadly widened, apically setose lobes. Apophyses posteriores long, slightly more than 2X length of apophyses anteriores. Ostium in membrane near emarginate anterior margin of eighth sternum, posterior 1/3 setose. Antrum sclerotized, elongate to near inception of ductus seminalis, slightly anterior to seventh segment. Ductus bursae multicoiled. Corpus bursae elongate with platelike signum.

Types examined. Lectotype ♀, “ Lectotype ” [round purple-bordered label]; “ India, Tachardia lacca, EE Green , [19]04” [hand-written label]; “ Holcocera pulverea Meyrick , 4/18 E. Meyrick det., in Meyrick Coll [ection]”; “ Meyrick Coll [ection], BM 1938-290 ”; “ BMNH (E) #953891” [DNA sample number]; “ BM ♂ Genitalia Slide No. 31999.” Paralectotypes (1 ♂, 1 ♀), 1 ♂, “ Paralectotype ” [round blue-bordered label], “ India, Tachardia lacca, EE Green , 7 [ July ] [19]02” [hand-written label]; “ Holcocera pulverea Meyrick , 8/18 E. Meyrick det., in Meyrick Coll [ection]”; “ Meyrick Coll [ection], BM 1938-290 ”; “ BM ♂ Genitalia Slide No. 32018” ; 1 ♀, “ Paralectotype ” [round blue-bordered label], “ India, Tachardia lacca, EE Green , 7 [ July ][19]02” [hand-written label]; “ Holcocera pulverea Meyrick , 2/18 E. Meyrick det., in Meyrick Coll[ection]”; “Meyrick Coll[ection], BM 1938-290 ” [abdomen within a gelatin capsule]. Specimen not dissected .

Remarks. Mishra & Gupta (1934) documented the biology of Syncola pulverea and Adamski et al. (2020) provided detailed descriptions and illustrations of the larva, pupa, and the adult of this species, in addition to providing details on its biology on cultured lac in northern Thailand. The larva of S. pulverea is pale yellow ( Fig. 15 ) compared to the gray larva of S. crypsimorpha ( Fig. 13 ). No gross differences in the pupae of both species were detected ( Figs. 14, 16 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1−6. Adult forewing patterns and adult features of Syncola crypsimorpha and S. pulverea. 1, Forewing pattern of S. crypsimorpha. 2, Forewing pattern of S. pulverea. 3, Head of S. crypsimorpha, lateral view. Arrow indicates labial palpus ex- tending above vertex of head. 4, Base of antenna showing an unmodfied first flagellomere of S. crypsimorpha. Arrow indicates unmodified first flagellomere. 5, Forewing venation of S. crypsimorpha. Arrow indicates pterostigma between Sc and R 1. 6, Hindwing venation of S. sp. n.crypsimorpha.

FIGURES 7−10. Male genitalia of Syncola crypsimorpha and S. pulverea. Fig. 7, S. crypsimorpha. Genital capsule. Fig. 8, phallus. Fig. 9, S. pulverea, Genital capsule. Fig. 10, phallus.

FIGURES 11−12. Female genitalia of Syncola crypsimorpha and S. pulverea. Fig. 11, S. crypsimorpha. 12, S. pulverea.

FIGURES 13−16. Larva and Pupa of Syncola crypsimorpha and S. pulverea. 13, Larva of S. crypsimorpha. 14, Pupa of S. crypsimorpha. 15, Larva of S. pulverea. 16, Pupa of S. pulverea.