Maruca vitrata (Fabricius, 1787)

Bernard Landry, 2016, Taxonomic revision of the Spilomelinae (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae s. l.) of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, Revue suisse de Zoologie 123 (2), pp. 315-399 : 355

Maruca vitrata (Fabricius, 1787)

Figs 35 , 113 , 159

Phalaena vitrata Fabricius, 1787: 215 .

Maruca vitrata (Fabricius) : Roque-Albelo & Landry, 2015.

Material examined: 1 of undetermined sex from the Galápagos Islands: – Isabela: Volcán Darwin, 900 m. Deposited in CDRS.

Diagnosis: The brown forewing background with a large satiny white patch bordered dark brown postmedially with two additional concolourous white patches anteriorly, along with the mostly white hindwing ( Fig. 35 ) are sufficient to separate this species from all other Spilomelinae of the Galápagos. Wingspan: 22-30 mm (n=77 MHNG specimens).

Biology: The larva is known to feed primarily on a variety of Fabaceae such as crops like peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.), pigeon pea [ Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.], hyacinth bean [ Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet], and common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.), but it has also been recorded from other plant families ( Robinson et al., 2014). The larva feeds on flowers, flower buds, and young pods. The species is a serious pest of grain legumes around the world ( Sharma, 1998). From the Galápagos the only available specimen was collected at light.

Distribution: Based on BMNH specimens as well as De Prins & De Prins (2015), Heppner (2003), Robinson et al. (1994), Shaffer et al. (1996) and Slamka (2013) the species is widespread around the world under tropical and subtropical climates. In the Galápagos it has been collected on Isabela.

Remarks: I was able to identify the Galápagos specimen from a photo received from Lazaro Roque- Albelo, in 2001, by comparing it with identified specimens in the BMNH. The specimen was collected in March 2000 by L. Roque-Albelo. The specimen illustrated here was collected in Ecuador, Pichincha Province, S 00° 01.253’, W 78° 46.600’, at about 1300 m in elevation (MHNG).

Figures

Figs 33 - 40. Neotropical specimens of Spilomelinae, size not to scale. (33, 34) Marasmia trapezalis. (33) ♂, Galápagos, Isabela, Sierra Negra, 11 km N Puerto Villamil, 9. iv. 2004, MHNG. (34) ♀, Galápagos, Santiago, Central, 700 m, 9. iv. 1992, MHNG. (35) Maruca vitrata ♀, Ecuador, Pichincha, Septimo Paraiso Reserve, ± 1300 m, 10. v. 2002, MHNG. (36) Microthyris anormalis ♀, Galápagos, Isabela, V. Darwin, 300 m, 15. v. 1992, MHNG. (37) Neoleucinodes elegantalis ♂, Guyane française, Rte de Kaw @ pk 37, 271 m, 6. iv. 2008, MHNG. (38, 39) Neoleucinodes galapagensis. (38) ♂ holotype, MHNG. (39) ♀ paratype, Isabela, NE slope Alcedo, ca. 400 m up Los Guayabillos camp, 892 m, 1. iv. 2004, MHNG. (40) Palpita flegia ♂, Galápagos, Santa Cruz, ix-xi. 1970, BMNH ©, the Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London.

Figs 113 - 115. Male genitalia of Neotropical Spilomelinae, a and b from same slides, but not to scale, (a) showing the genitalia without phallus and (b), the phallus. (113) Maruca vitrata: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8995, French Guiana. (114) Microthyris anormalis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 9006, Galápagos, Isabela. (115) Neoleucinodes elegantalis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8693, French Guiana.

Figs 158 - 162. Female genitalia of Neotropical Spilomelinae, not to scale. (158) Marasmia trapezalis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 9026, Galápagos, Santa Cruz (MHNG). (159) Maruca vitrata: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8996, French Guiana. (160) Microthyris anormalis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 9027, Galápagos, Isabela (MHNG). (161) Neoleucinodes elegantalis: slide MHNG- ENTO- 8694, Venezuela. (162) N. galapagensis paratype: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8692.