Cheverella galapagensis Landry, 2011

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 : 321

Cheverella galapagensis Landry, 2011

Figs 9 , 96 , 142

Cheverella galapagensis Landry, in Landry et al., 2011: 645 - 648.

Material examined: 27 ♂, 49 ♀, as mentioned in original description, including the male holotype from Santa Cruz Island ( CNC).

Diagnosis: There are no known species of Spilomelinae outside of Galápagos that have a similar wing pattern and colour ( Landry et al., 2011). However, in the Galápagos Cheverella galapagensis ( Fig. 9 ) is similar in wing pattern and colour to Agathodes galapagensis ( Figs 2, 3 ), but Cheverella galapagensis is smaller (6.4- 10.3 mm, both sexes pooled), has a comparatively wider forewing, and a lighter, white hindwing.

Biology: The larva is a borer in the stems of the Galápagos endemic Tournefortia pubescens Hook. f. ( Boraginaceae ) ( Landry et al., 2011). Based on specimens collected, it is known to fly between January and May, as well as in August, October, and November in variously pristine or anthropized habitats between the littoral zone and as far up as the rim of the volcano on Fernandina at 1341 m in elevation.

Distribution: Galápagos endemic, this species has been found on the islands of Fernandina, Isabela, San Cristóbal, Santa Cruz, and Santiago.

Remarks: The host plant, a Galápagos endemic, occurs on the islands on which Cheverella galapagensis has been recorded, but also on Floreana, Pinzón, and Wolf (Jaramillo Díaz & Guézou, 2015).

Figures

Figs 9 - 16. Specimens of Spilomelinae, size not to scale. (9) Cheverella galapagensis ♀, Galápagos, Santa Cruz, Los Gemelos, 27. v. 1992, MHNG. (10, 11) Cryptobotys zoilusalis. (10) ♀, Brazil, Bahía, Camacan, Res. Serra Bonita, 800 m, 8. iv. 2011, MHNG. (11) ♂, same locality, 27. iii. 2011, MHNG. (12, 13) Desmia mordor. (12) ♂ paratype, Galápagos, Santa Cruz, Los Gemelos, 4. v. 2002, MHNG. (13) ♀ holotype, CNC. (14) Diaphania galapagensis ♂ paratype, Galápagos, Isabela, NE slope Alcedo, near pega-pega camp, 483 m, 31. iii. 2004, MHNG. (15) Diaphania hyalinata ♂, Galápagos, Santa Cruz, Los Gemelos, 4. v. 2002, MHNG. (16) Diaphania indica ♂, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haut Katanga, Tshinkolobwe, 12. iii. 1931, MHNG.

Figs 95 - 97. Male genitalia of Galápagos Spilomelinae, a and b from same slides, but not to scale, (a) showing the genitalia without phallus and (b), the phallus. (95) Beebea guglielmi: slide BMNH Pyr 21172, Santa Cruz, BMNH ©, the Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London. (96) Cheverella galapagensis paratype: slide MHNG-ENTO- 6070. (97) Cryptobotys zoilusalis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8957, San Cristóbal.

Figs 138 - 142. Female genitalia of Galápagos Spilomelinae, not to scale. (138) Agathodes designalis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8660, Santa Cruz. (139) A. galapagensis paratype: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8659. (140) Asciodes quietalis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8961, Isabela. (141) Beebea guglielmi: slide MHNG-ENTO- 6053, Santa Cruz. (142) Cheverella galapagensis paratype: slide MHNG-ENTO- 6088, Santa Cruz.

Figs 1 - 8. Galápagos specimens of Spilomelinae, size not to scale. (1) Agathodes designalis ♀, Isabela, Alcedo, cumbre, 1100 m, 17. iv. 2002, MHNG. (2, 3) Agathodes galapagensis. (2) ♂ holotype, MHNG. (3) ♀ paratype, Santa Cruz, transition zone, recently cut road, 12. iii. 2004, MHNG. (4 - 6) Asciodes quietalis. (4) ♀, Alcedo, NE slope, 292 m, 30. iii. 2004, MHNG. (5) ♀, Santa Cruz, transition zone, recently cut road, 12. iii. 2004, MHNG. (6) ♂, Santa Cruz, E. C. C. D., 4. iii. 1992, MHNG. (7, 8) Beebea guglielmi. (7) ♂, Santa Cruz, CDRS, 14. iv. 1975, BMNH ©, the Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London. (8) ♀, Albermarle I., Cowley Mtn., 2. x. 1906, CAS.