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

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.155309
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5823142
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EA87B1-FFBA-8229-7F99-F9DDFB39FD6F
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Cheverella galapagensis Landry, 2011
status

Treatment

Figs 9 View Figs 9 - 16 , 96 View Figs 95 - 97 , 142 View Figs 138 - 142

Cheverella galapagensis Landry, in Landry et al., 2011: 645 View Cited Treatment - 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 View Figs 9 - 16 ) is similar in wing pattern and colour to Agathodes galapagensis ( Figs 2, 3 View Figs 1 - 8 ), 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).