Epicephala perplexa, Kawakita, Atsushi & Kato, Makoto, 2016

Kawakita, Atsushi & Kato, Makoto, 2016, Revision of the Japanese species of Epicephala Meyrick with descriptions of seven new species (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae), ZooKeys 568, pp. 87-118 : 94-96

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Gracillariidae

Epicephala perplexa sp. n. Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Clade 3 ( Kawakita and Kato 2006); Epicephala sp. ex Glochidion lanceolatum ( Kawakita and Kato 2009; Kawakita et al. 2015); Epicephala sp. 3 ( Glochidion lanceolatum ) ( Kawakita et al. 2010).

Diagnosis.

This species is unlike any other Epicephala species in having outward projection on basal cucullus bearing dense spines, row of spines spanning the entire sacculus and rigidly sclerotized and ventrally curved lamella postvaginalis.

Description.

Wingspan: 8.3-10.0 mm.

Head: With numerous white scales on dorsal surface. Labial palpus dark brown. Antenna brown, about 1.2 × as long as forewing. Female proboscis with a large number of trichoid sensilla; sensilla as long as width of proboscis, denser toward base.

Thorax: White dorsally. Forewing brown with narrow white band on dorsum from base to 2/3 of entire length; three narrow white bands beginning at dorsal margin near 1/2 to 3/4 length of wing and extending obliquely toward wing apex, terminating before reaching mid-width of wing; dull white spots scattered on costal half; a narrow silver band with metallic reflection extending from costa to dorsum at 5/6 length; distal 1/6 orange-brown with black dot centrally, franked by short white band near dorsum; distal end fringed with narrow white band; cilia grayish brown. Hindwing brown, 0.8 × length of forewing; cilia grayish brown.

Male genitalia: Tegumen elongated rounded triangular. Cucullus rounded rectangular at distal half, projected outwardly at basal half with dense spines on outer surface of the projection; ventral margin of basal half folded inwardly; inner surface covered with numerous hairs. Sacculus rounded triangular, 2/3 length of cucullus, with row of long spines on ventral inner surface running parallel to ventral margin and continuing to a cluster of spines at apex. Vinculum U-shaped; saccus oblong, as long as vinculum. Aedeagus slightly curved dorsally at middle, with a pair of half-moon-shaped projections ventrally near mid-length, dorsally with parallel longitudinal ridges for entire length, dilated slightly at apex.

Female genitalia: Lamella postvaginalis rigid, crescent-shaped, curved ventrally, with a pair of teeth on posterior margin, as broad as and 0.5 × length of seventh sternite. Antrum 1.2 × length of lamella postvaginalis, with a pair of sclerotized parallel ridges continuing to ductus bursae. Ductus bursae as long as antrum, with longitudinal parallel ridges to 2/3 of its length. Corpus bursae elongate oval; signum absent. Apophyses posteriores 1.4 × length of apophyses anteriores. Ovipositor dentate laterally, angular at apex.

Material examined.

29♂, 20♀. Holotype ♀ - JAPAN: Okinawa Prefecture: Okinawa Island, Kunigami, Cape Hedo (26.860200, 128.257979), 30 m, collected as larva in fruit of Glochidion lanceolatum and reared to adult, 15.vi.2015 (KYO). Paratypes - same data as holotype, 10♂ (KYO); same locality as holotype, 13.vi.2004, 3♂, 2♀ (KYO); Other specimens - JAPAN: Kagoshima Prefecture: Amami Island, Asado, 30.x.2011, 4♂, 2♀; Okinawa Prefecture: Ishigaki Island, Omoto, 30.ix.2004, 11♂, 10♀; Iriomote Island, Funaura, 5.x.2003, 1♂, 3♀; Yonaguni Island, Mantabaru, 20.ix.2004, 2♀.

DNA barcodes.

AY221977-AY221979, AY850003, DQ298962-DQ298964, DQ298967, DQ298969-DQ298971, DQ298974-DQ298976, DQ298978-DQ298980, DQ298984, DQ298985, DQ298989, DQ298996-DQ298998.

Known host and adult behavior.

Known only from Glochidion lanceolatum . Pollination behavior present. Oviposition through ovary wall, in space between the wall and ovule (Fig. 8E). Larva feeds on seeds.

Distribution.

Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan (Amami Island, Okinawa Island, Ishigaki Island, Iriomote Island and Yonaguni Island; Fig. 9C). Co-occurs with Epicephala lanceolatella .

Etymology.

The name perplexa is the female form of the Latin adjective perplexus (= cryptic), because this species remained hidden until a detailed study on species specificity was performed ( Kawakita and Kato 2006).

Remarks.

This species occurs in full sympatry with Epicephala lanceolatella . The two species may even emerge from the same single fruit. Known ecological difference between the two species is limited to the oviposition behavior, but the difference in the level of sensilla development on the proboscis (Fig. 7) may indicate that this species delivers less pollination benefit than Epicephala lanceolatella . Whereas the close relatives of Epicephala lanceolatella use plants having close affinity to Glochidion lanceolatum , Epicephala perplexa is distantly related to these Epicephala species (Fig. 10). Thus, the original pollinator of Glochidion laceolatum has likely been Epicephala lanceolatella , and Epicephala perplexa has shifted onto Glochidion laceolatum more recently.