Phyllocnistis faureae Triberti & Lopez-Vaamonde, 2024

Triberti, Paolo, Staude, Hermann, Sharp, Ian & Lopez-Vaamonde, Carlos, 2024, Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species, Zootaxa 5529 (1), pp. 1-51 : 30

32. Phyllocnistis faureae Triberti & Lopez-Vaamonde sp. nov.

( Figs 31D , 34 , 88 )

Holotype. 1 ex, South Africa, Gauteng, Tshwane, Faurea saligna , mn 24.xi.17, em 2/xii/17, A. Sharp leg., CLV8183.

Etymology. The name is derived from the generic name of the hostplant, Faurea , declined in the genitive.

Diagnosis. Very similar to the previous species, this one can be distinguished by its forewing pattern with the costal arm of tf1 longer than the dorsal while in faureae it is shorter ( Fig. 31G, D ) as well as a very bright subapical orange blotch, and a triangular apical spot.

Description of adult. Forewing length about 2,2 mm. Head. Almost completely descaled, traces of white scales on face; labial palpi white, antenna withish yellow, slight fuscous ringing of flagellomeres, scape and pedicel brownish above. Thorax. Almost completely descaled, only traces of pearly white scales, tegulae of the same colour. Legs with coxae and fore femur white. Wings. Forewing pearly white ( Figs 31D , 34 ), lf pale yellow-orange, margined with brownish on both sides; tf1 entirely crossing the wing, V-shaped, obsolescent medially; tf2 reduced to costa and barely visible; tf3 missing and tf4 complete, basally delimiting a showy orange blotch and distally separated from a triangular apical spot by a narrow, curved white band but connected to the same by a very small median dark line; three costal strigulae, third joined to tf4; four apical strigulae, 2 and 3 indistinct. Cilia light grey, hindwings white greyish. Male and female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology. Faurea saligna Harv. ( Proteaceae ) ( Fig. 88 ).

Distribution. South Africa (Gauteng).

DNA barcodes. It forms a unique BIN BOLD:AEK3493 ( Tables 1 & 2 ) near to BOLD: ADU2675 ( Table S1 ).

Remarks. The description of this species has been made without studying some important morphological characters, such as the genitalia. However, the forewing pattern, DNA barcode, hostplant, and distribution are provided and are considered sufficient for identifying this species. We therefore decide to describe this species, given the lack of data that characterizes this genus, not just in tropical Africa ( Bell et al. 1996; Sasa 2011), but worldwide ( De Prins et al. 2009).

Figures

FIGURE 31. Forewing pattern of the Afrotropical Phyllocnistinae. A, Phyllocnistis pharetrucha; B, P. saligna; C, P. magalismontani sp. nov.; D, P. faureae sp. nov.; E, P. loxosticha; F, P. citrella; G, P. allisonae sp. nov..

FIGURES 32–34. Forewing pattern of the South African Phyllocnistinae. 32, Phyllocnistis magalismontani sp. nov., drawn by holotype; 33, P. allisonae sp. nov., holotype; 34, P. faureae, holotype.

FIGURES 84−88. Immature stages of South African Gracillariidae species. 84, Cameraria melhaniella sp. nov., larva on Melhania acuminata (Malvaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 85, Metriochroa pergulariae, mine on Pergularia daemia (Apocynaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 86, Phyllocnistis allisonae, mine on Protea rubropilosa (Proteaceae), Limpopo, Lopez Vaamonde leg. 87, Phyllocnistis magalismontani sp. nov., mine on Englerophytum magalismontanum (Sapotaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, leg. A. & I. Sharp. 88, Phyllocnistis faureae, mine on Faurea saligna (Proteaceae), Gauteng, Tshwane, leg. A. Sharp.