Helcystogramma hibisci ( Stainton, 1859 )

Li, H. H. & Zhen, H., 2011, Review of the genus Helcystogramma Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae: Dichomeridinae) from China, Journal of Natural History 45 (17 - 18), pp. 1035-1087 : 1059-1060

Helcystogramma hibisci ( Stainton, 1859)

( Figures 7D , 14D )

Gelechia hibisci Stainton, 1859: 117 .

Gelechia (Helcystogramma) obseratella Zeller, 1877: 371 .

Croesophora eudela Turner, 1919: 160 .

Onebala hibisci (Stainton) : Meyrick, 1925: 138; Meyrick, 1935: 69; Gaede, 1937: 377; Robinson et al., 1994: 81.

Helcystogramma hibisci (Stainton) : Park and Hodges, 1995: 225; Ponomarenko, 1997: 7; Rose and Pathania, 2003: 82.

Diagnosis

Adult ( Figure 7D ). Wingspan 12.5–14.0 mm. This species is characterized by the third segment of the labial palpus longer than the second, the forewing having a large dark brown semicircular mark between one-fifth length and three-fifths length of dorsum, and the absence of the terminal fascia; the valva with dorsal margin broad-lobed at basal two-fifths in the male genitalia ( Park and Hodges 1995); the apophyses dilated apically, and the signum rounded, densely dentate in the female genitalia ( Figure 14D ).

Material examined

CHINA: Anhui Province: 1 female , Anhui Labor University, Huangshan City (30 ◦ 05 ′ N, 118 ◦ 10 ′ E), 3 June 1979, coll. Sizheng Wang ( IZCAS) ; Guizhou Province: 1 female, Suoluo, Chishui (28 ◦ 34 ′ N, 105 ◦ 42 ′ E), 240 m, 21 September 2000, coll. Haili Yu ; Hong Kong: 1 female, Kadoorie Institute, Shek Kong (22 ◦ 15 ′ N, 114 ◦ 04 ′ E), Hong Kong , 315–575 m, 26 September 2009, coll. Houhun Li et al.; Hubei Province: 1 female , Hubei Agriculture College, Jingzhou (30 ◦ 21 ′ N, 112 ◦ 11 ′ E), 20–30 m, 25 July 2003, coll. Shulian Hao ; Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region : 2 females, Baibung (29 ◦ 11 ′ N, 95 ◦ 10 ′ E), Mêdog County, 780 m, 12 August 2003 , 1 female, 1100 m, 14 August 2003, coll. Xinpu Wang and Huaijun Xue; Zhejiang Province: 1 female, Wuyanling, Taishun (27 ◦ 33 ′ N, 119 ◦ 42 ′ E), 680 m, 28 July 2005, coll. Yunli Xiao.

Host plants

Malvaceae : Hibiscus spp. , Abelmoschus spp. ( Ponomarenko 1997) .

Distribution

China (Anhui, Guizhou, Hong Kong, Hubei, Taiwan, Xizang, Zhejiang), Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java), India, Sri Lanka, Australia.

Figures

Figure 7. Adults of Helcystogramma spp. (A) H. flavilineolella Ponomarenko, male; (B) H. bicuneum (Meyrick), male; (C) H. epicentra (Meyrick), female; (D) H. hibisci (Stainton), female; (E) H. imagibicuneum sp. nov., holotype male; (F) H. perelegans (Omelko et Omelko), male.

Figure 14. Female genitalia of Helcystogramma spp. (A) H. flavilineolella Ponomarenko, genitalia slide no. ZH06473; (B) H. bicuneum (Meyrick), genitalia slide no. ZH06475; (C) H. epicentra (Meyrick), genitalia slide no. ZH09011; (D) H. hibisci (Stainton), genitalia slide no. ZH06170; (E) H. arotraeum (Meyrick), genitalia slide no. ZH07204; (F) H. lutatella (Herrich-Schäffer), genitalia slide no. ZH06420.