Riculorampha ancyloides, Rota & Rota & Brown, 2009

Rota, Jadranka, Rota, Jadranka & Brown, John, 2009, A new genus and species of Grapholitini (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) from Florida, U. S. A., ZooKeys 23 (23), pp. 39-46 : 42-44

Riculorampha ancyloides , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B7D97D7A-872A-457E-A1BA-40050215F119

Figs 1–6

Diagnosis. Riculorampha is monotypic, with the single species R. ancyloides . The species can be distinguished from all other Grapholitini by its large, triangular sacculus in the male genitalia, reminiscent of that of many species of Ancylis Hübner (Enarmoniini) .

Description. Head: Lower frons with light brown scales, upper frons with brown, somewhat iridescent scales; vertex brown. Labial palpus (Fig. 2) pale beige, distal end of segment three dark brown. Thorax: Dark brown dorsally, off white and shiny ventrally. Forewing length 3.5–4.5 mm (mean=4.0; n=3) in males, 4.0–5.0 mm (mean=4.7; n=3) in females. Upper side with basal ca. 0.5 dark brown, distal ca. 0.5 gray-brown, basal and distal areas separated by thin orange line (Fig. 1); an oblique violet-leaden metallic streak from mid-costa towards termen bordered by orange; two oblique blueleaden metallic streaks from apical third of costa to termen; costal strigulae weakly developed except for pair 9 before apex and pair 10 at apex; short longitudinal black and orange striations just beyond discal cell; four black dots along termen within contiguous orange patch; apical notch at M 1 ca. 0.25 from apex on termen denoted by a strigula of orange and white scales; fringe pale brown. Underside pale brown with me- tallic sheen, two oblique white marks on costa before apex representing strigulae 9 and 10, strigula of yellow scales at apical notch. Hindwing length 3.0 mm in males (n=3), 3.5 mm in females (n=2); upper side pale gray brown basally, darker towards apex; fringe with brown basal portion and beige distal portion; fringe along anal edge 2–3× longer than along remainder of wing, scales extremely slender in basal 0.5, somewhat

Figures I–6. Riculorampha ancyloides . I Adult female 2 Lateral view of head 3 Wing venation 4 Male genitalia 5 Pupal exuvium 6 Female genitalia.

oar-shaped in distal 0.5. Underside pale brown. Abdomen: Brown. Male genitalia (Fig. 4) as described for genus. Female genitalia (Fig. 6) as described for genus.

Holotype. ♁, USA, FLORIDA, Dade Co., Homestead , 16 Sept 1993, ex: Persea borbonia fruit, W. Jackson, genitalia slide USNM 119089 ( FSCA).

Paratypes. USA, FLORIDA, Dade Co., Homestead , ex: Persea borbonia fruit, 28 Jul 1993 (1♁), J. Peña ( FSCA) ; 29 Jun 1993 (1♁) ( USNM), 13 Aug 1993 (1♀), R. E. Duncan and Z. Alegria ( USNM) ; 16 Sept 1993 (1♀), W. Jackson ( FSCA) ; 3 Sept 1993 (1♀), R. E. Duncan and Z. Alegria ( FSCA) .

Distribution and biology. Riculorampha ancyloides is known only from southern Florida. However, its host plant, redbay ( Persea borbonia ; Lauraceae ), occurs throughout much of the southeastern U.S. and the Caribbean (USDA Plants Database 2009). It is possible that adults of this species are not attracted to light, as may be the case for other Grapholitini (e.g., Talponia Heinrich ), and rearing infested fruits of redbay may be the best way to collect adults. Alternatively, pheromone lures could be employed, such as those for codling moth or Oriental fruit moth, which often cross-attract males of related genera. The type series of R. anycloides was obtained through rearings (J. Peña, pers. comm.).

Etymology. The species is named for the similarity of its saccular process of the male genitalia to that of Ancylis ; the species epithet is an adjective in nominative singular.

Remarks. We examined one male from Venezuela (Aragua, Rancho Grande, 1–3 Apr 1978, J. B. Heppner, USNM) that may be conspecific with R. ancyloides based on its genitalia. Consequently, it is possible that Riculorampha has been introduced into Florida from the Neotropics.