Lineodes integra (Zeller, 1873)

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 : 347-349

Lineodes integra (Zeller, 1873)

Figs 24 , 109 , 155

Scoptonoma integra Zeller, 1873: 328 , 329.

Lineodes integra (Zeller) : Peck et al., 1998: 227. ‒ Causton et

al., 2006: 141. ‒ Roque-Albelo & Landry, 2015.

Material examined:

Type specimens: One syntype from Texas ( BMNH). Other specimens: 6 ♂, 15 ♀ from the Galápagos Islands: – Fernandina: SW side, GPS: 815 m elev[ation]., S 00° 21.270’, W 91°35.341’; SW side, crater rim, GPS: 1341 m elev., S 00° 21.910’, W 91° 34.034’. – Isabela: ± 15 km N P[uer]to Villamil; Alcedo, lado NE, 700 m, camp guayabillos; NE slope Alcedo, ca. 400 m up (S) Los Guayabillos camp, GPS: 892 m elev., S 00° 25.208’, W 91° 04.765’; Sierra Negra, Corazon Verde; V[olcan]. Darwin, 1240 m elev. – Pinta: Cabo Ibbetson, 8 m elev., N 00° 32.819’, W 90° 44.229’; 200 m elev.; 400 m elev. – Santiago: Aguacate [camp], 520 m elev. Deposited in BMNH, CDRS, and MHNG.

Diagnosis: The paler crescent at the end of the forewing cell, the double white postmedian line near the forewing apex, and the paler submarginal line on the almost entirely and uniformly dark brown hindwing ( Fig. 24 ) will distinguish this species from all other members of the genus. See also Hayden et al. (2013). The Galápagos specimens examined have a wingspan of 17-23 mm.

Biology: The recorded host plants are a diverse array of Solanaceae , including a good number of Solanum species ( Hayden et al., 2013; Robinson et al., 2014). Hayden et al. (2013) mention that young larvae begin by feeding under leaves, eventually skeletonizing them while later instars web and roll leaves. When densities are high, larvae also graze the surface of fruits. Pupation occurs on the plant. On the Galápagos specimens have been collected from sea level up to 1341 m in elevation, in anthropized as well as pristine habitats, from February until May and in November and December. The Galápagos flora of Solanaceae is rather rich, with 46 species in 22 genera, including many endemics (Jaramillo Díaz & Guézou, 2015).

Distribution: Based on BMNH specimens examined, this species is known from the USA (Texas), Grenada, Colombia, Honduras, Uruguay, and Cuba. Hayden et al. (2013) also record it from several additional US states, up north to Wisconsin and Washington, and south of the USA in Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Nicaragua. In the Galápagos specimens have been collected so far on Fernandina, Isabela, Pinta, and Santiago.

Remarks: I have compared one of my Galápagos specimens with the ‘type’ in the BMNH, which has no abdomen. The species was described from a pair (Zeller, 1873: 329) from Texas, USA, one of which is in the BMNH and labelled as the holotype. I refrain from selecting a lectotype because the other specimen may be deposited in another collection and still have its abdomen.

Figures

Figs 17 - 24. Neotropical specimens of Spilomelinae, size not to scale. (17) Diaphania nitidalis ♀, Brazil, Bahía, Camacan, Res. Serra Bonita, 800 m, 8. iv. 2011, MHNG. (18) Ercta vittata ♂, Galápagos, Marchena, 12. iii. 1992, MHNG. (19) Herpetogramma bipunctalis ♂, Galápagos, Santa Cruz, CDRS, Barranco, 20 m, 30. iv. 2002, MHNG. (20, 21) Herpetogramma phaeopteralis. (20) ♂, Galápagos, Isabela, NE slope Alcedo, Los Guayabillos camp, 869 m, 2. iv. 2004, MHNG. (21) ♀, Galápagos, San Cristóbal, near La Loberia, sea level, 24. ii. 2005, MHNG. (22, 23) Hymenia perspectalis. (22) ♀, Galápagos, Santa Cruz, Los Gemelos, 4. v. 2002, MHNG. (23) ♀, same locality, 27. v. 1992, MHNG. (24) Lineodes integra ♂, Pinta, Cabo Ibbetson, 8 m, MHNG.

Figs 107 - 109. Male genitalia of Galápagos Spilomelinae, a and b not to scale, (a) showing the genitalia without phallus and (b), the phallus. (107) Lineodes corinnae paratypes: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8677 (a); slide BL 1802 (b). (108) L. fontella: slide MHNG-ENTO- 9001, Santa Cruz. (109) L. integra: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8679, Isabela (phallus broken).

Figs 153 - 157. Female genitalia of Galápagos Spilomelinae, not to scale. (153) Lineodes corinnae paratype: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8678. (154) L. fontella: slide MHNG-ENTO- 9002, Isabela. (155) L. integra: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8680, Pinta. (156) Lineodes vulcanalis paratype, BMNH ©, the Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London. (157) Loxomorpha cambogialis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8602, Isabela.