Platylesches tina Evans, 1937

Cock, Matthew J. W. & Congdon, Colin E., 2013, Observations on the Biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Part 5. Hesperiinae incertae sedis: Dicotyledon Feeders, Zootaxa 3724 (1), pp. 1-85 : 74-77

Platylesches tina Evans, 1937

Evans (1937) described this species from a single male from Mt. Mulanje, Malawi. It is now reported from Kenya and Uganda, south to the Caprivi Strip, Namibia, and northern South Africa ( Kielland 1990, Larsen 1991, Henning et al. 1997, Heath et al. 2002).

Food plants

Larsen’s (1991) suggestion that the food plants were ‘almost certainly various grasses’ is incorrect. Woodhall (1994) reports rearing this species on Pa. curatellifolia at Venda, South Africa, in 1989 and provides notes on the early stages, a sketch of the pupal leaf shelter and a photograph of the final instar caterpillar (also shown in Henning et al. 1997). The food plant record is repeated in Pringle et al. (1994), Henning et al. (1997) and Woodhall (2005). Woodhall’s observations are at variance with those of TCEC who reared this species on Pa. curatellifolia at Mufindi, Tanzania, which are presented below.

Life history

Congdon et al. (2008) described the life history. The egg is laid on a small plant or a branch near ground level. The larva cuts and folds a leaf downwards. It secures the cut portion to the underside of the leaf and then folds a portion round at the front. The chamber is completed by making a round hole at the front and lining it with silk ( Figure 84 ). Like tubes shelters, these can be seen quite easily by looking at the underside of a branch, where the dark green folded portion stands out in contrast to the pale undersides of the leaves. Only very occasionally will a Pl. tina larva secure the chamber to a second, lower leaf. This species is unusual in having a green larva, and the thoracic segments of the pupa are also greenish. The feeding pattern results in characteristically ragged edges to mature leaves.

Woodhall (1994) reports the final instar caterpillar of Pl. tina as 10mm long, when found on young foliage on coppice growth of Pa. curatellifolia ; body leaf-green, head brown with white-cream patched outlines with darker brown in a radial pattern as in Pl. moritili . The leaf-shelters were constructed by taking a whole young leaf and folding it in two up the mid-rib fixing the edges together with closely spaced short silk strands. The pupa is 10mm long, dull cream coloured, adult appendages picked out in dark brown. Pupation inside thin silk cocoons within the leaf shelter lasted about three months.

This is not the same caterpillar or pupa as that of Pl. tina reared by TCEC ( Figures 85–86 ). Furthermore, TCEC found caterpillars of Pl. tina on mature growth not on coppice growth, and they made chamber shelters rather than tube shelters. Either Pl. neba comprises more than one form based on the early stages, or the reared material has been misidentified in one (or both) cases. As we are confident of the identity of TCEC’s reared material ( Figure 87 ), and Woodhall (1994) refers to the similarity of the caterpillar to Pl. moritili , could it be that the species reared by Woodhall (1994) is a small taxon in the Pl. moritili complex, as we have suggested above for the Pl. neba reported by Henning et al. (1997).

Figures

FIGURE 84. Leaf shelter and feeding damage of final instar caterpillar of Platylesches tina, collected on Parinari curatellifolia, undated, Mufindi, Tanzania, TCEC. 1, from above; 2, from below.

FIGURE 85. Final instar caterpillar of Platylesches tina, collected on Parinari cutatellifolia, Mufindi, Tanzania, TCEC. 1, dorsolateral view in opened shelter, 3 Feb 1998; 2–6, detail of head, anterior view, showing range of variation: 2–4, 22 Dec 1995; 5, undated; 6, 2 May 1998.

FIGURE 86. Pupa of Platylesches tina, collected on Parinari cutatellifolia, 14 Mar 1998, Mufindi, Tanzania, TCEC. 1, dorsal view; 2, lateral view.

FIGURE 87. Adult male Platylesches tina, Mufindi, 1400m, Tanzania, 30 Mar 1998, TCEC. Note the almost iridescent patches on the underside of the fresh specimen, also found in Pl. robustus. Forewing length 10–11mm (Kielland 1990).