Casilda consecraria ( Staudinger, 1871 )

King, Gareth Edward & Montesinos, José Luis Viejo, 2017, A contribution to an understanding of the biology and early stage morphology of Casilda consecraria (Staudinger, 1871) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Geometridae), Zoosystema 39 (4), pp. 463-472 : 465-469

Casilda consecraria ( Staudinger, 1871)

Sterrha anthophilaria consecraria Staudinger in Staudinger & Wocke, 1871: 176.

Casilda consecraria – Agenjo 1952: 180.

MATERIAL. — The localities prospected resulted in the finding of 209 larvae (initial collection date: 25.VIII.2001, Ciempozuelos; final collection date: 19.IX.2010, Cerros de Vallecas). Larvae were collected between the first generation in May (moths begin to fly from mid-February) (15 =13.9%) and November with the majority being taken in the month of September (67 larvae = 32.1%) and the least in November (three larvae: 12.XI.2005; Valdemoro). The third generation would appear to be the most important with 110 (= 52.5%) larvae taken in the months from September to November.

OVUM AND OVIPOSITION

Ovum ( Fig. 1 )

♀ Ciempozuelos, 26.IV.2008 (n = 1). Oviposited with axis parallel to substrate, laid individually, or in small groups on the stems or flowers of the food-plant or on the walls of the container; ♀ (n =2) (Ciempozuelos, 13.VI.2010) oviposited individually on Limonium dichotomum leaves. Incubation: 7-11 days (n= 3, ♀).

On being laid the ovum is creamy-white becoming vermillion after two days; ovum is elongated ovoid-shaped with flattish poles (n = 1) ( Fig. 2 ); surface is relatively smooth with barely perceptible rhomboid-shaped cells; micropyle surrounded by five irregular-shaped primary cells, the two upper cells larger than the three lower cells; eight secondary cells irregular in shape and size ( Fig. 3).

LARVAL MORPHOLOGY

L1. (1st instar): 2.2 mm (n=3): ex ♀ Ciempozuelos, 13.VI.2010 (eclosion: 21.VI.2010; description: 22.VI.2010): dorsal line greenish-white on an overall reddish cuticle; ventrally with reddish line.

L 2. 5 mm (n =3): dorsal line bluish-white; dorsally reddishochre; laterally bluish-white; ventrally reddish-ochre; cephalic capsule: bluish-white with epicranial suture reddish-ochre with lateral stripes same colour.

L3. Description not available.

L4. 14.5 mm (n = 1): (descriptions: Cerros de Vallecas: 19.IX.2010, 26.IX.2010) dorsally greenish-grey; urite A2 two evident black spots; A3-A5 with yellowish spots; dorsal line yellowish-white; cephalic capsule: bluish-white, lateral stripes reddish-ochre; laterally yellowish-white with pro-legs same colour, evident black spots A3-A5; ventrally greyishgreen; thoracic legs greenish-white.

L5. 16.6 mm (n=10) ( Fig. 4 ): The fully-grown larvae is variable with five morphs established. Morph 1: incomplete dorsal line creamy with small black dots urites A2-A5; series of black dots A3-A 5 in dorsal line margin; alongside dorsal line parallel runs an incomplete chestnut ochre line; cephalic capsule whiter than the previous instar with wider lateral cephalic lines which at the same time are a continuation of the blackish corporal margins; thoracic region:T1 same as evident chestnut ochre that borders dorsal line; laterally larva bluish-white with wider black dots A3-A5; ventrally several black lines give mottled appearance (wider A3-A5) on a bluish-white background, spiracles black. Morph 2 ( Fig. 4 ): overall greenish; dorsal line greenish-white; dorsally reddish-ochre shapes alternate with others greyishgreen T1-T3; abdominal region: A1-A10: greenish-white; line that runs along dorsal region greenish-ochre, A1-A2 somewhat paler; laterally as well as ventrally larva same greyish-green tone. Morph 3: overall mostly reddish with evident reddish-ochre rings urites A2-A10; dorsally larva chestnut ochre, dorsal line whitish interrupted by dark ochre spots within segmental interstices; bordering dorsal region runs an uninterrupted greyish-ochre line; cephalic capsule reddish-rose with lateral lines which at the same time are a continuation of the greyishochre line; frons reddish-ochre; laterally larva greyish-cream; ventrally violet-grey. Morph 4: overall greyish-ochre; uninterrupted dorsal line creamy A5-A10, then, until A1 interrupted, then uninterrupted T1-T3; dorsal region reddish-ochre; line that runs dorsally uninterrupted same tone reddish-ochre bordered by grey line; laterally, greyish-cream tone with irregular lines; ventrally bluish-grey gives mottled appearance; pro-legs both anal and abdominal same tone as laterally; thoracic legs: pinkish; cephalic capsule as with morph 3. Morph 5: overall dark green; evident reddish-ochre spots A2-A10 dorsal region these at the same time emphasise yellowish-white dorsal line which fades out in rest of dorsal region, although more evident in T1-T3; laterally and dorsally larva greenish-yellow tone.

CHAETOTAXY

Larva

L2: ± 5 mm (n=2) (ex ♀ Ciempozuelos, VI.2004): Head: Hypognathous; stemmata 1-6 ( Fig. 5A, B ) form a “semi-

circle”; ocellus 2 and 6 positioned at 50% of an ocellus one from another; ocellus 1 positioned one-and-a-half ocelli from ocellus 2; ocellus 5 positioned what is worth three ocelli from ocellus 1 and 6; two ocelli from ocelli 2-4; ocellus 3 is the largest at 25% more than the others and at 50% larger than ocellus 5; seta O2 positioned at 50% of an ocellus from ocellus 1; O1 positioned at 50% of an ocellus from

ocellus 2 (25% larger); O3 positioned at four ocelli from ocellus 5; SO2 positioned at 50% of an ocellus from ocellus 6; SO3 positioned in a descending line below ( Fig. 5C ) setae A1, A2, A3 form a “triangle” with A2 and A3 at the same level; A1 positioned at two ocelli from ocelli 3 and 4; L1, P1, P2 form a “triangle” with L1; labrum ( Fig. 5C ): setae “short”: LR2, LR5 longer at 20% longer than LR6 the shortest of these setae. Thoracic region: T1 ( Fig. 5D ): XD1, XD2, SD1 25% longer than SD2, thread-like, motile, positioned in “open” pinnacle, L2, L1 (thread-like, 25% shorter than SD1) these setae positioned anteriorly to spiracle; setae SV2, SV1, V1. Abdominal region: A6 ( Fig. 5E ): D1, D2; SD1, L1, L2 (same length) form a “triangle” around spiracle; L3, L4 positioned anteriorly: seven setae positioned anteriorly on abdominal pro-leg;V1; A7: D1, D2; SD1, L1, L2, form a “triangle” around spiracle; L3, SV1,V1; A8: D2, SD1 (positioned in pinnacle), L1, L3, SV1 (positioned in pinnacle), V1; A9: setae in descending line: D2, SD1, L1, SV1 (longest by 25%); A10: anal shield “rectangular” form: D1, setae D2 on apex; PP1 porrect in anal region; L1, SD1 “thickset, pronounced” not as “long” in comparison with D2; six setae positioned anteriorly in anal pro-leg, 50% longer than setae in anterior zone of A10 ( Fig. 5E, F ); crochets ( Fig. 6 ) completely broken mesoseries ( Dugdale 1961).

Pupa ( Fig. 7 )

Cocoon (not shown) of dense greyish-white silk spun in amongst plant matter or between leaves of Limonium (in captive conditions); ♀ 7 mm (n =1) overall pale olive-ochre; A1-A3 light greenish-olive; A4-A10 pale ochre; pterotecas greenish-ochre overlap A5; cephalic capsule prominent; spiracles dark ochre; cremaster: eight hooks; D2 somewhat longer with laterals wrapped around forming a “knot” ( Fig. 8 ).

PARASITOIDS

The hymenopterous parasitoids obtained ex larvae (evidently

collected in field: 2004-2008) are detailed below, data is also

included on a case of pseudo-hyper-parasitisation (Shaw pers.

comm.). There were three species recorded (one braconid and

two ichneumonids):

– Homolobus truncator Say, 1828 ( Braconidae : Homolobinae ) MRS det. deposited NMS; Shaw 2010): eight cases: (VII (1), IX (6), X (1)] in IX-X.2005 there were 4/ 31 larvae (12.9%). Cocoons of this braconid are noted alongside the moribund L 5 larva in its cocoon.

– Alcima orbitale (Gravenhorst, 1829) ( Ichneumonidae : Campopleginae ) (MRS det. deposited NMS): documented in late spring-summer months attacking L 4 larvae; 14 attacks V (4), VI (4), VII (6); V-VII.2004, 9/ 45 larvae (20%); May-June (2008) 2/7 (40.8%).

– Campoletis sp. ( Ichneumonidae : Campopleginae ) (MRS det. deposited NMS): six cases ex pre-pupae (L5) with cocoons found inside host’s cocoon (May, June, July, September) (VII.2004 - V.2006).

– Neochrysocharis albiscapus Erdos, 1954 ( Eulophidae : Entedoninae ) (R. Askew det. deposited NMS): Alcima orbitale larva is parasitised as it emerges from C. consecraria larva. One case: 19.VI.2004: cocoon in Limonium . (C. consecraria- A. orbitale-N. albiscapus ) (MRS pers. comm.: II.2012). (Example of pseudo-hyper-parasitisation as the larva of C. consecraria is not directly attacked; A. orbitale larva emerges from L5 host larva before it itself is attacked Shaw et al. 2009).

Figures

FIG. 1. — Casilda consecraria (Staudinger, 1871) ova: ex ♀ Los Santos de la Humosa,26.VIII.2007 in Limonium dichotomum (Cav.) Kunze (Plumbaginaceae) flowers. Scale bar: 1.1 mm.

FIG. 2. — Casilda consecraria (Staudinger,1871) ovum: ex ♀ 13.VI.2010, Ciempozuelos, Madrid; lateral view. Scale bar: 100 μm.

FIG. 4. — Casilda consecraria (Staudinger, 1871) larva L5: morph 2; Cerros de Vallecas (Madrid municipal area); 19.IX.2010; latero-ventral view; in Limonium dichotomum (Cav.) Kunze (Plumbaginaceae). Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIG. 5. — Casilda consecraria (Staudinger, 1871) L2, ex ♀ VI.2004, Ciempozuelos: A, cephalic capsule lateral view, T1: corresponding setae; B, cephalic capsule lateral view, ocelli: ocellar setae; C, capsule lateral view, ocelli: ocellar setae; D, cephalic capsule, T1, lateral view: corresponding setae; E, A6-A10: corresponding setae on abdominal pro-legs; anal shield and anal pro-leg; F, corresponding setae on anal shield and anal pro-leg; latero-ventral aspect. Scale bars: A, C-F, 100 μm; B, 25.5 μm.

FIG. 6. — Casilda consecraria (Staudinger,1871) L2:A10 crochets;anal pro-legs ex ♀ VI.2004, Ciempozuelos. Scale bar: 50 μm.

FIG. 7. — Casilda consecraria (Staudinger, 1871): ♀ pupa latero-ventral view, diagnostic characteristics; larva IX.2010; Cerros de Vallecas, Madrid municipality. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIG. 8. — Casilda consecraria (Staudinger, 1871): anal field and correspond- ing hooks; cremaster ventral view; larva IX.2010; Cerros de Vallecas, Madrid municipality. Scale bar: 100 μm.