Calicotis rotundinidus Terada, 2016

Shen, Zong-Yu, Terada, Takeshi & Hsu, Yu-Feng, 2022, The Newly Recorded Fern-spore Feeding Moths in the Genus, Meyrick 1889 (Lepidoptera: Stathmopodidae) from Taiwan, with Notes on Life History of Three Species., Zoological Studies 61 (63), pp. 1-12 : 6-8

Calicotis rotundinidus Terada, 2016 ( Figs. 9–15 , 27–30 )

Calicotis rotundinidus Terada, 2016: 131 , figs. 175–179. Type locality: Japan.

Material examined: 2ò, 2ñ, Taiwan: Hualian, Xiulin, Gekou, ca 270 m, 14 Jun 2018, reared from Asplenium setoi , emg. 15–29 Jul 2018, Y. F. Hsu Coll. (1ò, Gen. Prep. ZYS-0045, NTNU). 3ò, 3ñ, Taiwan: New Taipei City, Wulai, Bauqing temple, ca 600 m, 30 Sep 2018, reared from Asplenium setoi , emg. 29 Oct–05 Nov 2018, Z. Y. Shen, Y. Y. Lu Coll. ( BRMAS). 1ò, 1ñ, Taiwan: New Taipei City, Xindian, Hemeishan, ca 150 m, 29 Nov 2019, reared from A. nidus , emg. 25 Dec 2019, Z. Y. Shen, C. W. Huang, Y. C. Wang Coll. (1ñ, Gen. Prep. ZYS-0088, NTNU). 3ò, 1ñ, Taiwan: Taidong, Lanyu, Yongxing farm, 21 Mar 2020, reared from A. nidus , emg. 6–21 Apr, Y. F. Hsu Coll. ( BRMAS, NTNU). 3ñ, Japan: Okinawa, Kunigami, Motobu, Ishikawa, 27 Jun 2019, reared from A. setoi , emg. 16– 21 Jun 2019, Z. Y. Shen Coll. ( BRMAS).

Description: Male ( Figs. 9–10 ). Forewing length 3.18–3.58 mm (n = 5). Head: Frons silvery white. Vertex silvery white. Occiput white. Antenna with scape broadly dilated, white, flagellum creamy white. Labial palp slender, long, strongly upcurved, white. Thorax: Surface covered by creamy white scales, with fuscous streak on the anterior margin, with a pair of fuscous dots on posterior part, tegula creamy white, with pale brown block on approximately 1/2 of tegula. Legs: Fore and middle legs white, foretibia covered by fuscous scales dorsally, mesotibia bearing a pair of spurs distally joint, with outer spur approximately 1/3 length of inner spur; hindleg white; metatibia overlaid with creamy white bristles, with a whirl of fuscous bristles at distal joint, metatarsus with each tarsomere bearing a whirl of creamy white bristles, fuscous scales at joints of each tarsomere; metatibia bearing two pairs of creamy white spurs at both proximal and distal joints, proximal spurs with outer one approximately 1/3 length of inner one, distal spurs with outer one approximately the same length as inner one. Forewing: Dorsally ground color creamy white, costa fuscous on basal 1/3, a brown spot present near base of dorsum, dark brown fascia at 2/5 of wing, extended towards but not reaching costa, a brown streak present near apex, cilia white; ventrally silvery grey. Hindwing: Ground color creamy white, cilia white. Abdomen: White, anal tuft present.

Female ( Figs. 11 – 12 ): Forewing length 2.73–3.36 mm (n = 8). Similar to male but lacking anal tuft in abdomen.

Male genitalia (Gen. Prep. ZYS-0045, NTNU, Figs. 13–14 ): Uncus stout, apically slightly downturned, with shallowly bilobate apex, setose laterally. Gnathos elongat triangular, apex slightly upcurved, nearly the same length as uncus, with blunt apex. Valva with round apex; costa thicker than sacculus, costal ring developed, heavily sclerotized. Sacculus slightly sinuate; cucullus nearly oval, approximately 2x as long as uncus, with numerous setae on inner surface; saccus approximately the same length as uncus. Phallus stout, approximately 3x as long as uncus, with weakly sclerotized wrinkles on vesica, cornutus absent.

Female genitalia (Gen. Prep. ZYS-0088, NTNU, Fig. 15 ): Papillae anales longer than wide. Apophyses posteriores approximately 1.5x as long as apophyses anteriores. Ostium bursae with prominent sublateral fold. Corpus bursae with large signum, bar-shaped, situated in middle of corpus bursae; bulla assimilated with ductus seminalis; many small spines present at apex of ductus seminalis.

Diagnosis: This species can be recognized by a pair of brown dots on the metascutum and by the forewing pattern: costa dark brown on basal 1/3, brown spot present near base of dorsum, dark brown fascia at 2/5 of wing, extended towards but not reaching costa, a brown streak near apex. Genitalia of this species can be distinguished by the bilobate apex of uncus, sublateral folds on the ostium bursae and the bar-shaped signum.

Host plants: Asplenium antiqum Makino, 1929 ( Terada 2016), A. setoi N. Murak & Seriz, 1999 , and A. nidus L., 1753 ( Aspleniaceae ).

Biology: Larvae ( Fig. 27 ) were found in May, June, September and November. The larvae fed on A. setoi and A. nidus in Taiwan. They constructed suboval shelters ( Fig. 28 ) composed of a mixture of fern spores and frass on the underside of the host plant. The larva lives inside the shelter and feeds on the spores until pupation. The cocoon ( Fig. 29 ) is spindle shaped. Adult moths ( Fig. 30 ) emerged about one to one and a half month after pupation without diapause, suggesting that this species is probably multivoltine.

Distribution: Japan ( Terada 2016) and Taiwan.

Figures

Figs. 9–15. Adult specimens and genitalia of Calicotis rotundinidus. 9–10, Male specimen, TAIWAN: Hulian, Shioulin, Gekou; 11–12, Female specimen, TAIWAN: New Taipei City, Wulai, Bauching temple; 13–14, Male genitalia; 15, Female genitalia. Scale bars: 9–12 = 5 mm; 13–14 = 1 mm; 15 = 1 mm.

Figs. 23–34. Immatures and adults of Calicotis species from Taiwan. 23, Immature artifacts of C. attiei on Nephrolepis biserrata. 24, Larva of C. attiei. 25, Cocoon of C. attiei. 26, Adult resting, photo of C. attiei. 27, Immature artifacts of C. rotundinidus on Asplenium austalasicum. 28, Larva of C. rotundinidus. 29, Cocoon of C. rotundinidus. 30, Adult resting, photo of C. rotundinidus. 31, Immature artifacts of C. exclamationis on Neolepisorus fortune. 32, Larva of C. exclamationis. 33, Cocoon of C. excalamationis. 34, Adult resting, photo of C. excalamationis.