Deltophora phyllanthicella

Li, Houhun, Wang, Zhibo & Sattler, Klaus, 2016, Two new species of the genus Deltophora Janse, 1950 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Zootaxa 4061 (1), pp. 77-84 : 79-81

Deltophora phyllanthicella Li et Sattler, sp. n.

( Figs 2−4 , 6, 8 , 10, 12)

Deltophora sp. 2, Luo et al. 2011: 4, fig. 2.

Type materials. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Hainan Province: Wuzhishan State Nature Reserves (18°46'N, 109°31'E), Wuzhishan City, 3-vi-2006, YQ Li collected on Phyllanthus rheophyticus , genitalia slide no. L07003, deposited in NKUM.

Paratypes: CHINA, Hainan Province: 1 ♂, same data holotype; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Nanxi Village (18°40'N, 109°56'E), Diaoluoshan State Nature Reserves, Lingshui County, Hainan Province, 6-vi-2007, YQ Li collected on P. rheophyticus , genitalia slide no. L07004♀, deposited in NKUM. 7 ♂♂, Nanxi, Diaoluoshan, 27-vi-2012, on Phyllanthus rheophyticus (SX Luo), deposited in BMNH.

Description. Adult ( Figs 2, 4 ): Wing expanse 9.0− 11.5 mm. Head smoothly scaled, purplish lead grey, with scale tuft spreading from behind eye to vertex. Labial palpus with second segment compressed laterally, third segment much thinner and as long as second, pointed; first and second segments yellowish white to pale ochreous yellow, tinged with greyish black scales, third segment greyish black, tinged with indistinct ochreous yellow. Antenna lead grey, except scape, yellowish white on ventral surface, with metallic sheen; flagellum indistinctly ringed with yellowish brown. Thorax and tegula purplish lead gray, with metallic sheen. Forewing narrow, elongate-ovate, margins nearly parallel in basal 5/6, then gradually narrowed towards pointed apex; ground colour ochreous yellow except lead apex mixed with black scales; costal margin black, dotted with about eleven unevenly spaced white spots, with one larger yellow spot at distal 1/6; markings lead grey, with metallic sheen: basal 1/6 with pair of large ill-defined spots at costal and dorsal margins, respectively, both diffused toward middle of wing; diffused spot beyond end of cell, not reaching costal and dorsal margins, almost uniform with apex in colour; broad bands from costal 1/3 and beyond 2/3 extending directly to dorsum, edged with sparse black scales, former band wider, joined with spot at basal 1/3 at both costal and dorsal margins, latter band curved medially on outer edge; black spot situated between two bands on dorsum, extending anteriorly across middle of wing; cilia lead grey. Hindwing and cilia dark brown, termen sinuate. Legs pale yellow on dorsal surface, grey to greyish brown on ventral surface except yellowish white apex of each segment. Abdomen lead grey on dorsal surface, yellowish grey on ventral surface.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 6 ). Uncus exceeding length of tegumen, wide and parallel-sided basally, slightly expanded beyond middle, distinctly narrowed distally. Tegumen short and broad, sclerotized laterally and anteriorly, anterior margin deeply concave in broad V-shape. Valva slightly broadened at base, narrowed towards middle; distal half ovate, ventrally setose, slightly curved inwards, rounded apically; costal margin slightly protruded basally, distally straight, ventral margin arched distally. Sacculus clearly separated from valva, extremely large, strong horn-shaped, almost as long as valva, broader than valva basally, narrowed towards rounded apex, connected with valva as right angle at base, distal 1/3 arched, with strong setae. Saccus broadly triangular, strongly sclerotized laterally, narrowed distally. Juxta strongly sclerotized, narrow band, curved postero-medially, protruded antero-medially. Phallus longer than twice length of valva, dilated basally, uniformly narrow medially, distal 1/4 gradually narrowed, pointed at apex.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 8 ). Papillae anales sub-rectangular, setose, notched at middle on posterior margin. Apophysis posterior about 2.5 times length of apophysis anterior, both expanded distally. Antrum more or less rhomboid, shorter than eighth sternite, posterior margin medially notched, broadly tapered anteriorly, narrow lateral sclerotized band joined with base of apophysis anterior. Colliculum distant from antrum, about one-half length of antrum. Ductus bursae narrow posteriorly, gradually widened anteriorly, slightly longer than apophysis posterior. Corpus bursae elliptical, with dense minute spines on inner wall. Signum a strong hook, placed at middle of corpus bursae, composed of strong, gently curved hook arising from narrow sclerotization of bursa wall. Seventh abdominal segment without pleural pit (Fig. 10).

Diagnosis. D. phyllanthicella resembles some species of the peltosema -group in the shiny metallic markings of the forewing, and D. angulella Sattler from Kenya in having a large separated sacculus and proportionally longer phallus in the male genitalia. It is easily distinguished by the two broad bands of shiny metallic markings from costa to dorsum on the and by the uncus that is medially expanded and the phallus that is distinctly longer in the male genitalia.

Biology. Host-plant: Phyllanthus rheophyticus Gilbert et Li. The larva is a foliage feeder ( Fig. 3 ); the adult visits the flowers and is a pollinator of its larval host-plant (Luo et al. 2011). A fully developed 1st instar larva (Fig. 12) was found in a female abdomen during preparation of the genitalia (slide no. L07004). Whilst confirmed ovoviviparity is exceedingly rare in Lepidoptera , a single larva (rarely two) was observed in a number of instances in the abdomen, probably the oviduct, of dissected females of several Lepidoptera families (Heppner 2009). This is the first such in the family Gelechiidae . The reasons for this phenomenon are still unclear.

Distribution. China (Hainan).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the genus of the host-plant Phyllanthus rheophyticus , and Latin suffix - cellus, in reference to the host-plant of this species.

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 5. Habitats and adults of Deltophora species. 2 – 3, Habitats of D. phyllanthicella sp. n.: 2, adult resting on hostplant Phyllanthus rheophyticus (Photo by ZB Wang in Yinggeling, Hainan on May 25, 2013); 3, mature larva on leaves of P. rheophyticus (Photo by ZB Wang in Yinggeling, Hainan on May 28, 2013). 4, adult of D. phyllanthicella (holotype ♂); 5, adult of D. polliniferens sp. n. (paratype ♂) (scales = 1.0 mm).

FIGURES 6 – 9. Male and female genitalia of Deltophora species. 6, 7, male genitalia: 6, D. phyllanthicella sp. n. (genitalia slide no. L 07003); 7, D. polliniferens sp. n. (genitalia slide no. L 07001). 8, 9, female genitalia: 8, D. phyllanthicella sp. n. (genitalia slide no. L 07004); 8 a, antrum; 8 b, colliculum; 9, D. polliniferens sp. n. (genitalia slide no. L 07002); 9 a, antrum and colliculum (scales: 6, 7 = 0.25 mm; 8, 9 = 0.50 mm).