Amblyptila cynanchi Vári, 1961

Triberti, Paolo, Staude, Hermann, Sharp, Ian & Lopez-Vaamonde, Carlos, 2024, Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species, Zootaxa 5529 (1), pp. 1-51 : 19

21. Amblyptila cynanchi Vári, 1961

( Figs 16 , 40 , 73 )

Amblyptila cynanchi, Vári, 1961: 175 .

Material. (6♂): 2♂, South Africa, Western Cape, Knysna Buffels Bay , S. Mecenero leg., mn 02/vii/2014, pup 17/ vii/2014, em 18/viii/2014, ex Cynanchum obtusifolium , (rearing:SM425), CLV7564, slide TRB4426 ♂, TRB4433 ♂ ; 4♂, South Africa, Western Cape, Bontebok National Park , mn 06/v/2013, pup 12/v/2013, em 01/i/2014, (rearing: SM425) CLV7563, slide TRB4392 ♂, TRB4448 ♂ ; mn 19/xii/2013, pup 25/xii/2013, em 01/i/2014, (rearing: SM335) CLV7560, slide TRB4422 ♂, TRB4456 ♂ ; mn 02/vii/2014, pup 17/vii/2014, em 18/viii/2014, (rearing: SM335) CLV7564, slide TRB4426 ♂, TRB4433 ♂ ; all specimens reared from Cynanchum cf obtusifolium, S. Mecenero leg., ( Fig. 16 ).

Biology. Known to mine leaves of both Cynanchum obtusifolium L. F. and C. ellipticum (Harv.) R. A. Dyer ( Asclepiadaceae ) ( Fig. 73 ).

Distribution. South Africa (Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal).

Remarks. In the original description (see pl. 63, fig.5, in Vári 1961) the apex of valva is bluntly pointed while in the five specimens examined it is rather rounded ( Fig. 40 ). However, adult and the whole genital structure of male, together with hostplants, leave no doubts on its identification.

DNA barcodes. Unfortunately, all three specimens we tried to barcode failed to yield a sequence using SMRT (CLV7560, CLV7563 and CLV7564).

Figures

FIGURES 13–18. Adults of South African Gracillariidae. 13, Cryptolectica capnodecta, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 14, C. terminalina, Limpopo, Hoedspruit,A. & I. Sharp leg. 15, Dialectica pyramidota, Limpopo, Hoedspruit,A. & I. Sharp leg. 16, Amblyptila cynanchi, Western Cape, Knysna, S. Mecenero leg. 17, Leucocercops dasmophora, Gauteng, Tshwane, A. & I. Sharp leg. 18, L. curatellifoliae sp. nov. Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg.

FIGURES 40–43. Male genitalia of South African Gracillariidae. 40, Amblyptila cynanchi: valva detail. 41-43, Leucocercops curatellifoliae sp. nov., holotype: 41, ventral view, anellus in situ; 42, segment VIII in ventral view; 43, phallus (ae: aedeagus; pb: phallobase; be: bulbus ejaculatorius; an: anellus). (All scale bars 190 μm).

FIGURES 73–77. Immature stages of SouthAfrican Gracillariidae. 73, Amblyptila cynanchi, mines on Cynanchum obtusifolium (Asclepiadaceae), Western Cape, S. Mecenero leg. 74, Telamoptilia cordati sp. nov., mine on Syzygium cordatum (Myrtaceae), Limpopo Hoedspruit,A.&I. Sharp leg.75, Leucocercopsdasmophora, mine on Parinari capensis, (Chrysobalanaceae), Gauteng, Tshwane, A. Sharp leg. 76, Telamoptilia cordati sp. nov., larva on Syzygium cordatum (Myrtaceae), Limpopo Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 77, Leucocercops curatellifoliae sp. nov., larva on Parinari curatellifolia, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg.