Phodoryctis tephrosiella Triberti & Lopez-Vaamonde, 2024

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 : 21-22

24. Phodoryctis tephrosiella Triberti & Lopez-Vaamonde sp. nov.

( Figs 26 , 44–46 , 78 )

Holotype: ♂, South Africa, Gauteng, Tshwane, 25°35’13.2”S, 28°25’44.4”E, 1270 m, Tephrosia rhodesica , mn 06/ iii/2018, pup 09/iii/2018, em 20/iii/2018, A. Sharp leg., (rearing: AM168), CLV8184 , slide TRB4346♂.

Paratypes: 2♂, as above, slide TRB4532 ♂ .

Etymology. The name of this new species is derived from the generic name of the hostplant, Tephrosia , adding the suffix – ella.

Diagnosis. The forewing pattern of this species is characterized by white costal spots on a greyish background, which are irregularly sprinkled with dark markings. This pattern is very similar to that of P. dolichophila . However, there are significant differences in the male genitalia of the new species. The cucullus is rounded, not incised, and the aedeagus is curved differently. Additionally, the processes are strongly sclerotized at the base and membranous and setose at the apex. Furthermore, this species can be easily distinguished from thrypticosema by the presence of four oblique, very fine, whitish lines in the forewing pattern, which are characteristic of the latter species.

Description of adult. Forewing length 3.3–3.5 mm (3). Head. Vertex, frons and palpi pale yellow-whitish, in front of eyes a few blackish-fuscous scales; apical segment of maxillary and labial palpus blackish; second segment of latter darkly stained ventrally. Antenna fuscous, scape smooth, blackish. Thorax. Dorsum whitish grey, suffused with fuscous, tegulae blackish. Fore and middle legs dark fuscous, tarsi white, each segment dark-spotted externally; hind leg pale ochreous white, femur and tibia irregularly spotted with brownish on underside, first four tarsal segments with an apical, fuscous patch. Wings ( Fig. 26 ). Light grey with shining violet-blue reflections, irrorated with blackish, along fold and in disk little darker; costa with a pale ochreous patch at middle, ¾ and near apex; apical cilia and along termen blackish, ochre-whitish along dorsal margin. Hindwings and cilia fuscous.

Abdomen. Dorsally leaden-greyish, first four segments ochreous, ventrally whitish with a narrow, discontinuous, dark median line; sides sprinkled with dark scales which form short , irregular, inclined bands; last segment light ochreous. Segment VIII equal or slightly longer than the seventh, deeply notched ventrally; tergum with a narrow apodeme, about ¾ of the segment VII, capitated apically, extending to middle of segment VIII ( Fig. 46 ). Male genitalia ( Figs 44-45 ). Tegumen narrow, pointed, weakly sclerotized, apical middle with microsetae along the lateral margins and with 10 pairs of long setae more ventrally; tuba analis with a slender subscaphium. Valva about ¼ longer than tegumen, curved, slightly tapering, numerous fine setae occurring on inner surface except in the basal and subcostal area; linear androconial scales scattered on outer surface near base, longer than valva; costa with a strongly thickened basal third, at distal end of which there is a finger-shaped, membranous process, about ¼ the length of valva. Vinculum rather short, rounded, saccus not discernible. Anellus long and membranous, phallus slender, slightly shorter than valva ( Fig. 45 ), with a pair of long asymmetrical processes connected to the phallus at the phallobase/aedeagus fusion point, reaching the apex of aedeagus; these processes have a broad basal half, strongly sclerotized and ending in a hook while the distal half is membranous and slightly silky; aedeagus semitubular with wavy and more sclerotized margins; vesica without cornuti. Bulbus ejaculatorius very short, proximal end strongly dilated. Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology. The specimens were bred from Tephrosia rhodesica Baker ( Fabaceae ) ( Fig. 78 ).

Distribution. South Africa (Gauteng).

DNA barcode. BIN BOLD:AEL7049 with a single barcode ( Table S1 ).

Figures

FIGURES 25−30. Forewing pattern of South African Gracillariidae. 25, Leucocercops curatellifoliae sp. nov., Limpopo. 26, Phodoryctis tephrosiella sp. nov., Gauteng. 27, Telamoptilia cordati sp. nov., South Africa, Limpopo. 28, Telamoptilia sp., Madagascar. 29, Cameraria melhaniella sp. nov., Limpopo. 30, Phyllonorycter pseudogrewiella sp. nov., Limpopo.

FIGURES 44–46. Male genitalia of South African Gracillariidae. Phodoryctis tephrosiella sp. nov.: 44, holotype, ventral view; 45, phallus with bulbus ejaculatorius; 46, segment VIII in ventral view (ae: aedeagus; pb: phallobase; be: bulbus ejaculatorius). (All scale bars 190 μm).

FIGURES 78–83. Immature stages of South African Gracillariidae. 78, Phodoryctis tephrosiella, mines on Tephrosia rhodesica (Fabaceae). Gauteng, Tshwane, A. Sharp leg. 79, Conopobathra carbunculata, mines on Peltophorum africanum (Fabaceae), Limpopo, York, A. & I. Sharp leg. 80, Phyllonorycter grewiella, mine on Grewia hexamita (Malvaceae), A. & I. Sharp leg. 81, P. pseudogrewiella sp. nov., mines on Grewia flavescens (Malvaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 82, P. pseudogrewiella sp. nov., larva, ibidem. 83, P. pseudogrewiella sp. nov., mines and pupae, ibidem.