Andescecidium Moreira & Vargas

Silva, Gabriela T., Moreira, Gilson R. P., argas, Hector A., Gislene L. Goncalves,, Mainardi, Marina D., las, German San & Davis, Donald, 2018, Overlooked gall-inducing moths revisited, with the description of Andescecidiumparrai gen. et sp. n. and Olierasaizi sp. n. from Chile (Lepidoptera, Cecidosidae), ZooKeys 795, pp. 127-157 : 127

Andescecidium Moreira & Vargas gen. n. Figs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; Parra 1998

Type species.

Andescecidium parrai Moreira & Vargas, sp. n.

Diagnosis.

Andescecidium gen. n. resembles Cecidonius in having pupae bearing strong spines on the anterior margins of the abdominal terga and larvae with two stemmata, which make them unique among cecidosids. However, Andescecidium shows several adult, larval, and gall features which in conjunction differentiate it from the latter. Adults are much larger, bear mandibular rudiments and have reduced three-segmented maxillary palpi, which are respectively absent and with two in the small Cecidonius . The ovipositor in Andescecidium is reduced in size, and associated with an inconspicuous dorsal crest in the oviscapt cone that is used to lay eggs on superficial external buds. The ovipositor of Cecidonius is very long, having the oviscapt cone dorsally anchored by a conspicuous crest, thus allowing oviposition deep into the stem. Contrary to the larvae of Cecidonius , which are unique among cecidosids in having setae of much longer size on the thorax, those of Andescecidium show these structures uniform on thorax and abdomen. The spherical galls of Andescecidium are associated with stem buds, growing on the external surface from the beginning; they are pedunculate and have fully developed walls. Those of Cecidonius grow initially under the bark, erupting through the stem surface later in ontogeny, and with their bases remaining open when mature, clogged with feces.

Description of adults

(Figs 2A, B, 3). The adult male morphology was accurately described and illustrated in part by Parra (1998). We complement this description for the male here, adding illustrations that were not provided by Parra, and we also describe the female for the first time.

Male. Forewing length ca. 12.1 mm (n = 1). Head (Figure 3A): vertex and frons covered by narrow, elongated dark brown scales with a few scattered whitish gray scales. Compound eyes black. Antennae filiform (~ 0.7 × length of forewing), with dark brown scales on scape, pedicel and dorsal surface of basal half of flagellum; filiform sensilla on remaining dorsal and ventral surface of flagellum. Labrum semicircular, short. Mandibles poorly developed, as small stubs. Pilifers absent. Maxillae with galeae reduced to small lobes (~2/3 labial palpus length); maxillary palpi tri-segmented (ratios of segments from base ~1.0:0.8:0.8). Labial palpi tri-segmented (ratios of segments from base ~1.0:0.9:1.2). Maxillary and labial palpi with brownish gray scales. Thorax. Mostly with brownish gray scales. Anterior arms of latero cervical sclerites not observed. Metafurca (Figure 3B) with slender, elongate postero-dorsal apophyses, free from secondary arms. Forewings (Figure 2A, B) lanceolate, mostly covered with brownish gray scales; a broad dark brown spot close to the middle of the posterior margin of discal cell; a small dark brown spot at apex of discal cell. Hindwings lanceolate, brownish gray. Wing venation as described by Parra (1998: fig. 2). Prothoracic legs (Figure 3C) dark brown with a few scattered whitish gray scales, bearing an epiphysis on distal portion of tibia. Mesothoracic legs similar in coloration to prothoracic legs, with two whitish gray tibial spurs. Metathoracic legs whitish gray with two pairs of tibial spurs; tibia with longitudinal stripe of narrow, elongated hair-like whitish gray scales. Tibial length proportion (anterior / medium / posterior legs) ~ 0.6:0.7:1.0. Abdomen brownish gray with a few dark brown and scattered whitish gray scales. Male genitalia as described by Parra (1998: figs 2, 3, 4A).

Female. Forewing length ca. 11.5 mm (n = 2). Similar to male in general, except that sensilla are less abundant and smaller on the antennae, and abdominal sternum VII with caudal margin more sclerotized, bearing a dense ring of stout, elongate setae (Figure 3E). Female genitalia formed by an oviscapt cone (sensu Kristensen 2003, San Blas and Davis 2013), with weak internal dorsal crest, reaching the anterior margin of tergum seven. Anterior apophyses extending to anterior margin of sixth abdominal segment. Posterior apophyses ~1.3 × length of anterior apophyses. Posterior apophyses are caudally fused to form the short, compressed, and sagittate apex of the ovipositor. Ductus and corpus bursae membranous, the latter saculiform, without signum.

Etymology.

The genus name is derived from a composition between the Portuguese Andes and Cecidia (a gall; from the Greek kekídion). Thus, the epithet refers to the Andes Mountains where the galls of Andescecidium were first found.