Aphanostola Meyrick, 1931

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Mey, Wolfram & Agassiz, David, 2016, Review of the genus Aphanostola Meyrick, 1931 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Anomologinae) with description of 19 new species from the Afrotropical Region, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 63 (1), pp. 45-74 : 45-47

Aphanostola Meyrick, 1931

Aphanostola Exotic Microlepidoptera 4: 56

Type-species.

Aphanostola atripalpis Meyrick, 1931 (by original designation).

Diagnosis.

The genus Aphanostola is defined by the combination of the following characters in the male genitalia (Fig. 40a ): phallus usually with basal projection, uncus covered with setae, gnathos long sickle-shaped, valva divided into strongly sclerotized basal part and weakly sclerotized distal part, sacculus strongly curved inwardly, the posterior margin of the vinculum with medial incision and more or less developed projections. The female genitalia (Fig. 40b ) are rather variable, but a weakly sclerotized unmodified sternite VIII, moderately thick apophyses anteriores and a usually well defined antrum are the characteristic features of the genus. The presence of the basal projection of the phallus can be considered as a presumed autapomorphy of Aphanostola . The lack of this character in some species seems to be a secondary reduction.

Remarks.

The male genitalia of Aphanostola display similarity to the genitalia of Leuronoma Meyrick, 1918 and Platyphala Janse, 1951. These genera share such characters as a weakly sclerotized distal portion of the valva, the sacculus strongly curved inwardly and the inner margin of the valva with tendency to form a thorn. The adults of all three genera are characterized by sexual dimorphism in the width of the antenna. The monotypic genus Platyphala seems to be more closely related to Aphanostola in having the phallus with short basal projection, but differs in the prolonged uncus without long setae and the shorter gnathos. The diagnosis of Leuronoma is unclear as the type species ( Lanceopenna chlorotoma Meyrick, 1918) lacks the abdomen and its affiliation with of the other species is rather provisional. Most of the species currently associated with Leuronoma differ from Aphanostola species in the uncus which is deeply divided into two lobes, the reduced saccus and a differently shaped phallus. Aphanostola , Platyphala and Leuronoma along with several unrevised groups of species form a separate branch within the tribe Anomologini (subfamily Anomologinae ) remotely related to Aristotelia Hübner, [1825].

Based on the above diagnosis 23 species are considered here to be members of Aphanostola . However, there is a group of still undescribed species which takes an intermediate position among Aphanostola , Leuronoma and Platyphala . It is possible that the current diagnosis of Aphanostola must be expanded and additional species have to be included resulting from future revisions of related genera.

Description.

Head smoothly scaled, ocelli absent, grey or brown sometimes white ( Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n.). Labial palpus straight or weakly up-curved, segment 2 slightly broader than segment 3, segment 3 acute, about as wide as segment 2; antenna of male slightly thicker and more distinctly ciliated than antenna of female in most of species ( Aphanostola calderae sp. n., Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n., Aphanostola rooiklipella sp. n., Aphanostola griseella sp. n.), scape without pecten, antennal segments grey to brown with black rings at base.

Thorax grey to brown; wingspan 5.8-10.5 mm; forewing usually pale, grey, or light brown, sometimes whitish or yellowish with brown base of costal margin ( Aphanostola calderae sp. n., Aphanostola morogorensis sp. n., Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n., Aphanostola aarviki sp. n.), three diffuse dark spots in cell, margins often mottled with black appearing darker than medial part of wing, some species with additional black spots at base and on ¾ of dorsum ( Aphanostola morogorensis sp. n.). Hindwing grey, with well developed tornal excavation and pointed tip.

Abdomen.

Male tergum VIII sub-rectangular, usually broader than long, strongly edged and weakly emarginated anteriorly; sternum VIII broader than long, posterior margin broadly rounded, anteriolateral corners projected, sometimes strongly. Female segment VII trapezoidal, tergum VIII about twice length of other abdominal segments, sternum VIII three times longer than broad; sternum II of both sexes with pair of venulae, apodemes well developed.

Male genitalia (Fig. 40a ). Uncus usually short, broader than long, rounded in Aphanostola atripalpis and Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n., posterior margin weakly or distinctly emarginated, covered with strong setae. Gnathos usually long, slender, hook-shaped, curved in middle or at base, distal portion straight, apex pointed. Tegumen sub-rectangular or trapezoidal, about twice as long as broad, anterior margin with deep medial emargination, lateral folds well developed, turned inwardly and connected medially. Valva (cucullus) digitate, distinctly exceeding the apex of uncus, basal portion usually more strongly sclerotized than distal portion, inner margin distinctly edged in basal half, often bears a short thorn or serrated lobe ( Aphanostola aarviki sp. n.), distal portion densely covered with short hairs, apex more or less inflated, rounded. Sacculus merged on 1/4 -1/2 length with cucullus, turned inwards, differing in shape, usually long, narrow, thorn-shaped ( Aphanostola calderae sp. n., Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., Aphanostola griseella sp. n.) or short triangular ( Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n.), sometimes broad, beak-shaped ( Aphanostola joannoui sp. n., Aphanostola melliferae sp. n.); sacculus sometimes merged at base with medial thorn on inner margin of valva ( Aphanostola kenyella sp. n., Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Aphanostola africanella sp. n., Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n., Aphanostola namibiensis sp. n.). Vinculum usually broad, posterior margin with short, triangular or broadly rounded medial projections separated by a narrow incision, two additional medial humps or short projections on the posterior margin of the vinculum present in some species ( Aphanostola morogorensis sp. n., Aphanostola calderae sp. n.); sometimes ( Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n.) additional lateral projections of the posterior margin of the vinculum well developed. Saccus broad, triangular, rounded or narrowly digitate ( Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n.), exceeding beyond the apex of pedunculus, but sometimes short ( Aphanostola namibiensis sp. n.) or nearly reduced ( Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n.). Phallus a flattened tube, usually slightly but in some cases considerably ( Aphanostola antennata sp. n.) shorter than tegumen, very long in Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n., sub-apical area with small lateral teeth by Aphanostola calderae sp. n. and Aphanostola acacia sp. n. or with big apical thorn ( Aphanostola kenyella sp. n., Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n.); vesica may bear very small ( Aphanostola acaciae sp. n.) or moderately large ( Aphanostola africanella sp. n.) cornuti, Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n. with one very big and numerous small spikes in vesica; a narrow and usually long projection of phallus is developed in most of species; ductus ejaculatorius elongate.

Female genitalia (Fig. 40b ). Papilla analis ovate, covered with short hairs; segment VIII sub-rectangular, longer than broad, weakly sclerotized, without modifications except for Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n. and Aphanostola namibiensis sp. n. with sclerotized patches from the base of apophyses anteriores extending posteriorely to half length of segment VIII. Apophyses anteriores slightly ( Aphanostola rooiklipella sp. n., Aphanostola griseella sp. n.) or more then twice as long as segment VIII, sometimes moderately thick ( Aphanostola pentastigma , Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n., Aphanostola joannoui sp. n.,), apophyses posteriores narrow, twice as long as apophyses anteriores. Antrum elongated ( Aphanostola rooiklipella sp. n., Aphanostola griseella sp. n., Aphanostola africanella sp. n.), short and funnel-shaped ( Aphanostola pentastigma , Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Aphanostola joannoui sp. n., Aphanostola antennata sp. n.) or as wrinkled tube ( Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n.), not developed by the remaining species. Ostium bursae surrounded with sub-ovate ( Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n.), v-shaped ( Aphanostola antennata sp. n.), rounded ( Aphanostola morogorensis sp. n.), sub-rectangular ( Aphanostola rooiklipella sp. n., Aphanostola griseella sp. n.) sclerite or with sclerite of another shape ( Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n.), sometimes sub-ostial area without modification ( Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n., Aphanostola joannoui sp. n.). Ductus bursae usually slender, moderately short, in exceptional cases very broad with indistinct transition to corpus bursae and with short lateral appendix at 1/3 length ( Aphanostola acaciae sp. n.), finely papillated in some species ( Aphanostola rooiklipella sp. n., Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Aphanostola joannoui sp. n.). Corpus bursae globular, pear-shaped or distinctly prolonged ( Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n.); signa varying in shape: brush-shaped ( Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n.), a prolonged sclerite laterally covered with small spikes ( Aphanostola morogorensis sp. n., Aphanostola rooiklipella sp. n., Aphanostola griseella sp. n., Aphanostola africanella sp. n., Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n.), a spinose plate ( Aphanostola antennata sp. n), reduced by Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n., Aphanostola joannoui sp. n.; corpus bursae in Aphanostola pentastigma covered with numerous teeth and spikes, in Aphanostola namibiensis sp. n. with narrow sub-ovate belt consisting of very small spikes.

Distribution.

Afrotropical (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia) and Oriental (India) regions.

Biology.

Aphanostola pentastigma , Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., Aphanostola africanella sp. n. and Aphanostola melliferae sp. n. were reared from various Acacia -species in Kenya ( Agassiz and Bidzilya 2016 in press). Aphanostola atripalpis were bred from Acacia [ Senegalia ] katechu (L.f) P.J.H. Hurter & Mabb. in India. It is most likely that Acacia s. l. ( Fabaceae) is a host plant for most of the Aphanostola -species.

In the southern Africa the adults were observed from late August to early May, up to 2000 m elevation in Auas Mts and Brandberg, easily attracted to light. In East Africa adults fly from August to January up to 1850 m elevation.

Figures

Figure 40. Aphanostola spp. Male (a) and female (b) genitalia.