Coelopoeta glutinosi Walsingham, 1907

Kaila, Lauri, 2024, A review of Coelopoetinae (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Pterolonchidae), a moth subfamily confined to western North America, with descriptions of seven new species, Zootaxa 5458 (3), pp. 361-384 : 367-370

Coelopoeta glutinosi Walsingham, 1907

Figs. 2 , 5 – 10 , 29 , 39 , 44

Coelopoeta glutinosi Walsingham, 1907: 218

Coelopoeta baldella Barnes & Busck, 1920: 248 . Synonymized by Braun (1948).

Type material: Coelopoeta glutinosi : ♂ No. 90511, ♀ No. 9512 in Mus. Walsingham ( NHMUK), U.S.A., California, Mendocino County, Coal Creek Cañon, Potter’s Valley, 14.vi.1871, larvae in galls on Eriodycteon [now Eriodictyon ] glutinosum , issued middle of june to middle of July, 1871 Walsingham leg. ( NHMUK), labelled as “types” (examined). The male, numbered as 90511 is here designated as the lectotype. The female specimen indicated also as “type” is here interpreted as a paralectotype.

In addition, Walsingham gives a mention: “ paratype, male and female, No.10350, U.S. N.M., 11 specimens. Four specimens examined, [one of them actually C. phaceliae ; for its data see under that species]: U.S.A., California, Mendocino County, Coal Creek Cañon, 1 ♀; “gallmine fol. 14.vi. Eriodycteon glutinous [um], ex. m[iddle] vi.– m[iddle] vii.1871 Wlsm, numbered as 1607 WLSM. 1907; Type 10350 U.S. N.M; Coelopoeta glutinosi ♀ Wlsm. PARATYPE 69/71; Wing slide ♀ by A[ugust] B[usck] 10.7387; USNMENT 01200017 ( USNM); 1 ♂ with the same collection data as in lectotype except date 14.vi.1871, numbered as Wlsm. 90470; 1602 Wls. 1907; Type no. 10350 ; Coelopoeta glutinosi ♂ paratype Wlsm 20/71 ; ♂ genitalia on slide A[ugust] B[usck] april/12/1901; Genitalia slide by AB ♂ USNM 10.734 ; Wing slide by AB USNM 10.736; USNMENT 01200019 ( USNM) ; California, Lake Co , Scott’s Valley, 17.–19.vi.1871 1 ♀, Wlsm. 90479; 1603 Wlsm. 1907; Type 10350 U.S. N.M. ; Coelopoeta glutinosi Paratype 29/71; Wing slide ♀ by AB USNM 10737; USNMENT 01200018 ( USNM).

Coelopoeta baldella : Holotype ♀ and 1 paratype ♀ [originally as co-type] of Coelopoeta baldella , labelled: June/24–30; Camp Baldy/ San Bern[ardino] Mts. / Calif; Coelopoeta / baldella /Type. Busck.; L. Kaila prep. nro 1183 ( USNM) [examined].

Other material (all from California) (see Remarks).

Kern Co., Pine Mts. , 10.vi.1936 1 ex., E. C. Johnston leg. ( USNM) ; Los Angeles Co., Wrightwood , 14.vi.1948 20 exx., larvae as leaf miners on Eriodictyon trichocalyx, C. M. Dammers leg., USNMENT 01200024–27.( USNM) ; Los Angeles Co., San Francisquito Canyon , 6.vii.1937 2 exx., [collector not given] ( USNM) ; San Benito Co., Pinnacles , 11.vi.l936 1 ex., E. C. Johnston leg. ( USNM) ; Los Angeles Co., San Fernando Valley , 25.vi.1913 1 ♂ Grinnell leg., ♂ genitalia on slide AB 2.ii.1927, Genitalia slide ♂ by AB USNM 10733, USNMENT 01200014 ( USNM) ; 1 ♂ with same collecting data, with genitalia preserved in glycerol vial on the pin, USNMENT 01200015 ( USNM) ; Los Angeles Co., San Fernando Valley, Monte Cristo CG, 15.vii.1997 1 ♂ 1 ♀ HW. Vd. Wolf leg., ♀ L. Kaila prep. 6027 ( MZH) ; Los Angeles Co , issued 17.vi.1938 1 ♂ with genitalia preserved in glycerol vial on the pin, 2 ♀ C. Dammers leg., gall-maker in leaves of Eriodictyon trichocalyx, USNMENT 01200020, USNMENT 01200022, USNMENT 01200023 ( USNM) ; Marin Co., Mt. Tamalpais, 15.vi.l960, J. Powell 60E5, reared from Eriodictyon californicum , 3 exx. emerged 6.–13.vii.1960 J. Powell leg. L. Kaila prep. 6362 ( EME, MZH,) ; Monterey Co., Horse Bridge, 1.5 air mi SW Arroyo Seco G. Sta., 1300’, 3–7.v.1975 3 exx., J. Powell 75E8, reared from Eriodictyon californicum, J. Powell leg.; San Bernardino Co. , San Bernardino Mts. , Camp Baldy , 24.vi.1930 6 exx., 16.vii.l923 7 exx.; San Bernardino Co. , 24.viii.l931 2 exx. [collector not given] ( USNM) ; Santa Barbara County, 2 mi. N Refugio Beach , 28.vi.1986 1 ♀ J.S. Buckett leg. ( BME) ; Solano Co., G.L. Stebbins Cold Canyon reserve , 28.v.2009 1 ♀, 1.vi.2009 1 ♀ J.A. De Benedictis leg. ( BME) ; Ventura Co., Hungry Valley, 5 mi S Gorman, 4.v.1959 2 exx., J. Powell 69E3, reared from Eriodictyon crassifolium , emerged 1.vi.l959; Tuolumne Co. , Big Oak Flat , 12.vi.1962 3 ♂ 2 ♀ C.D. MacNeill leg. ( CAS) ; Yolo Co., Davis , 2010 1 ♂ J.A De Benedictis leg ( BME) . In addition, there is one female that is externally indistinguishable from C. glutinosi but with slightly different barcode, collected from California, San Diego Co., Miller Valley , 1.vi.2013 N. Bloomfield leg. barcode sample ID: BIOUG06951-E08 (genitalia not examined) ( CBG) .

Diagnosis. C. glutinosi is a relatively large and rather broad-winged species. Usually the ground colour of the forewing is white or off-white, and it is typically peppered with scattered ochreous brown and/or black-tipped scales that are also present in the fringe scales. This character distinguishes this species from others. There is often an indistinct spot in the middle of the forewing formed by grey- or brown-tipped scales. The male genitalia are characterized by the distally somewhat tapered valva, similar to C. aprica , C. alboflava and to a lesser extent C. phaceliae . C. aprica is readily distinguished from C. glutinosi and all other species by its considerably longer phallus. C. alboflava can be separated by the shape of its tegumen which is more spherical and in lateral view as high as the width of the valva. The saccus is usually significantly larger than in other species apart from C. alboflava . This and the distally tapered valva are perhaps the best diagnostic traits in the male genitalia of C. glutinosi , which are otherwise little differentiated. The female genitalia are characterized by the bulbous colliculum which differentiates C. glutinosi from other species with known females.

Redescription. Forewing length 5 – 6 mm. Labial palpus porrect or slightly upcurved, length half the diameter of head; labial palpus, head, neck tuft, scape and pecten varying from pure to creamy white or pale brown, thorax sometimes mottled with darker tips of scales. Flagellum off-white, annulated with grey rings, not serrate. Fore- and midleg outwardly varying white with scattered grey scales to unicolourous grey creamy white, inwardly ochreous, tarsal articles distally white. Hindleg outwardly white or creamy white, inwardly creamy white, tarsal articles distally weakly darker.

Male genitalia: Uncus undivided, hook-shaped, evenly tapered, approximately as long as tegumen. Gnathos as long as uncus, evenly tapered towards apex, somewhat bent dorsad. Tegumen half as long as valva, 0.7 x as high as width of valva in lateral view. Valva over twice as long as wide at its widest point, distal half narrower than basal half, inwardly bent in distal 1/3, termen distolaterally without clear swellings. Juxta bent, broadest in the middle, tapered to somewhat concave posterior margin, anterior margin evenly convex. Saccus somewhat bent dorsad, twice as long as its width at its narrowest point in middle, apex broadly rounded. Phallus as long as valva, basal opening dorsally directed, with distinct carina along distal opening.

Female genitalia. Apophyses slender, apophysis anterioris as long as apophysis posterioris; as long as papilla analis + sternum 8. Sternum 8 ventrolaterally with setose areas not formed as lobes; plate dorsad of ostium bursae rather small, wider than long; ostium bursae about 1/3 as wide as sternum 8, ventral margin concave, antrum funnel-shaped, laterally distinctly sclerotized, abruptly separated from bulbous and sclerotized colliculum, ductus bursae otherwise short, joining corpus bursae without distinct border. Ductus seminalis incepted slightly posteriorly to inception of ductus and corpus bursae. Corpus bursae membranous, without internal spines, with small, oval-shaped and dentate signum.

Variation. Forewing maculation of C. glutinosi varies extensively, from only a few brown or black-tipped scales on white ground colour to maculated overall, giving a pale brown appearance. Barnes & Busck (1920) described C. baldella on the basis of a paler forewing colour than in ‘typical’ C. glutinosi , with no other evidence but a vague expression that genitalia, without any specifics, are “without much specific differentiation but sufficient to indicate that the two species are distinct and not merely varieties”. Braun (1948) carried out extensive rearings from the type locality of C. baldella which showed that specimens emerging later in season are darker than those emerging earlier, and she subsequently synonymized C. baldella with C. glutinosi . This interpretation is supported by the present material, and C. baldella is retained in synonymy of C. glutinosi . The size of the saccus is somewhat more variable in C. glutinosi and C. phaceliae than indicated by Kaila (1995). Even though the saccus usually is clearly larger in C. glutinosi than in C. phaceliae , it should not be used as a decisive character in separating these species.

Biology. C. glutinosi is a gall-inducer on the leaves of Eriodictyon spp. ( Boraginaceae ) ( Fig. 44 ). There are rearing records from E. californicum (including E. glutinosum which is now considered a synonym), E. crassifolium , and E. trichocalyx . Braun (1948) gives the following description of the gall and larval biology. “The gall-like mine extends on each side of the midrib on the upper side of the leaf, usually occupying the width of the leaf; the epidermis is so wrinkled that the leaf is curled at the sides and end, and the mine becomes almost hemispherical and gall-like in appearance. Within the mine or gall, the frass is pushed to the roof and separated from the roomy lower part by a thin sheet of silk. In this lower part, the thin cocoon is spun, an elongate-ovate affair, with its anterior end prolonged into a tube which opens outwardly through a semicircular slit in the epidermis”. The only altitude reported is 1300 ft (400 m a.s.l.). The flight period ranges from May to mid-July.

Distribution. From around San Francisco in central California south to around Los Angeles and the San Diego regions. The southernmost records, though, require verification.

Remarks. The material examined for this study includes also the specimens examined by the present author in his 1995 publication, without re-examination of some of them.

In addition to the two type specimens, there is a series of 57 specimens identified as C. glutinosi in Coll. Walsingham, NHMUK. This series, not further detailed here, is mixed with C. phaceliae (L. Kaila, note added in 2000 in the drawer).

There is a C. glutinosi specimen labelled as “Campo Co., 26.v.1947, 1 ♂ E.D. Algert leg., 47-8702, reared from Salvia, USNMENT 01200021”. There is no Campo Co. in California, but a Campo locality in South-Western San Diego County. The label probably refers to this locality. The locality is somewhat outside the otherwise known range of C. glutinosi , and the stated host plant Salvia would be a unique record. The possibility of mislabelling cannot be excluded.

Figures

FIGURE 44. Gall made by the larva of C. glutinosi on Eriodictyon californicum. Photo, courtesy of ValeriuAlbu with permission to use.

FIGURES 2–4. 2. Head of Coelopoeta glutinosi Walsingham; 3. Head of Coelopoeta phaceliae Kaila; 4. Abdominal skin of Coelopoeta aurora (L. Kaila prep. 6374) showing the shape of sternum 2 and the spine bands of tergal segments.

FIGURES 5–10. Habitus of Coelopoeta glutinosi Walsingham. All images at the same scale as the first image. Figure 5: ♂, California, Marin County; Figure 6: ♂, California, Los Angeles County; Figure 7: ♀, California, Solano County; Figure 8: ♂, California, Ventura County; Figure 9: ♀, California, Monterey County; Figure 10: ♀, California, Los Angeles County.

FIGURES 29–38. Male genitalia of Coelopoeta spp. Above lateral view with juxta and one valva excluded; below ventral view, with phallus excluded. Figure 29. C. glutinosi Walsingham. Figure 30: C. aprica sp. nov., holotype; Figure 31: C. phaceliae Kaila, California, Nevada Co.; Figure 32: C. aurora sp. nov., holotype; Figure 33: C. fulminea sp. nov., holotype; Figure 34: C. alboflava sp. nov., holotype; Figure 35: C. sariae sp. nov., holotype; Figure 36: C. maiadella sp. nov., holotype; Figure 37: C. fissurina sp. nov., holotype; 38: C. valalbui sp. nov., holotype.

FIGURES 39–42. Female genitalia of Coelopoeta spp., in ventral view. Figure 39: C. glutinosi Walsingham, Los Angeles County, L. Kaila prep. 6027; Figure 40: C. aprica sp. nov., paratype, California, San Diego County, L. Kaila prep. 6029; Figure 41: C. phaceliae Kaila, paratype, California, San Mateo County, L. Kaila prep. 6026; Figure 42: C. aurora sp. nov., paratype, Colorado, Gilpin County, L. Kaila prep. 6734.