Macarostola noellineae Vári, 2002

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 : 8

6. Macarostola noellineae Vári, 2002

( Figs 3 , 63 )

Macarostola noellineae Vári, 2002 : xi

Material. 1 ♀, South Africa, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, Magalieskop mn 22/xi/2014, em 08/xii/2014, Syzygium cordatum , A. & I. Sharp leg. (rearing M493a) CLV7575, slide TRB4450 ♀ .

Biology. This species, whose biology was unknown to date, was bred on Syzygium cordatum ( Myrtaceae ) ( Fig. 63 ).

Distribution. South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal. New record for Limpopo.

DNA barcodes. DNA amplification of the specimen failed (SOURE 019-19).

Remarks. The other South African species, M. flora , has a lighter crimson coloration and a distinct pattern of yellow notches (see pl. 1, fig. 1 in Vári 1961).

Figures

FIGURES 1−6. Adults of South African Gracillariidae. 1, Caloptilia sp., Limpopo, Lekgalameetse N. R., A. & I. Sharp leg. 2, Caloptilia rhusina, Western Cape, Robberg Nature Reserve, S. Mecenero leg. 3, Macarostola noellineae, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 4, Caloptilia cataractias, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, leg. A. & I. Sharp. 5, Ectropina spirostachydis sp. nov., Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 6, Graphiocephala barbitias, Gauteng, Tshwane, A. Sharp leg.

FIGURES 61−66. Immature stages of South African Gracillariidae. 61, Caloptilia sp., larva on Cryptocarya transvaalensis (Lauraceae), Limpopo, Lekgalameetse N. R., A. & I. Sharp leg. 62, C. cataractias, larva on Rhynchosia minima (Fabaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 63, Macarostola noellineae, larva on Syzygium cordatum (Myrtaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 64, Ectropina spirostachydis sp. nov., larva on Spirostachys africana (Euphorbiaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 65, Cuphodes melanostola, mine on Euclea divinorum (Ebenaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 66, Conopomorphina ochnivora, Gauteng, Magaliesburg, on Ochna pretoriensis, (Ochnaceae), H. Staude leg.