Emmelina buscki ( Barnes and Lindsey, 1921 )

Matthews, Deborah L., Miller, Jacqueline Y., Simon, Mark J. & Goss, Gary J., 2019, Additions to the plume moth fauna of The Bahamas (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) with description of four new species, Insecta Mundi 708, pp. 1-35 : 11-12

Emmelina buscki ( Barnes and Lindsey, 1921)

Fig. 14, 54

Diagnosis. Forewing cleft reaching 0.6× wing length from base, first lobe narrow and curved posterad; ground color of Bahamas specimen pale olive buff. Fuscous scales scattered within forewing cell, and along veins 1A and Cu 2; Cleft preceded by oblique fuscous mark at cell end which extends partway into first lobe ( Fig. 14). Male genitalia with asymmetrical valvae, left valve with long curved saccular process, right valve with ear-like broad rim on costa and saccular margins, each bearing a short blunt central spine ( Bahamas male specimen not available, see illustration in Gielis (2011)). Female genitalia with long narrow ductus bursae arising from left side of a flattened disc-shaped antrum ( Fig. 54).

Pinned material examined. BAHAMAS: Grand Bahama Island: vic. Owl’s Hole, 26.587496°, −78.469854°, 27.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR (1 ♀, slide DM 2092).

Life history. Larvae are known to feed on Ipomoea indica (Burm.f.) Merr in southern Florida and sweet potato, I. batatas (L.) Lam. in Puerto Rico ( Matthews and Lott 2005). Both species occur in The Bahamas along with 12 other species of Ipomoea L. and other Convolvulaceae ( Correll and Correll 1982) .

Distribution. This species is primarily neotropical, occurring in Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. In The Bahamas it is known from a single specimen from Grand Bahama Island ( Matthews and Lott 2005; Gielis 2011).