Hellinsia chlorias (Meyrick, 1908)

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 (708), pp. 1-35 : 13-14

Hellinsia chlorias (Meyrick, 1908)

Fig. 17

Diagnosis. Similar to H. paleaceus with white to light buff forewing ground color and a small drab or fuscous spot at cleft base (may be diffuse) ( Fig. 17 ). Hindwing pale drab. Distinguished from H. paleaceus by drab or fuscous scales marking terminus of forewing veins R 4, R 5, M 3, Cu 1, and Cu 2. Left valve of male genitalia enlarged and bearing long curved saccular process (figured in Matthews et al. 2012). Female genitalia distinguished from related species by characteristic shape and sclerotization of tergite VIII anterior margin and anterior apophyses ( Bahamas specimen not available, Florida specimen figured by Matthews (1989) as Hellinsia sp. B).

Life history. Larvae are stem borers on Croptilon divaricatum (Nutt.) Raf. , Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist, and Heterotheca subaxillaris (Lam.) Britton and Rusby in Florida. Conyza canadensis occurs throughout most of The Bahamas ( Correll and Correll 1982).

Distribution. This species has been collected sporadically across the USA with most records from the southeastern states. In The Bahamas it is known from only one specimen collected on Crooked Island and was previously reported by Matthews et al. (2012).

Comments. No additional specimens have been collected in The Bahamas. The Crooked Island specimen ( Fig. 17 ) has more scattered drab scales basad of the forewing cleft spot than is typical of Florida individuals but falls within the range of variation seen for the species.

Figures

Figures 10–17. Bahamas Pterophoridae pinned adults. 10) Dejongia californicus ♀, San Salvador Island, 26.vii.2015. 11) Exelastis pumilio ♂, Abaco, 2.xi.2014. 12) Exelastis montischristi ♀, Cat Island, 25.vi.2014. 13) Exelastis dowi ♂, Abaco, 30.x.2014. 14) Emmelina buscki ♀, Grand Bahama Island, 27.x.2014. 15) Oidaematophorus androsensis Matthews, new species, ♀, holotype, North Andros Island, 11.vi.2012. 16) Hellinsia paleaceus ♂, Abaco, 6.vi.2016. 17) Hellinsia chlorias ♂, Crooked Island, 20.ix.1988. Scale line below each name equals 1 mm.