Lioptilodes albistriolatus (Zeller, 1871)

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 : 3

Lioptilodes albistriolatus (Zeller, 1871)

Fig. 2, 25a, b, 37.

Diagnosis. Adults are typically drab-gray with the forewing ground color composed of mixed drab-gray and white scales with fuscous spots. Abdomen with pale lateral stripes. The species is recognized by the small paired anterior and posterior fuscous dark spots at the base of the forewing cleft, and one at the middle of the discal cell, and a white costal dash along the costa at the base of the first lobe ( Fig. 2). The forewing discal cell is pleated from the middle of the discal cell to the cleft so that in live or unspread specimens, the paired fuscous dots and dark scales along the costa appear contiguous. Male genitalia with symmetrical simple valvae; phallus with aedeagus strongly curved, phallobase with short rounded coecum penis and well-developed ventral process ( Fig. 25a, b). Female genitalia ( Fig. 37) with posterior half of ductus bursae sclerotized, antrum not differentiated; paired signa thorn shaped.

Pinned material examined. BAHAMAS: Abaco: South Abaco, Schooner Bay , coppice trail, 26.167000°, −77.181167°, 30.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR (1 ♀) ; Cat Island: Ocean Dream Resort , E of Smith Town, 24.232273°, −75.454536°, 23.vi.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG (1 ♀) ; Grand Bahama Island : Freeport, area SE of Britannia Blvd. & Sunset Hwy., 26.513233°, −78.679429°, 28.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR (2 ♀, slide DM 2150) ; vic. Barbary Beach , 26.558526°, −78.536983°, 26.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR (1 ♀) ; North Andros Island: Nicholls Town , hammock area, 25.143945°, −78.006715°, 30.x.2011, on Baccharis , DLM, GJG, MJS (1 ♂, slide DM 2159, 5 ♀) .

Life history. Larvae feed in the flower heads of various composite genera including Baccharis L., Conyza Less. , Erigeron L., Solidago L., and Symphyotrichum Nees ( Matthews and Lott 2005) , all of which occur in The Bahamas ( Correll and Correll 1982). In The Bahamas, adults were observed in association with flowers of Baccharis dioica Vahl. Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronq., an introduced weed, occurs throughout the islands and is also likely used in The Bahamas as it is in the USA.

Distribution. Widespread in the Neotropical and Nearctic Regions. Recorded in The Bahamas from Abaco, Andros, Cat, and Grand Bahama Islands. Previously reported from The Bahamas on North Andros Island ( Matthews et al. 2012).