Phyllocnistis ourea Brito & Moreira, 2017

Brito, Rosângela, Lopez-Vaamonde, Carlos, Gonçalves, Gislene L., Becker, Vitor O., Mielke, Olaf H. H. & Moreira, Gilson R. P., 2017, Taxonomic revision of Neotropical Phyllocnistis Zeller, 1848 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), with descriptions of seven new species and host plant associations, Zootaxa 4341 (3), pp. 301-352 : 317-318

Phyllocnistis ourea Brito & Moreira, 2017

Figs. 3O , 4O , 5 , S1; Tab. 2

Phyllocnistis ourea ; Brito & Moreira 2017: figs. 2A, D, 3A–C, 4–8. Santos et al. 2009: 383 –384, 386, tab. 0 1, fig. 0 3.

Type material. Description of Phyllocnistis ourea Brito & Moreira, 2017 was based on five specimens from Montenegro, Brazil. The male holotype is deposited at DZUP and has the following labels (separated by forward slash symbols, Fig. 4O ): / Phyllocnistis ourea Brito & Moreira HOLOTYPE #m / 297–65 Brasil, RS. Montenegro 26.V.2015 Moreira et al. #m / DZ 33.343 /. The holotype genitalia is found along with the labels, mounted in Canada balsam ( GRPM 50–115). According to the original description, the paratypes are as follows: one male ( LMCI 297.66) with genitalia on slide ( GRPM 50–116) and one female ( Fig. 3O ) ( LMCI 297.26), both deposited at DZUP (33.353, 33.363, respectively); the others, one male ( LMCI 297–67) with genitalia on slide ( GRPM 50–117) and one female ( LMCI 297–28) are deposited at MCTP ( MCTP 57.616 and 57.617, respectively).

Forewing length. 2.65 (n=2).

Diagnosis ( Figs. 3O, S 1; Tab. 2). Dorsal forewing: ground color light gray. lf light orange with dark gray borders, emerging on the base of the costal margin and follows diagonally towards the median region, partially connecting to tf l (II). Transverse fasciae with the same coloration: tf l short, reaching the distal limit of lf; tf2 completely separated from tf l, crossing the wing entirely; the central region is broken by grayish scales. A light orange blotch on the distal region of the wing (III), formed by fusion of tf3 + tf4. A light gray stripe precedes the as. Costal and apical strigulae typical of the genus. Inner marginal fringes with orange base, central region dark brown and apex light gray. There are similarities of this species with P. baccharidis and P. bourquini ; however, P. ourea can be distinguished from these species by the large orange blotch on the distal region of the wing formed by fusion tf3 + tf4 that is absent on them.

Geographical distribution ( Fig. 5 ). Restricted to the type locality, where specimens are found at low elevation (18 m), at the limit of the transition between the Atlantic Forest and Pampa biomes, precisely at Montenegro municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil .

Natural history. P. ourea mines are found on the adaxial leaf surface, serpentine shaped. Larvae have three initial sap-feeding instars, followed by a final non-feeding spinning instar. Construction of pupal cocoon provokes wrinkling of the leaf in the final part of the mine. During eclosion, the pupal cocoon is ruptured by the cocooncutter and the pupal exuvium projects outside the cocoon. According to Santos et al. (2009), this species occurs in greater abundance during winter and spring.

Host plant(s). Baccharis anomala DC ( Asteraceae ).

Examined material. Holotype male and paratype female. Brazil: Rio Grande do Sul - Montenegro , 18 m, 27.V.2015, G.R.P. Moreira, R. Brito, C.M. Pereira & G.T. Silva legs., 1 male (DZ 33.343), 1 female (DZ 33.363) ( DZUP) .

Remarks. The immature stages and the adults were illustrated and figured in the original description, and aspects regarding biology were also provided. According to the authors, the pupal morphology provides unique characteristics, such as the tergal spine arrangements on the abdomen, which from the third to the seventh abdominal segments are followed by a strong pair of spines facing towards the lateral region of the body.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Forewings of Neotropical Phyllocnistis. (A) P. abatiae holotype (left forewing reversed); (B) P. aurilinea lectotype (left, reversed); (C) P. baccharidis holotype (left, reversed); (D) P. bourquini holotype (right); (E) P. citrella lectotype (left, reversed); (F) P. dorcas holotype (right); (G) P. drimiphaga holotype (right); (H) P. helios holotype (right); (I) P. jupiter paratype (left, reversed); (J) P. kawakitai holotype (left, reversed); (K) P. maxberryi holotype (right); (L) P. meliacella holotype (right); (M) P. norak holotype (right); (N) P. ohshimai holotype (right); (O) P. ourea paratype (right); (P) P. perseafolia holotype (left, reversed); (Q) P. petronellii paratype (right); (R) P. phoebus paratype (left, reversed); (S) P. puyehuensis holotype (right); (T) P. rotans lectotype (right); (U) P. sciophanta holotype (left, reversed); (V) P. selene specimen (left, reversed); (W) P. sexangula lectotype (left, reversed); (X) P. tethys specimen (right); (Y) P. tropaeolicola holotype (right); (Z) P. wygodzinskyi holotype (left, reversed); (AA) P. xylopiella holotype (right). Scale bars: 1 (A – H, K, L, O, P, R – Z), 0.5 mm (I, J, M, N, Q, AA).

FIGURE 4. Labels of Neotropical Phyllocnistis types found in museums. (A) P. abatiae; (B) P. aurilinea; (C) P. baccharidis; (D) P. bourquini; (E) P. citrella; (F) P. dorcas; (G) P. drimiphaga; (H) P. helios; (I) P. jupiter; (J) P. kawakitai; (K) P. maxberryi; (L) P. meliacella; (M) P. norak; (N) P. ohshimai; (O) P. ourea; (P) P. perseafolia; (Q) P. petronellii; (R) P. phoebus; (S) P. puyehuensis; (T) P. rotans; (U) P. sciophanta; (V) P. selene; (W) P. sexangula; (X) P. tethys; (Y) P. tropaeolicola; (Z) P. wygodzinskyi; (AA) P. xylopiella.

FIGURE 5. Geographical distribution of Phyllocnistis species endemic to the Neotropical region.