Phyllocnistis tropaeolicola Kawahara, Nishida & Davis, 2009

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 : 327-329

Phyllocnistis tropaeolicola Kawahara, Nishida & Davis, 2009

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

Phyllocnistis tropaeolicola ; Kawahara et al. 2009: 20–24, 27–28, figs. 2C, 6, 9, 12. De Prins et al. 2016: 38.

Type material. Phyllocnistis tropaeolicola Kawahara, Nishida & Davis, 2009 was described based on ten males, seven females, one spinning larva and one pupa from Cerro de la Muerte, Villa Mills, Costa Rica. The holotype male ( Fig. 3Y ) is deposited at the USNM with the following labels (separated by forward slash symbols, Fig. 4Y ): / HOLOTYPE Phyllocnistis tropaeolicola Kawahara, Nishida and Davis #m / Costa Rica: Prov. Cartago Cerro de la Muerte, Villa Mills 3100 m, 13-III-2003 (emergence) col./rear: Kenji NISHIDA / host plant: Tropaeolum emarginatum leaf miner mine with pupal fold collected: 6-III-2003 / Digital Image Captured /. According to the original description, the paratypes (nine males, six females, one spinning larva, one pupa (USNM 34036) and four genitalia on slides (USNM 33281, 33285, 33280, 33282)) are deposited at the USNM. One female paratype is deposited at INBIO and another at UCR.

Forewing length. 3.62 mm (n=1).

Diagnosis ( Figs. 3Y, S 1; Tab. 2). Dorsal forewing: ground color light gray. lf thin, elongated and slightly convex, formed by brownish scales without differentiated borders, emerging from the proximal base of costal margin and extending up to the distal limit median region (II), where it connects to the tf1. tf1 wider than lf, inclined toward apex, formed by light brown scales and dark brown borders. tf2 v-shaped, with coloration similar tf1, crossing the wing entirely but narrowed at the center. tf3 and tf4 fused, forming a light yellow blotch; the latter bears a small blackened blotch that precedes as. Costal and apical strigulae well-marked, typical for the genus. Fringes of inner margin with ca. 1/3 of its basal portion brownish. This species shares the general shape of the tf2 with P. drimiphaga and P. sexangula . However, the latter presents the tf2 with a widened central region and P. drimiphaga does not have a blackened blotch preceding as. Moreover, the absence of an additional blotch attached to the inner border of the lf distinguishes P. tropaeolicola from these two species that present this characteristic.

Geographical distribution ( Fig. 5 ). P. tropaeolicola specimens were recorded only for the type locality.

Natural history. According to the original description, mines of this species are found on the adaxial leaf surface, usually on apical branches. They are serpentine and whitish green, forming an irregular path during larval development. On most leaves examined only one mine was found, however, there are records containing up to three mines per leaf. The last larval instar sap-feeding was found feeding on the mesophyll. The cocoon of this species is covered with silk, being constructed next to leaf margin.

Host plant(s). Tropaeolum emarginatum Turcz (Tropaeolaceae) .

Examined material. Holotype.

Remarks. Illustrations of immature stages and adults were provided in the original description, and information regarding life cycle was also provided. The authors pointed out as diagnostic characteristics of P. tropaeolicola the presence of a narrow band-shaped signum surrounding the median region of the corpus bursae on the female genitalia, and the cone-shaped cocoon-cutter followed by two long processes that surpass its height on the pupa.

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.