Adaina ambrosiae (Murtfeldt, 1880)

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 : 19-20

Adaina ambrosiae (Murtfeldt, 1880)

Fig. 24 , 36a, b , 58 , 67–71

Diagnosis. Distinguished from A. perplexus by the usually darker, mottled fuscous and white ground color and fuscous lateral patches on abdominal segments A4 and A5. Male genitalia with a small circular sclerotized disc protruding from the ventral margin of the right valve near the apex which can often be seen without dissecting specimens ( Fig. 36a ). Female genitalia with a short stout ductus bursae and broad irregularly shaped corpus bursae without signa ( Fig. 58 ).

Pinned material examined. BAHAMAS: Abaco: Central Abaco, vic. Wilson City , 26.372500°, −77.010667°, 3.vi.2016, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, ex. leaves of Neurolaena lobata (2 ♂, 1 ♀) ; South Abaco, Schooner Bay Institute, 26.161333°, −77.187667°, 31.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR (1 ♂) ; Schooner Bay , coppice trail, 26.167000°, −77.181167°, 6.vi.2016, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, ex. Melanthera leaves (1 ♂) ; vic. ferry landing SE of Lobster Rd. , 25.995000°, −77.398500°, 1.xi.2014, ex. Melanthera , DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR (1 ♀) ; Eleuthera Island : 4.3 mi. S of Palmetto Pt., 25.109584°, −76.151370°, 29.vi.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, on leaves of N. lobata (9 ♂, 10 ♀) ; Grand Bahama Island: Lucayan National Park, S of Grand Bahama Hwy. , 26.602538°, −78.400230°, 25.x.2014, ex. Melanthera sp., DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR (1 ♂) ; S of Owl’s Hole , 26.583820°, −78.467092°, 28.x.2014, ex. leaves of N. lobata , DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR (3 ♂, 3 ♀) ; Long Island: Deadman’s Cay , vic. airport, 23.175500°, −75.096333°, 29.v.2014, ex. Melanthera sp., DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG (1 ♂, 1 ♀) ; San Salvador Island: 0.25 mi. W of Gerace Research Centre , 24.119145°, −74.469955°, 12.vi.2018, JYM, DLM (1 ♂) ; Brandy Hill Road , SE of lighthouse, 24.090794°, −74.440046°, 13.vi.2018, DLM, JYM (1 ♂, 2 ♀, slide DM 2153) ; Gerace Research Centre, Alfred Pike Trail , 24.117166°, −74.463864°, 10.vi.2018, DLM, JYM, ex. leaves of Wedalia bahamensis (1 ♂) ; Gerace Research Centre, vic. Water Tanks , 24.117589°, −74.465207°, 22.vii.2015, DLM, TAL, R.W. Portell (1 ♂, slide DM 2162, 1 ♀) ; same location, 11.vi.2018, JYM, DLM (1 ♀) .

Preserved material examined. BAHAMAS: Abaco: Central Abaco, Public Beach access of Treasure Cay Road, 26.696815°, −77.303424°, 7.vi.2016 DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, on leaves of Neurolaena lobata (3 L); vic. Wilson City, 26.372500°, −77.010667°, 3.vi.2016, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, on leaves of N. lobata (4 L); South Abaco, Schooner Bay Institute, 26.161333°, −77.187667°, 30.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR, on leaves of N. lobata (15 L); same location, 1.vi.2016, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, on leaves of N. lobata (1 L); same data except 4.vi.2016 (1 L); vic. ferry landing SE of Lobster Rd., 25.995000°, −77.398500°, 4.vi.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, GJG, on leaves of N. lobata (1 L); same data except on leaves of Melanthera (1 L); Eleuthera Island: 4.3 mi. S of Palmetto Point, 25.109584°, −76.151370°, 29.vi.2014, JYM, MJS, GJG, DLM, larvae feeding on leaves of N. lobata (10 L); Grand Bahama Island: S of Owl’s Hole, 26.583820°, −78.467092°, 28.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR, on leaves of N. lobata (3 L, 1 LS); San Salvador Island: Brandy Hill Road, SE of lighthouse, 24.090794°, −74.440046°, 13.vi.2018, DLM, JYM, on leaves of Wedalia bahamensis (5 L, 1 LS, 1 PC); Gerace Research Centre, Alfred Pike Trail, 24.117166°, −74.463864°, 10.vi.2018, DLM, JYM, on leaves of N. lobata (1 L); same data except on leaves of W. bahamensis (2 L); Gerace Research Centre, Lucayan Trail, 24.114762°, −74.465374°, 14.vi.2018, DLM, on leaves of W. bahamensis (1 L); Gerace Research Centre, vic. water Tanks, 24.117589°, −74.465207, 22–26.vii.2015, DLM, TAL, on leaves of W. bahamensis (11 L); same data except, on leaves of N. lobata (6 L).

Life history. In the USA, larvae feed on the leaves of several genera of composites including Ambrosia L., Borrichia Adans. , Helianthus L., Melanthera Rohr , Pluchea Cass. , Rudbeckia L., and Xanthium L. ( Matthews and Lott 2005). In The Bahamas, larvae were found feeding on the upper surface of leaves of Melanthera aspera (Jacq.) Small , Wedalia bahamensis (Britt.) O.E. Schulz , and Neurolaena lobata (L.) R.Br. ex Cass. Larvae have the peculiar habit of chewing out a resting groove, usually along a leaf midvein, from which the larva stretches out to feed on surrounding leaf tissue or makes forays to other parts of the leaf, then returns when not feeding ( Fig. 67, 68 ). These grooves are visible on leaves many weeks after larvae have matured and moved to another leaf to pupate. Larvae were most commonly found on N. lobata ( Fig. 66 ). Usually only one larva is found on a leaf. In rare cases, several larvae may be found on the same leaf, also favoring the midvein ( Fig. 67 ). Pupation occurs on the hostplants with the larval skin usually adhering to silk near the tip of the abdomen ( Fig. 70, 71 ). Adults come to light and may also be found perching in the vicinity of the hosts ( Fig. 69 ).

Distribution. This species is known from Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Puerto Rico, USA, and the Virgin Islands. It was not previously recorded in The Bahamas, and has now been collected on Abaco, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, Long, and San Salvador Islands.

Figures

Figures 18–24. Bahamas Pterophoridae pinned adults. 18) Hellinsia unicolor ♂, Abaco, 1.vi.2016. 19) Hellinsia bahamensis Matthews, new species, ♀, holotype, Grand Bahama Island, 27.x.2014. 20) Hellinsia lucayana Matthews, new species, ♂, holotype, Crooked Island, 8.vi.2015. 21) Adaina perplexus ♀, Long Island, 31.v–1. vi.2014. 22) Adaina thomae ♀, Crooked Island, 7.vi.2015. 23) Adaina simplicius ♂, Abaco, 30.x.2014. 24) Adaina ambrosiae ♀, Abaco, 3.vi.2016. Scale line below each name equals 1 mm.

Figures 33–36. Bahamas Pterophoridae male genitalia. 33a) Hellinsia paleaceus, slide DM 2115. 33b) phallus, same individual. 34a) Hellinsia lucayana Matthews, new species, paratype, slide DM 2111; 34b) phallus, same individual. 35a) Adaina simplicius, slide DM 2104. 35b) phallus, same individual. 36a) Adaina ambrosiae, slide DM 2162. 36b) phallus, same individual.

Figures 54-58. Bahamas Pterophoridae female genitalia. 54) Emmelina buscki, slide DM 2092. 55) Adaina perplexus, slide DM 2152. 56) Adaina simplicius, slide DM 2107. 57) Adaina thomae, slide DM 2097. 58) Adaina ambrosiae, slide DM 2153.

Figures 66–71. Life history of Adaina ambrosiae. 66) Larval hostplant, Neurolaena lobata, Gerace Research Centre, San Salvador Island, June 2018. 67) Larvae of A. ambrosiae resting along leaf midvein, Eleuthera Island, June 2014. 68) Larva of A. ambrosiae feeding from “resting groove”, Long Island, June 2014. 69) Adult A. ambrosiae perching on vegetation, San Salvador Island, June 2018. 70) Dorsal view of A. ambrosiae pupa, San Salvador Island, June 2018. 71) Lateral view of pupa, same individual.