Emmelina buscki ( Barnes and Lindsey, 1921 )

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 : 11-12

Emmelina buscki ( Barnes and Lindsey, 1921)

Fig. 14 , 54

Diagnosis. Forewing cleft reaching 0.6× wing length from base, first lobe narrow and curved posterad; ground color of Bahamas specimen pale olive buff. Fuscous scales scattered within forewing cell, and along veins 1A and Cu 2; Cleft preceded by oblique fuscous mark at cell end which extends partway into first lobe ( Fig. 14 ). Male genitalia with asymmetrical valvae, left valve with long curved saccular process, right valve with ear-like broad rim on costa and saccular margins, each bearing a short blunt central spine ( Bahamas male specimen not available, see illustration in Gielis (2011)). Female genitalia with long narrow ductus bursae arising from left side of a flattened disc-shaped antrum ( Fig. 54 ).

Pinned material examined. BAHAMAS: Grand Bahama Island: vic. Owl’s Hole, 26.587496°, −78.469854°, 27.x.2014, DLM, JYM, MJS, RMR (1 ♀, slide DM 2092).

Life history. Larvae are known to feed on Ipomoea indica (Burm.f.) Merr in southern Florida and sweet potato, I. batatas (L.) Lam. in Puerto Rico ( Matthews and Lott 2005). Both species occur in The Bahamas along with 12 other species of Ipomoea L. and other Convolvulaceae ( Correll and Correll 1982) .

Distribution. This species is primarily neotropical, occurring in Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. In The Bahamas it is known from a single specimen from Grand Bahama Island ( Matthews and Lott 2005; Gielis 2011).

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.

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.