Eichlinia O. Gorbunov, 2020

Gorbunov, O. G., 2020, Establishment of Eichlinia gen. n. for the Western hemisphere Melittiini (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), with a catalogue of the genus, Russian Entomological Journal 29 (3), pp. 276-284 : 277-281

Eichlinia O. Gorbunov , gen.n.

Figs 1–4 , 9–15 .

TYPE SPECIES: Aegeria cucurbitae Harris, 1828 ( Figs 1–4 ). Melittia auct ., nec Melittia Hübner, 1819 [“1816”] DESCRIPTION. Colourful, rarely medium-sized, but mostly large-sized clearwing moths with alar expanse 24–62 mm. Superficially resembling genus Melittia ( Figs 5–8 ).

Head with antenna slightly clavate with a poorly defined hook distally, ciliate and sometimes unipectinate in male; frons smooth-scaled with a projection of flat scales beneath antenna externally forming a characteristic shelf; labial palpus long, turhed-up, with a few hair-like scales ventrally; proboscis well-developed, long, functional; vertex covered with short hair-like scales. Thorax smooth-scaled, both metepimeron and metameron with long hair-like scales posteriorly. Hind leg with tibia and two basal tarsomeres tufted with long hair-like scales. Abdomen smooth-scaled, anal tuft undeveloped. Forewing completely opaque or posterior transparent area present but narrow and very short; veins R 1 –R 3 parallel, R 4 and R 5 stalked for about half of their length; distance between bases of veins R 4+5, M 1, M 2 and M 3 nearly equal ( Fig. 9 ). Hindwing transparent or opaque; vein M 3 arises from vein CuA 1 distinctly basal of cross-vein ( Fig. 9 ). Male genitalia. Tegumen-uncus complex broad; uncus broadened and bilobed distally with a large semi-circular plate of strong, short, pointed setae internally on each side; gnathos undeveloped ( Fig. 10 ); valva ( Fig. 11 ) elongate-oval, sometimes distinctly pointed ventro-apically, with a small group of short dense setae dorso-apically; saccular region with 1–3 projecting ridges devoid of setae; saccus broad and long, slightly club-shaped and rounded basally ( Fig. 12 ); aedeagus ( Fig. 13 ) narrow, somewhat longer than valva; vesica ( Fig. 14 ) with numerous, small, pointed cornuti.

Female genitalia. 8 th tergite narrow; lamella postvaginalis V-shaped, well scleritized, lamella antevaginalis undeveloped; ostium bursae at level of 8 th tergite, membranous, slightly funnel-shaped membranous; antrum membranous, thin and long, about as long as ostium bursae; corpus bursae ovoid without or with a small signum of minute spinules ( Fig. 15 ).

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS. Superficially, species of this new genus resemble certain species of genus Melittia with completely opaque forewings ( M. astarte ( Westwood,

1848) species-group and M. aureosquamata (Wallengren, 1863) species-group), and Afromelittia caerulea Bartsch, 2016 . However, by the structure of the male genitalia Eichlinia gen.n. seems to be the closest to Afromelittia Gorbunov et Arita, 1997 (type species: Melittia occidentalis Le Cerf, 1917 ), but they can be distininguished by both male and female genitalia (somewhat different shape of the tegumen-uncus complex and valva in the male, position of the ostium bursae, shape of the lamella postvaginalis, structure of the antrum and the shale of corpus bursae. Compare Figs 10–15 with figs 43 and 44 [in Gorbunov, Arita, 1997] or with figs 13a–g [in Eichlin, Duckworth, 1988]. From the genus Melittia , the species of the genus Eichlinia gen.n. clearly differ also by the structure of both male and female genitalia [compare Figs 10–15 and figs 13a–g in Eichlin, Duckworth, 1988 with numerous figs in Arita, Gorbunov, 1995, 1996a, b; Gorbunov, Arita, 1996, 1997; Špatenka et al., 1999; Gorbunov, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020; Bartsch, 2016].

All genera of the tribe Melittiini can be determined by the following key compiled by the combinations of external features, morphology of both male and female genitalia and zoogeographical affiliation. I exclude from this key a completely unstudied monotypical genus Desmopoda Felder et Felder, 1874 (type species: Desmopoda bombiformis Felder et Felder, 1874 ), which is still know by a single holotype (♀) originated from the island of Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia. Highly likely, Desmopoda is a junior synonym of Melittia [ Arita, Gorbunov, 1995; Gorbunov, 2020].

1 Proboscis undeveloped ................................................ 2

— Proboscis well-developed ............................................ 3

2 Vertex covered with hair-like scales; forewing with vein R 4 and R 5 separate basally; Neotropical ......................... ............................................. Neosphecia Le Cerf, 1916

— Vertex smoothly scaled; forewing with veins R 4 and R 5 short stalked; Neotropical .... Premelittia Le Cerf, 1916

3 Head broad, distance between external margins of eyes larger than maximum width of protorax; anal lobe of hindwing transparent; Oriental ....................................... ..................... Cephalomelittia Gorbunov et Arita, 1995

— Head normal, distance between external margins of eyes less than maximum width of protorax; anal lobe of the hindwing opaque or undeveloped ............................... 4

4 Forewing with veins R 3 and R 4+5 short stalked ........... 5

— Forewing with veins R 3 and R 4+5 separate basally ...... 6

5 Forewing with transparent areas very small or completely undeveloped; male genitalia with uncus bilobed, broadened and rounded distally, with a large plate of short but strong setae on each side internally, valva rounded or pointed ventro-apically, with straight ventral margin [see figs 44a, 44d in Gorbunov, Arita, 1997 or figs 11–13 in Bartsch, 2016]; female genitalia with lamella postvaginalis well-developed, antrum slightly funnel-shaped, well-sclerotized medially [see fig. 43 in Gorbunov, Arita, 1997]; Afrotropical ......... Afromelittia Gorbunov et Arita, 1997

— Forewing with transparent areas we-developed; male genitalia with uncus bilobed and pointed apically, with a few teeth at tip internally, valva narrowed medially, with a small rounded appendix distally [see figs 30, 40, 41 in Gorbunov, Arita, 1997]; female genitalia with lamella postvaginalis undeveloped, antrum tube-shaped, well-sclerotized posteriorly [see fig. 42 in Gorbunov, Arita, 1997]; Afrotropical .......... Agriomelissa Meyrick, 1931

6 Male .............................................................................. 7

— Female .......................................................................... 9

7 Genitalia with uncus distally without a plate of strong, short, pointed setae internally on each side, valva narrowly elongated dorso-apically, sometimes with a fingershaped appendix medio-ventrally, covered with sparse setae at dorsal margin [see figs 7a, 7b in Gorbunov, Arita, 1995 or fig. 10 in Kallies et al., 2016]; East Palaearctic, Oriental ........................ Macroscelesia Hampson, 1919

— Genitalia with uncus distally with a plate of strong, short, pointed setae internally, valva, oval, elongate-oval or rectangular with 1–3 groups of dense setae distally ........... 8

8 Antenna with well-defined hook distally; uncus narrowed distally, gnathos present, valva oval, elongate-oval or rectangular with 3 groups of dense setae; Afrotropical, East Palaearctic, Oriental, Australasian ......................... .................................... Melittia Hübner, 1819 [“1816”]

— Antenna with poorly defined hook distally; uncus broadened distally, gnathos undeveloped, valva oval or elongate-oval with a group of dense setae; Nearctical, Neotropical .............................. Eichlinia O. Gorbunov , gen.n. 9 Legs with hind tibia and tarsus with slightly elongated scales, not forming a well defined hindleg tuft; hindwing with anal lobe undeveloped; Neotropical ...................... ................................................. Melittina Le Cerf, 1917

— Legs with hind tibia and tarsus with elongated scales, forming a well defined hindleg tuft; hindwing with anal lobe present ................................................................ 10

10 Ostium bursae at level of 8 th tergite ( Fig. 15 ); Nearctical, Neotropical .................... Eichlinia O. Gorbunov , gen.n.

— Ostium bursae at 7 th sternite ....................................... 11

11 Ostium bursae opening at posterior half of 7 th sternite, funnel-shaped, slightly sclerotized; corpus bursae ovoid or pear-shaped with a more or less developed signum, forming from rows of minute spinules [see figs 312–315 in Špatenka et al., 1999]; Afrotropical, East Palaearctic, Oriental, Australasia ................... Melittia Hübner, 1819 [“1816”]

— Ostium bursae opening at anterior margin of 7 th sternite, cup-shaped, well-sclerotized; corpus bursae globose without signa [see figs 11, 12 in Kallies et al., 2016]; East Palaearctic, Oriental ...... Macroscelesia Hampson, 1919

LIFE HISTORY. Due to the fact that some species of Eichlinia gen.n. are serious pests of pumpkins ( Cucurbitaceae ), the features of their biology are well known and described in detail. In accordance of the Western hemisphere investigations [ Engelhardt, 1946; Eichlin, 1975; Eichlin, Duckworth, 1988; Canhilal et al., 2006] the larval host plants are species of the family Cucurbitaceae , including cultivars. Larvae are stem borers. They live in the lower part of vine where sometimes form a gall-like broadenings. The fully grown larva burrows into the topsoil, where it makes a cocoon. The larva overwinters in this earthen cocoon and pupates in early summer of the following year. There are one or two generations, depending on the natural conditions.

COMPOSITION. I am currently including 11 species in this new genus. The most important information about all these types is presented in the catalog below.

RANGE. Nearctic and Neotropical regions from NE Canada (Ontario) in the north to Argentina (Buenos Aires) in the south.

ETYMOLOGY. The new genus is dedicated to the late Dr. Thomas D. Eichlin (21.09.1938 – 19.09.2013), a major authority on the family Sesiidae of the Western Hemisphere. The gender is feminine.

Preliminary catalogue of the genus

Eichlinia O. Gorbunov , gen.n.

Eichlinia calabaza (Duckworth et Eichlin, 1973) ,

comb.n.

“ Melittia calabaza n. sp. ” — Duckworth, Eichlin, 1973b: 151, figs 3a, 6; map. 1. Type locality: “ Mexico: Mex., Teotihuacan , …”. Holotype ♂ ( USNM).

Mellitia calabaza — Duckworth, Eichlin, 1977: 52; Duckworth, Eichlin, 1978a: 7; Duckworth, Eichlin, 1978b: 5, 21, figs 4, 20, pls 2, 8; Solomon, Dix, 1979: 16; Heppner, Duckworth, 1981: 26; Sondak, 1981, figs 1–7; Becker, Eichlin, 1984: 13, 14; Friedlander, 1986: 282, 283; Eichlin, Duckworth, 1988: 52, 54, text-figs 13a, 13c, 13g, pl. 2, fig. 2; Eichlin, 1995: 48; Pühringer, Kallies, 2004: 17; Pohl et al., 2016: 206; Moreira et al., 2019: 42, 43; San Martín-Romero et al., 2019.

HOST PLANT. C. argyrosperma K. Koch , Cucurbita maxima Duchesne , C. moschata Duchesne , C. pepo L. ( Cucurbitaceae ).

DISTRIBUTION. USA: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas ; Mexico: Zacatecas, Hidalgo , Mexico, Morelos, Veracruz .

Figures

Figs 1–8. Melittiini spp: 1–4 — Eichlinia cucurbitae (Harris, 1828), comb.n.; 1–2 — male, USA, Montana, Columbus, 21.VI– 01.VII.1994, native collector. Sesiidae picture № 0473-0474–2019. Alar expanse 25.2 mm (COGM); 3–4 — female, USA, Montana, Columbus, 21.VI–01.VII.1994, native collector. Sesiidae picture № 0469-0470–2019. Alar expanse 26.0 mm (COGM); 5–8 — Mellitia sangaica nipponica Arita et Yata, 1987; 5–6 — male, Japan, Honshu, Aichi-ken, Toyota-shi, 07.I.2002, ex l., O. Gorbunov & B. Tanaka leg. Sesiidae picture № 0061-0062–2014. Alar expanse 41.5 mm (COGM); 7–8 — female, Japan, Honshu, Aichi-ken, Kasugai-shi, Takagi, 18.I.2002, ex l., O. Gorbunov & Y. Arita leg. Sesiidae picture № 0053-0054–2014. Alar expanse 42.0 mm (COGM). Рис. 1–8. Melittiini spp: 1–4 — Eichlinia cucurbitae (Harris, 1828), comb.n.; 1–2 — самец, США, Монтана, Коламбас, 21.VI– 01.VII.1994, местный коллектор. Sesiidae снимки № 0473-0474–2019. РаЗмах крыльев 25,2 мм (COGM); 3–4 — самка, США, Монтана, Коламбас, 21.VI–01.VII.1994, местный коллектор. Sesiidae снимки № 0469-0470–2019. РаЗмах крыльев 26,0 мм (COGM); 5–8 — Mellitia sangaica nipponica Arita et Yata, 1987; 5–6 — самец, ЯпониЯ, ХонШю, префектура Айчи, Тоёта, 07.I.2002, ex l., О.Горбунов, Б. Танака leg. Sesiidae снимки № 0061-0062–2014. РаЗмах крыльев 41,5 мм (COGM); 7–8 — самка, ЯпониЯ, ХонШю, префектура Айчи, окрестности КасугайЯ, Такаги, 18.I.2002, ex l., О.Горбунов, Ю. Арита leg. Sesiidae снимки № 0053-0054–2014. РаЗмах крыльев 42,0 мм (COGM).

Fig. 9. Wing venation of Eichlinia cucurbitae (Harris, 1828), comb.n. Рис. 9. Жилкование крыльев Eichlinia cucurbitae (Harris, 1828), comb.n.

Figs 10–15. Genitalia of Eichlinia cucurbitae (Harris, 1828), comb.n.: 10–14 — male, USA, Montana, Columbus, 21.VI–1.VII.1994, local collector (COGM).Genital preparation № OG–059-2018; 10 — tegumen-uncus complex; 11 — valva; 12 — saccus; 13 — aedeagus; 14 — vesica; 15 — female, USA, Montana, Columbus, 21.VI–1.VII.1994, local collector (COGM). Genital preparation № OG–060-2018; Scale bar 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm for 15. Рис. 10–15. Гениталии Eichlinia cucurbitae (Harris, 1828), comb.n.: 10–14 — самец, США, Монтана, Коламбас, 21.VI–1.VII.1994, местный сборЩик (COGM). Препарат гениталий № OG–059-2018; 10 — тегумен-ункус комплекс; 11 — вальва; 12 — саккус; 13 — Эдеагус; 14 — веЗика; 15 — самка, США, Монтана, Коламбас, 21.VI–1.VII.1994, местный сборЩик (COGM). Препарат гениталий № OG–060-2018; масШтаб: 0,5 мм, 1,0 мм длЯ 15.