Gibbalaria scabellana (Zeller) Brown & Aarvik & Timm, 2023

Brown, John W., Aarvik, Leif & Timm, Alicia, 2023, Gibbalaria: A new genus of Olethreutini from the Afrotropical Region (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae), and a new combination in Cosmopoda Diakonoff, Zootaxa 5263 (2), pp. 217-239 : 228-230

Gibbalaria scabellana (Zeller) , new combination

Figs 10 , 11, 16 , 22, 23 , 33, 34

Sericoris scabellana Zeller, 1852: 81 ; Diakonoff 1957: 72.

Afroploce scabellana (Zeller) : Aarvik 2019: 324.

Argyroploce sistrata Meyrick, 1911: 228 ; Clarke 1955: 287, new synonymy.

Olethreutes sistrata: Clarke 1958: 548 .

Celypha sistrata: Diakonoff 1973: 498 ; Brown 2005: 168.

Diagnosis.As currently defined (see Remarks below), Gibbalaria scabellana is superficially nearly indistinguishable from other species of Gibbalaria , except for the species that lack the dark scale patch on the undersurface of the hindwing ( D. occidentana and G. chiloanei ). Its male genitalia can be distinguished from those of G. longiphallus by the shorter and more truncate phallus, and from those of G. mabalingwae by the presence of a short-triangular uncus. From G. bagamoyo it differs in the location of the patch of spiniform setae basal to the flange of the sacculus, and from G. analcis it differs by a more constricted (i.e., less rounded) tegumen.

Redescription. Head: Brown; posterior half of labial palpus black. Thorax: Brown-gray, tegula brown proximally. Forewing length 7.5–8.5 mm; forewing ground color mottled with brown and gray, slightly tinged with pinkish subterminally, grayish near costa, with some faint refractive bluish spots, suffusions and spots brownish and blackish. Fringe gray, blackish terminally. Hindwing pale brownish gray above; fringe cream; male under side with irregularly ovoid patch of brownish gray secondary scales near middle of wing; hindwing conspicuously darker brown in female. Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Figs 22, 23 ) with uncus short-triangular; socii fused to tegumen; valva broad to middle with short, small hairy lobe at basal edge of basal cavity; sacculus terminating in rounded flange, with long group of dense setae (Spc 1) above ventral edge, two stout spines at base of cucullus; cucullus moderately uniform in width, slightly narrowing postmedially; phallus moderately broad, short; vesica with five to seven cornuti, one with a larger base. Female genitalia ( Figs 33, 34 ) with sclerite surrounding ostium bursae large, postostial sterigma fairly long with slender lateroterminal lobes; antrum mostly sclerotized with variably developed mediolateral diverticulum; signum with single proximal lobe.

DNA barcodes. Ten specimens of this species in BOLD form a BIN ( BOLD: ABW0591 ) with an average difference of 0.21% among the samples. Three specimens from Makhanda [Grahamstown], Eastern Cape, South Africa (listed below) form a separate BIN ( BOLD: ADE2779 ). Because we are unable to find convincing morphological characters to separate specimens of the two BINs, we tentatively assign all to G. scabellana . In the trees ( Figs 1 , 2 ) the three specimens from Makhanda are listed as “ scabellana .”

Types. Holotype ♀ ( scabellana ), South Africa, Kaffraria ( NHRS).

Lectotype ♁ ( sistrata ), South Africa, Natal , Pinetown, Jan 1909, G.S. #9404 ( NHMUK) . Paralectotypes ( sistrata ), South Africa, Transvaal, A.I.D., Barberton , 18 Jan 1911 (1♀), G.S. #6625 ( NHMUK), Transvaal, C.I.S., Zoutpansberg, 13 Dec 1909 (1♁), G.S. #6624 ( NHMUK) .

Additional material examined (24♁, 6♀). South Africa: Eastern Cape: Makhanda [Grahamstown], 33.304°S, 26.528°E, 10‒12 Feb 2015 (2♁, 1♀), J. Brown & A. Timm, USNM slides 145,603 (♁), 145,652 (♀) ( USNM) . Eastern Free State: Modderpoort , 1818 Dec 1927 (1♀), A. J. T. Janse ( DMP) . Gauteng: Hekpoort, Mogale’s Gate Biodiversity Center , -25.9492, 27.6567, 1500 m, 15 Feb 2012 (3♁), P. Hebert & J. DeWaard ( UOG) ; 25.9492, 27.6267, 1660 m, 16 Feb 2012 (1♀), P. Hebert & J. DeWaard ( UOG) ; nr. Bush Camp , -25.9383, 27.6389, 1420 m, 14 Feb 2012 (1♁), P. Hebert & J. DeWaard ( UOG) . 3 air km SE Hekpoort, 1361 m, 7 Feb 2015 (1♁), Gilligan, Brown & Staude ( TGC) . Magaliesburg Nature Reserve, Steynshoop Mountain Lodge , 1526 m, 6‒8 Feb 2015 (15♁, 5♀), T. Gilligan ( TGC) . Mogale’s Gate Natural Reserve , site #2, riparian woods, -25.9642, 27.6348, 31 Jan 2015 (1♁), J. Brown & T. Gilligan ( USNM) . Magaliesburg, Golden Valley, Highveld grassland, 1538 m, 20‒21 Nov 2015 (2♁), T. Gilligan & H. Staude ( TGC) . Heidelberg , 10 Dec 1915 (1♁), A. J. T. Janse ( DMP) . Pretoria , 17 Nov 1913 (1♁), A. J. T. Janse ( DMP) . Limpopo: Shiluvane , Nov 1902 (1♀), Junod ( DMP) . Northern Cape: Three Sisters 5 Mar 1911 (1♁), 8 Mar 1911 (1♁), 23 Feb 1911 (1♁), 13 Mar 1911 (1♁), A. J. T. Janse (2 DMP, 2 AMNH). Rooiplaat , 18 Feb 1923 (1♁), C. J. Swierstra ( DMP) . Mpumalanga: Blyde River, Forever Resort , 23°34’S, 30°46’E, 1180 m, 20‒21 Nov 2016 (3♁), G, Bassi ( GBC) . Transvaal : 5 mi WE Warmbad, 24‒25 Feb 1968 (1♁, 1♀), Krombein & Spangler, male slide 144,616 ( USNM) . Woodbush Village , 13 Dec 2009 (1♁), C. J. Swierstra ( DMP) . Waterval-Boven , 28‒29 Oct 2002 (4♁, 1♀), H.W. v.d, Wolf, NHMO slide 4112 NHMO (1♁) and 4113 (1♀) ( NHMO) . KwaZulu-Natal: ca. 3 km S Rietvlei, Blackheath Farm , 1375 m, 20–25 Feb 1978 (1♁), D. & M. Davis & B. Akerbergs, USNM slide 144,873 ( USNM) . Sarnia , Nov 1919 (1♁), A. Janse ( DMP) . Western Cape: C.P., Wilderness , 12‒13 Mar 1968 (1♁), P. Spangler ( USNM) . Unknown Province: Minastone 16–25 Feb 1919 (1♁), H. G. Bryer ( DMP) . Malta, Ptbg. , 1 Feb 1927 (1♁), G. v. Son ( DMP) .

Distribution. As presented circumscribed, this species is widely distributed throughout South Africa, from sea level to about 1660 m elevation. Nothing is known of the life history.

Remarks. Sericoris scabellana was described from a single female; the genitalia were illustrated by Diakonoff (1957). The male genitalia of the lectotype of Argyroploce sistrata were illustrated by Clarke (1958: 548). Both male and female genitalia of G. scabellana present a rather baffling array of variation, even though subtle, and indicate that additional cryptic species may be involved. This assumption is supported by results from DNA-barcoding ( Figs 1 , 2 ).

Aarvik (2019) synonymized G. mabalingwae with G. scabellana , but in the present study based on additional material from South Africa, that synonymy probably was incorrect; hence, we reinstate G. mabalingwae as a valid species. Study of the type material of Argyroploce sistrata in NHMUK shows that this species falls within our concept of G. scabellana . To add further confusion, DNA barcodes indicate that three specimens from Makhanda, South Africa form a distinct cluster outside of scabellana . However, because we are unable to separate these from typical scabellana based on morphology, we include them in our broad concept of scabellana .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Maximum (ML) likelihood tree for species of Gibbalaria and out-groups.

FIGURE 2. Bayesian tree for species of Gibbalaria and out-groups.

FIGURES 3‒10. Adults of Gibbalaria. 3. G. divergana holotype female; 4. G. chiloanei holotype male; 5. G. occidentana paratype female; 6. G. occidentana holotype male; 7. G. occidentana paratype female; 8. G. longiphallus holotype male; 9. G. mabalingwae holotype male; 10. G. scabellana male, South Africa.

FIGURES 11‒18. Adults of Gibbalaria. 11. G. scabellana female, South Africa; 12. G. bagamoyo male, Tanzania; 13. G. bagamoyo female, Tanzania; 14. G. analcis male, Democratic Republic of the Congo; 15. G. analcis female, Democratic Republic of the Congo; 16. G. scabellana male underside, South Africa; 17. G. bagamoyo male underside, Kenya; 18. G. mabalingwae holotype male, underside.

FIGURES 19‒24. Male genitalia of Gibbalaria. 19. G. occidentana, USNM slide 145,608; 20. G. chiloanei, USNM slide 145,619 (HT); 21. G. chiloanei, USNM slide 145,615 (PT); 22. G. scabellana, USNM slide 144,616; 23. G. scabellana, USNM slide 145,603; 24. G. longiphallus, Bassi slide 6441(HT).

FIGURES 30‒35. Female genitalia of Gibbalaria. 30. G. divergana, USNM slide 145.609; 31. G. occidentana, USNM slide 145,620; 32. G. chiloanei, USNM slide 145,979; 33. G. scabellana, USNM slide 144,801; 34. G. scabellana, USNM slide 145,652; 35. G. bagamoyo, NHMO slide 4116.