Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton, 1856

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 : 309-311

Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton, 1856

Figs. 3E , 4E, S 1; Tab. 2

Phyllocnistis citrella ; Stainton 1856: 302. Garrido Vivas 1995: 2. Heppner 1995: 183–185. Heppner & Dixon 1995: 110 –111. Jacas & Garrido 1996: 603 –605, figs. 1–2. Willink et al. 1996: 15. Achor et al. 1997: 829. Schauff et al. 1998: 1012. Vargas et al. 1998: 65. Bernal et al. 1999: 27 –28. Costa et al. 1999: 237. Chagas & Parra 2000: 227 –234. Legaspi et al. 2001: 84 –89. Garcia et al. 2001: 142. Vargas et al. 2001: 35 –37, biol. Parra et al. 2002: 365 –367, biol. Sánchez et al. 2002: 167 –172, figs. 2–5, biol. Sant’ana et al. 2003: 178–181. Bermúdez et al. 2004: 10 –16. Hoy & Jessey 2004: 229. Lioni & Cividanes 2004: 407 –414. Causton et al. 2006: 140. Diez et al. 2006: 328 –334, fig.1–2. Efrom et al. 2006: 46 –53, fig.1–6. Greve & Redaelli 2006: 829 –831, fig.1. Jahnke et al. 2006: 357. Landry & Roque–Albelo 2006: 10, fig. 1. Efrom et al. 2007: 121 –126. Jahnke et al. 2007: 747. Goane et al. 2008: 1026 –1032. Jesus et al. 2008: 593 –599. Foelkel et al. 2009: 157. Paiva & Yamamoto 2015: 660. De Prins et al. 2016: 35.

Phyllocnistis minutella ; Snellen 1904: 87, pl. X, figs.4a–c. Phyllocnistis citricola ; Shiraki 1913: 330.

Note: Only references for the Neotropical region are listed.

Type material. Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton, 1856 was described based on two specimens from Calcutta, India, sent by Mr. Atkinson to Mr. H. T. Stainton for description. The specimens, without sex identification, are deposited at NHMUK. The syntype, here designated as lectotype ( Fig. 3E ), has the following labels (separated by forward slash symbols, Fig. 4E ): / Holotype / Type / Calcutta Atkinson 1855 / Stainton Coll. Brit. Mus. 1893-134. / Phyllocnistis citrella, Sta. TYPE / BMNH(E) #1055796 /. Other syntype, with no specified sex and with the following labels is here designated as paralectotype: / Paratype / Calcutta Atkinson 1855 / Stainton Coll. Brit. Mus. 1893-134 / Phyllocnistis citrella, Sta. P. TYPE / BMNH(E) 1412443 /. This decision is made to establish the correct identification of the species. The lectotype has a label with the same locality of the original publication and the following labels are now attached to it: / Lectotypus / Lectotypus P. citrella Stainton, 1856 Brito 2017 /. In addition, to the paralectotype the following labels were attached: / Paralectotypus / Paralectotypus P. citrella Stainton, 1856 Brito 2017 /.

Forewing length. 2.47 mm (n=8).

Diagnosis ( Figs. 3E, S 1; Tab. 2). Dorsal forewing: ground color silver. lf light yellow without clearly identified borders, emerging on the costal margin, and running towards to the median region of the wing, connecting distally with the tf 1 in region II. tf1 thin and brown, as the tf2. The latter is oblique, crossing the wing from the costal margin towards to inner margin without touching the tf1. On the distal region, the tf3 and the tf4 are united, forming a wide blotch, with scales of same coloration as lf. Presence of a small, whitish stripe preceding as. Fringe on the inner margin with yellowish base, median region dark brown and light yellow apex. Costal and apical strigulae typical. P. citrella forewings resembles those of P. dorcas , P. xylopiella Brito & Becker sp. nov. and P. petronellii , however they differ by the lf, which is absent in P. dorcas and P. petronellii , and is inconspicuous in P. xylopiella .

Geographical distribution. The species is considered cosmopolitan due to its wide geographical distribution. According to the studied material and literature data, there are several records for this species in addition to type locality in Calcutta, West Bengal province, India, including the neotropics: Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, British Guiana, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, French Guiana, Grenada, Netherlands Antilles, Martinique, Peru, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad-Tobago (CABI 2016); Argentina ( Willink et al. 1996); Bahamas, Belize, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua and Puerto Rico ( Heppner & Dixon 1995); Bermuda ( Hoy & Jessey 2004); Brazil ( Costa et al. 1999); Chile ( Vargas et al. 1998); Colombia ( Castaño et al. 1996); Ecuador (INIAP 1995); Ecuador: Galapagos Islands (Landry & Roque-Albelo 2006); Panama ( Garrido Vivas 1995); Uruguay (De Prins et al. 2016) and Venezuela ( Schauff et al. 1998).

Natural history. Known worldwide as the citrus leaf miner, P. citrella is one of the most studied Phyllocnistis species due to the economic damage caused by its larvae. According to Heppner & Fasulo (2010), eggs are deposited individually on the abaxial leaf surface, and after 10 days the larva hatches, migrates to the adaxial surface and begins the construction of the serpentine mine. Larvae have four instars; the first three are sap-feeding, followed by the last spinning instar. Both larval forms are minute (ca. 3 mm) and translucent, varying in hue from yellow to green. The cocoon is endophyllous, covered with silk and constructed next to the leaf margin, causing a slight curl on the leaf. Characteristics related to pupal morphology are provided by Kobayashi et al (2013). Usually one mine is found per leaf, but in cases of great infestations a greater number of mines may be found, including on fruits (Heppner 1995). Adults emerge at dawn and are active in the morning, and may present several generations throughout the year ( Heppner & Fasulo 2010).

Host plant(s). According to Stainton (1856), the larvae found by Mr. Atkinson were reared on leaves of an unidentified species belonging to the genus Citrus L. ( Rutaceae ). In the Neotropics, there are records of immatures feeding on the following species: Citrus aurantifolia (Cristm.) Swingle and C. reticulata Blanco , in Brazil and Ecuador ( Garcia et al. 2001; Bermúdez et al. 2004); C. aurantium L., C. grandis L. Osbeck and C. paradisi Macf. in Ecuador ( Bermúdez et al. 2004); C. latifolia Tanaka in Mexico ( Bautista et al. 1996) and C. sinensis Osbeck in Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela ( Garcia et al. 2001; Bermúdez et al. 2004; Sánchez et al. 2002).

Examined material. Lectotype and paralectotype (these specimens are erroneously labeled as holotype and paratype); six additional specimens, with no sex identification, from others localities. India: West Bengal - Calcutta, 1855, Atkinson leg., 2 specimens ( BMNH (E) #1055796, BMNH (E) 1412443) ( NHMUK). Dominica: Saint Andrew - Woodford Hill (Agricultural Station), 7.I.1999, no collector, 3 specimens ( BMNH (E)1412413, BMNH (E)1412405, BMNH (E)1412406) ( NHMUK). Grenada: Saint Andrew—Mirabeau (Propagating Station), 21.VII.1998, no collector, 1 specimen ( BMNH (E) 1412436) ( NHMUK). Trinidad-Tobago : Tunapuna-Piarco - Saint Agustine (nurseries), VIII.1998, L. Vine leg., 2 specimens ( BMNH (E) 1412437, BMNH (E) 1412455) ( NHMUK).

Remarks. Two names that were later proposed, P. minutella van Deventer, 1904 and P. citricola ( Shiraki, 1913) , are currently considered as subjective synonyms of P. citrella . The syntypic series with the specimens used for the P. minutella description is currently deposited in RNHL (Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands). The type series of P. citricola was not traced for this review. Voûte (1934) synonymized both species. No genitalia were dissected for this review.

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.