Calamotropha melli ( Caradja and Meyrick, 1933 )

Li, Weichun & Li, Houhun, 2012, Review of the genus Calamotropha Zeller (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Crambinae) from China, with descriptions of four new species, Journal of Natural History 46 (43 - 44), pp. 2639-2664 : 2659-2660

Calamotropha melli ( Caradja and Meyrick, 1933)

( Figures 3C , 4C and 5C )

Crambus melli Caradja and Meyrick, 1933: 140 .

Calamotropha melli (Caradja and Meyrick) : Bleszynski, 1961: 260, figs. 94, 109.

Diagnosis

This species resembles C. indica Bleszynski, 1961 , but can be distinguished by the funnel-shaped antrum in the female genitalia, and by the absence of cornutus in the male genitalia. In C. indica , the antrum is tubular, and the vesica has four cornuti.

Material examined

CHINA: 2 females, Tongzhong Forestry Center (21 ◦ 37 ′ N, 108 ◦ 20 ′ E), Fangchenggang, Guilin , Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region , 640 m, 7–8 April 2002, coll. Shulian Hao and Huaijun Xue ; 1 female, Qingyinge (29 ◦ 32 ′ N, 103 ◦ 19 ′ E), Emeishan , Sichuan Province, 11 September 1988, coll. Qiuyuan, Jingyan and Shuling ; 2 males, 1 female, Linjiang (28 ◦ 19 ′ N, 106 ◦ 12 ′ E), Xishui , Guizhou Province, 500 m, 31 May 2000, coll. Yanli Du ; 1 female, Linjiang, Xishui , Guizhou Province, 25 September 2000, coll. Haili Yu.

Redescription

Adult ( Figure 3C ). Forewing length 9.0–9.5 mm. Frons and vertex yellowish white. Labial palpus yellowish white, third segment pale brown distally. Maxillary palpus yellowish white mixed pale brown, tip white. Antenna orange yellow, yellowish white on dorsal surface. Patagium white, orange yellow laterally. Thorax and tegula white. Forewing with costal one-third deep yellowish brown, dorsal two-thirds white except distal one-sixth covered with orange yellow scales; median fascia orange yellow, outcurved at about costal one-quarter, dentated inwards at about dorsal two-fifths, dentated outwards at about dorsal one-quarter; subterminal fascia orange yellow, angled outward at about costal one-quarter, with four small pale brown dots between costal quarter and dorsal two-fifths; apex white, with a black spot; terminal fascia orange yellow, dorsal two-fifths with three black dots; cilia orange yellow, pale brown at base. Hindwing and cilia yellowish white. Legs white to yellowish white, foreleg pale brown on outer side, tarsi of mid- and hindlegs blackish brown and white alternately on outer side.

Male genitalia

Uncus broad basally, narrowing subapically to bluntly rounded apex ( Figure 4C ). Gnathos about one and one-third times as long as uncus, distal one-third covered with granules and tiny dentations, rounded apically. Valva short and broad, apex rounded; costa slightly convex near middle; sacculus long and thin, covered with dentations of various sizes on about distal two-fifths. Pseudosaccus thumb-shaped. Vinculum broad basally, concave at middle apically. Phallus about one and half times as long as valva, straight, distal three-quarters densely covered with granules; cornutus absent.

Female genitalia

Anal papilla ovate, about twice as long as apophysis posterioris ( Figure 5C ). Tergite eight slightly longer than apophysis posterioris. Apophysis anterioris short, spine-like. Antrum funnel-shaped, sclerotized strongly. Ductus bursae long and thin, about one and half times as long as corpus bursae. Ductus seminalis arising from distal margin of antrum. Corpus bursae oval; signum absent.

Distribution

China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan) , India, Sri Lanka.

Remarks

The female of this species is described for the first time.

Figures

Figure 3. Adults of Calamotropha spp.: (A) C. formosella Bleszynski, male; (B) C. josettae Bleszynski, female; (C) C. melli (Caradja and Meyrick), female; (D) C. latella (Snellen), male.

Figure 4. Male genitalia of Calamotropha spp.: (A) C. formosella Bleszynski; (B) C. josettae Bleszynski; (C) C. melli (Caradja and Meyrick) Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 5. Female genitalia of Calamotropha spp.: (A) C. formosella Bleszynski; (B) C. josettae Bleszynski; (C) C. melli (Caradja and Meyrick). Scale bars: 0.5 mm.