Scrobipalpa concreta ( Meyrick, 1914 )

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., 2021, A review of the genus Scrobipalpa Janse, 1951 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) in the Afrotropical region, Zootaxa 5070 (1), pp. 1-83 : 16-18

Scrobipalpa concreta ( Meyrick, 1914)

Figs 17–28 , 99–105 , 161–167

Phthorimaea concreta Meyrick, 1914: 191 .

Scrobipalpa concreta ( Meyrick, 1914) — Janse 1951: 203, Pl. 88, fig. 9, Pl. 91, fig. 7, Pl. 99, fig. 3, fig. 17, Pl. 94, fig. 3. Phthorimaea blapsigona Meyrick, 1916: 569 . Syn. nov.

Scrobipalpa asiri Povolný, 1980: 246 , figs 4, 5, 6, 10. Syn. nov.

Type material examined. Lectotype of concreta ♀, [ South Africa] “Pretoria, 1.2.’13, A.J.T. Janse ” | “3577” | “ Ph. concreta , 3577” | “ Phthorimaea concreta M, Type No. 595” | “TM Lep. Het., Genitalia slide No. 11018” ( TMSA) . Paralectotype ♂, Pretoria, Transvaal, 28.iii.1910 (Janse), Phthorimaea concreta 2/3, Meyr., E. Meyrick det., in Meyrick coll., Meyrick coll. B.M. 1938-290, Genitalia slide ♂, B.M. 23715 ( NHMUK) .

Lectotype of blapsigona ♂, “Coimbatore, S. India, TBF., bred, 1.8.15” | “ Phthorimaea blapsigona Meyrick , 6/1, E. Meyrick det., in Meyrick Coll” | “ Phthorimaea blapsigona Meyrick, J.F.G.C. 1948 ” | “ ♂ genitalia on slide J.F.G.C 8311, 5.xi.1948 ” | blapsigona Meyr ” | “ Lectotype ” ( NHMUK); ♀, paralectotype of blapsigona “Coimbatore, S. India, TBF., bred, 1.8.15” | “ Phthorimaea blapsigona Meyrick , 6/5, E. Meyrick det., in Meyrick Coll” | “ Paralectotype ” ( NHMUK). ♂, India, Coimbatore (gen. slide B.M. 23720) ( NHMUK).

Holotype of asiri ♂, [ Saudi Arabia] “SW-Arabien, Asirgebirge , 2000 m, Wadi Marah, 81 km S Biljurshi , 24.iv.1979, H.G. Amsel ” |“Am. 5775” |“ Scrobipalpa asiri Povolný ” ( SMNK) . Paratypes: ♂, same data, but 26/ 27. iv.1979 (gen. slide Am. 5777) ; 2 ♀, same data, but 29.iv–2.v.1979 (gen. slide Am. 5759; gen. slide Am. 5760) ( SMNK) .

Material examined. South Africa: 1 ♀, Pretoria, Transvaal. 13.vi.1917, CJS, Phthorimaea concreta 3/3, Meyr., E. Meyrick det., in Meyrick coll., Genitalia slide ♂, B.M. 23714 ( NHMUK) ; 1 ♀, Pretoria , 29.ii.‘18 (Janse) (5482) ; 1 ♀, Pret. North , 26.ii.1917 (Swierstra) ; 1 ♂, New Hanover, Hardenb. , viii.‘12 (Janse) (gen. slide 3754) ; 2 ♀, Umkomaas , 6,19.i.‘14 (Janse) ; 1 ♀, Umtali , 12.i.18 (Janse) ; 1 ♀, Prt. St. John, x.1915 (Swinny) ; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Grahamstown, 33.19S 26.32E, Reared ex. Solanum coccineum , fruit, PEH 203, 11.iii.1987, coll. T. Olckers / AcRh 572 (gen. slide 255/ 12♂; 256/ 12♀; 115/ 17♂, O. Bidzilya) ; 1 ♀, Grahamstown , March 1939 (Omer-Cooper) ; 1 ♂, Louis Trichardt , 4–8.iv.1955 (Vari) (gen. slide 87/17, O. Bidzilya) ; 1 ♂, Malta, Ptbg. , Feb. 1915 (van Son) ; 1 ♀, Zoutpan, Pta , 4–10.ii.1929 (van Son) ; 1 ♀, Van Niekerk Hotel nr. Gawai Bridge , 28–29.iv.1954 (Janse) (gen. slide 124/17, O. Bidzilya) ; 1 ♀, Transkei Dwesa Forest Camp, 32.17S — 28.50E | 15.xii.1979; E-Y: 1685, to kerosene lamp (Endrödy-Yonga) ; 1 ♀, Reeston, C.P., 20.ii.1952 (Dikson); 1 ♀, Port Elizabeth , 17.viii.1949 (Dikson) ; 1 ♀, Woodbush , 1670 m, 2.i.1925 (Janse) ; 1 ♂, Barberton , 14–18.x.1951 (Janse) ; 1 ♂, Cape Prov., Kogelberg , Spinnekopneskloof | SE 34 19 BD, 28.iii.1981 (Kroon) (gen. slide 98/17, O. Bidzilya) (all TMSA) ; 1 ♂, 2613, Bakgalta, Sebele , RE Roome, 11.xi.1969, Bl Trap (B.M. gen. slide No. 34183) ; 1 ♂, same data, but 15.viii.1969, BL Trap ( NHMUK) ; Western Cape, 14 km W Gouritsmond, Gourikwa (sea level), 34˚23’28”S, 21˚44’05”E, 1-3.xii.2016 (Aarvik, Larsen, Kingston) ( NHMO) . Mozambique: 1 ♀, Magude , xii.1910 (Swierstra) (gen. slide 88/ 17♀, O. Bidzilya) ; 1 ♂, Bela Vista , xi.1916 (Swierstra) (gen. slide 5821) ( TMSA) . Kenya: 1 ♂, Rift Valley, L. Bogoria , 3000ft., 19.ii.1999 (Agassiz) ( DA) . 1 ♀, Tanzania: Tanga, Amani , 5˚6’2”S, 38˚39’10”E, 1500ft, 27.iv.2001 (Agassiz) (gen. slide 118/17, O. Bidzilya) ; 1 ♀, Tanzania, Morogoro distr. & Town: Kihonda 500 m, 16.iv.1993 (Aarvik) (gen. slide 2323, O. Bidzilya) ; 1 ♀, same data but 26.v.1993 ; 1 ♂, same data but 550-600 m, 5.iii.1992 (all NHMO) . 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Ethiopia: Bahar Dar , xi.1969 (Sckäuffele) (gen. slide 207/ 18♀, 209/ 18♂, 127/ 21♀, O. Bidzilya) ( SMNS) . Sudan: 1 ♂, Wad. Medani, W Ciwhano , March 1943, bred from buds of eggplant (gen. slide 23708) ; 1 ♂, Sudan, Ed Damer, Hudeiba , 16.ii.1962 (Remane) (gen. slide 23719) ; 2 ♀, same data but 15.iii.1962 (gen. slide 23710, 23718) . Benin: 1 ♀, Atlantique, Coptonou, Institute for Tropical Agricultural Research , on campus, ex flower bugs of Solanum macrocarpum , viii.2015 (Goergen) (gen. slide MIC 7580) (BOLD:AAZ2298) ; 3 ♂, same data as for proceeding, ex flower buds of Solanum aethiopicum (all CNC) . Mauritius: 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Pte aux Piments , 16.iv.1998, ex Solanum melongena flowers (Ganeshan) (all NHMUK) . India: 1 ♂, South India, Coimbatore , boring brinjal, bred, Ranmakrishna 001, 31.vii.1915 (BM. Genitalia slide 34177) ( NHMUK) .

Diagnosis. Scrobipalpa concreta is a medium sized species with a light yellowish-grey forewing mottled with brown and with light brown markings in the cell and fold. The species is rather variable in both wing size and the degree of expression of brown pattern elements. Some specimens with weaker developed brown irroration (including holotype) resemble S. incola , but the latter is usually larger (wingspan to 25 mm). Specimens with distinct brown or light grey suffusion can be confused with specimens of S. subroseata that have reduced grey pattern. The smallest specimens with a wingspan of 12–14 mm are similar to those of S. obsoletella and S. typica sp. nov., but the latter is usually darker with distinct black markings. Specimens with a reduced brown pattern are indistinguishable from S. diversa . The male genitalia are characterized by an elongated sacculus in combination with a straight, digitate, apically-narrowed vincular process, short and broad saccus (not or only slightly extending beyond the top of the pedunculus), and the phallus pointed distally and weakly bent before its apex with a long caecum (1/2 length of phallus). Scrobipalpa subroseata shares with S. concreta most of these characters, except it has a slender and longer saccus and a narrower sacculus. In the female genitalia, the digitate, comparatively narrow, anteriorly broadly separated lobes of the ventromedial depression, in combination with a broad segment VIII, a large corpus bursae, and a long signum, are characteristic. Scrobipalpa diversa differs in having shorter apophyses anteriores that are as long as segment VIII (twice the length of segment VIII in S. concreta ). For the differences from S. turiensis sp. nov., see the diagnosis of the latter species.

Adult ( Figs 17–28 ). Wingspan 12–18 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae yellow to light brown, some specimens with brown-tipped scales at base of tegulae and in middle of head forming medial line; labial palpus upcurved, maize-yellow, palpomere 2 with light brown basal and indistinct subapical ring, inner and upper surface yellowish white, palpomere 3 about 2/3 length and 1/3–1/2 width of palpomere 2, acute, yellowish brown with narrow basal and subapical rings; scape light brown, weakly darker than head, flagellomeres light brown with yellow rings; forewing ground concolorous with head and thorax, 3–4 light brown spots along longitudinal axis, brown spot confluent with spot in fold, diffuse brown pattern at base of costal margin, subcostal area and veins mottled with brown; some specimens densely suffused with greyish brown, giving a uniformly dark appearance with a weakly developed white tornal and dorsal spot at 3/4, cilia yellowish grey, brown-tipped; hindwing and cilia off-white to light grey.

Male genitalia ( Figs 99–105 ). Uncus comparatively wide, subtriangular, narrowed in posterior 1/4–1/3, apex weakly rounded; gnathos short, slender, weakly curved; culcitula well developed; tegumen about 2.5 times longer than wide, anterior margin with triangular emargination extending to about 1/3 length of tegumen, with gradual transition to uncus; valva slender, evenly curved, weakly narrowed in middle, apex rounded, extending to top of uncus; sacculus 1/3 length of valva, with broad gap to valva, situated close to vincular process, broad at base, then narrowed towards pointed and inward-curved tip; vincular process slender, digitate, narrowed apically, as long as or slightly shorter than sacculus, separated by U-shaped incision; vinculum narrow; saccus short and broad, parallel-sided or weakly constricted, apex truncate, extending to or slightly beyond top of pedunculus; phallus as long as valva, caecum weakly inflated, about 1/2 length of phallus, distal portion bent before apex on one side, apex pointed, apical hook distinct, down-curved.

Female genitalia ( Figs 161–167 ). Papillae anales ovate, rarely covered with setae, apophyses posteriores twice length of apophyses anteriores; segment VIII twice longer than broad, anterior margin weakly invaginated, subgenital plates large, unmodified; lobes of ventromedial depression digitate, narrow, densely covered with foam sculpture, broadly separated anteriorly and nearly joined posteriorly; apophyses anteriores 1.5 times as long as segment VIII, broadened at base; ductus bursae membranous, uniform in width, colliculum moderately long; corpus bursae large, as long as ductus bursae, egg-shaped, conspicuously differentiated from ductus bursae; hook of signum long, gradually curved, weakly serrated in middle, pointed, situated at 1/4 on right side of corpus bursae.

Biology. Based on label data, adults have been reared from the fruit of Solanum coccineum (Solanaceae) in South Africa, buds of egg-plant in Sudan, from flowers of egg-plant in Mauritius and from flower bugs of Solanum macrocarpum and S. aethiopicum in Benin. Specimens from India were bred from “brinjal”— Solanum melongena L. Adults have been record from November to March, June and August in Africa, and late April at an altitude of 2000 m in Saudi Arabia.

Distribution. India, Mauritius (first record), Ghana ( Duodu 1985; Owusu-Ansah et al. 2001), DR Congo ( Meyrick 1938), Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia (first record), Sudan (first record), Kenya (first record), Tanzania (first record), Mozambique (first record), South Africa.

Remarks. Phthorimaea concreta was described from three specimens collected in Pretoria and Pinetown ( Meyrick 1914: 191). The female from Pretoria was illustrated by Janse (1951, pl. 91, fig. 7) as the “type,” and that action is considered as a valid lectotype designation. Phthorimaea blapsigona was described from four specimens from southern India, Coimbatore. The lectotype was designated by Clarke (1969: 147, figs 2–2b). My examination of type specimens of S. blapsigona indicates their conspecificity with S. concreta based on both external and genitalia characters. Hence, the following synonymy is proposed: Scrobipalpa blapsigona ( Meyrick, 1916) syn. nov. of Scrobipalpa concreta ( Meyrick, 1914) .

Scrobipalpa asiri was described from the male holotype and three paratypes (1 male, 2 females) from the Asir Mountain in SW Saudi Arabia ( Povolný 1980: 247) (SMNK). These specimens are similar superficially and in genitalia to specimens from Ethiopia, Tanzania and South Africa identified as S. concreta , including the holotype of the latter. Hence, the following synonymy is proposed: Scrobipalpa asiri Povolný, 1980 syn. nov. of Scrobipalpa concreta ( Meyrick, 1914) .

Figures

FIGURES 11–20. Scrobipalpa spp., adults. 11–14. S. wieseri sp. nov. 11. South Africa, Bakgalta, HT, male (gen. slide 131/21, OB). 12. South Africa, PT, Bakgalta, male (gen. slide B.M. No. 34184). 13. Namibia, Windhoek, PT, female. 14. Namibia, Windhoek, PT, male. 15, 16. S. turiensis sp. nov., Kenya, Turi. 15. HT, male (DJLA slide No. 1519 = gen. slide 281/14, OB). 16. PT, female (gen. slide 117/17, OB). 17–20. S. concreta, South Africa 17. HT, female (gen. slide 11018). 18. W Cape, Gourikwa, male. 19. Grahamstown, male. 20. Louis Trichardt, male (gen. slide 87/17, OB). Sale bar = wingspan.

FIGURES 21–30. Scrobipalpa spp., adults. 21–28. S. concreta. 21. Tanzania, Morogoro Town, female. 22. Tanzania, Morogoro Town, male. 23. India, Coimbatore, LT of blapsigona, male (gen. slide J.F.G.C. 8311). 24. Sudan, Ed Damer, female (gen. slide B.M. No. 23710). 25. Saudia Arabia, Wadi Marah, HT of asiri, male (gen. slide Am. 5775, D. Povolný). 26. Saudi Arabia, Wadi Marah, female (gen. slide Am. 5760, D. Povolný). 27. Ethiopia, Bahar Dar, female (gen. slide 207/18, OB). 28. Ethiopia, Bahar Dar, male (gen. slide 209/18, OB). 29, 30. S. subroseata. 29. Uganda, Kampala, HT, male (gen. slide J.F.G.C. 8318). 30. Kenya, Turi, female (gen. slide DJLA 1351). Scale bar = wingspan.

FIGURES 96–101. Scrobipalpa spp., male genitalia. 96, 97. S. wieseri sp. nov. 96. South Africa, Bakgalta, HT (gen. slide 131/21, OB). 97. Windhoek, PT (gen. slide 115/12, OB). 98. S. turiensis sp. nov., Kenya, Turi, HT (gen. slide 281/14, OB). 99–101. S. concreta. 99. South Africa, Grahamstown (gen. slide 255/12, OB). 100. South Africa, Louis Trichardt (gen. slide 87/17, OB). 101. Saudi Arabia, Asirgebirge, PT of asiri (gen. slide Am. 5777).

FIGURES 102–110. Scrobipalpa spp., male genitalia. 102–105. S. concreta. 102. Ethiopia, Bahar Dar (gen. slide 209/18, OB). 103. South Africa, Grahamstown (gen. slide 115/17, OB). 104. South Africa, Pretoria, PLT of concreta (gen. slide B.M. No. 3715). 105. India (gen. slide B.M. No. 23720). 106–108. S. subroseata. 106. Uganda, Kampala, HT (gen. slide J.F.G.C. 8318). 107. Kenya, Turi (DJLA slide No. 1462). 108. Kenya, Turi (DJLA slide No. 1423). 109, 110. S. biljurshi, 109. Saudi Arabia, Asirgebirge, HT (gen. slide 177/15, OB). 110. Ethiopia, Addis-Abeba (gen. slide 190/07, OB).

FIGURES 160, 161. Scrobipalpa spp., female genitalia. 160. S. turiensis sp. nov., Kenya, Turi, PT (gen. slide 117/17, OB). 161. S. concreta, South Africa, Pretoria, HT (gen. slide 11018).

FIGURES 162–164. Scrobipalpa concreta, female genitalia. 162. Mozambique, Magude (gen. slide 88/17, OB). 163. South Africa, Grahamstown (gen. slide 256/12, OB). 164. Sudan, Sudan, Ed Damer (gen. slide B.M. No. 23718).

FIGURES 165–167. Scrobipalpa concreta, female genitalia. 165. Tanzania, Morogoro Town (gen. slide 2323, OB). 166, 167. Ethiopia, Bahar Dar. 166. Gen. slide 207/18, OB. 167. Gen. slide 127/21, OB.