Zamagiria laidion ( Zeller, 1881 )

Martinez, Jose I., Crane, Jonathan H., Wasielewski, Jeff, Miller, Jacqueline Y. & Carrillo, Daniel, 2019, Lepidoptera pests of sapodilla (Manilkara zapota (L.) van Royen) in south Florida, with some comments on life history and natural control, Insecta Mundi 739 (739), pp. 1-26 : 10-11

Zamagiria laidion ( Zeller, 1881)

Myelois laidion Zeller, 1881

Zamagiria deia Dyar, 1919

Zamagiria striella Dyar, 1919

Zeller (1881) described Zamagiria laidion based on a specimen captured by Petersen from Colombia and deposited in the BMNH.

Description. Egg. Whitish-green and flat changing to grayish green just before hatching. Larva. First and second instar grayish-green with dark lines throughout the body. Third to fifth instar variable in color; yellowish-green, reddish-brown or brownish-black; the latter color form with grayish mid dorsal line; the head mottled with white dots. Mature larva length, 9.5–11.1 mm ( Fig. 1D ). Pre-pupa. Paler and wider than the last instar. Pupa. Greenish-brown and changing to dark-brown before emergence. Adult. Sexually dimorphic, males are larger than females. Wing expanse: males 20.2–22.9 mm, females 18.2–20.5 mm. Wings. Forewings elongated, very narrow posterad and gently extended without a sharp tip. Dorsal surface: whitish-gray basally; costal margin mottled with scattered gray scales; two darkbrown transverse curved lines, which are serrated distally (First on postdiscal area and the second on discal area); fold with rough scales from the inner edge to ¾ of the wing width; yellow patch between two dark-brown transverse curved lines; two long dark black bands with a brown patch inside them equidistant from the two transverse lines; whitish line in inner margin along with brown shadows; outer margin with dark line and small square dots; fringe pale brownish-gray anterad and darker posterad. Hindwings glassy; yellowish shimmer along the costal margin gray; anal margin with scattered brown scales. Ventral surface: both wings pale-gray, forewings darker than hindwings. Head. Antennae: Filiform; length extended to middle of body; male with tuft of scales modified at the base. Vertex: Grayish-brown. Mouthparts: Labial palp marbled in gray and brown; elongated with second segment larger than first and third. Body. Thorax and abdomen: Grayish-brown dorsally and pale whitish-gray ventrally. Legs: Forelegs dark-brown dorsally and pale grayish-brown ventrally; mid-legs and hindlegs uniformly grayish-brown ( Fig. 2D ).

Distribution. Zamagiria laidion has been reported in Neotropical regions especially in Central and South America and some Caribbean Islands ( Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Guana Island, Guatemala, Hispaniola; Panama, Dominican Republic and Venezuela) by Zeller (1881), Rubio-Espina (1968), Marin (1973), Iruegas et al. (2002), Neunzig (2000), Carneiro et al. (2003), Monteiro et al. (2007), Vanegas (2008) and Núñez and Barro (2003). It has also been recorded in the USA (south Florida) by Heppner (2003).

Hosts. Eriobotyra japonica Lindl. (Rosaceae) ; Manilkara jaimiqui ssp. emarginata (L.) Cronquist, M. subsericea (Mart.) Dubard , M. zapota (L.) van Royen, Mimusops elengi L., ( Sapotaceae ) ( Rubio-Espina 1968; Robinson 1999; Iruegas 2002; Carneiro et al. 2003; Monteiro et al. 2007; Vanegas 2008).

Natural history. Adults are nocturnal and were observed mostly during the summer (late August) to fall (early November) in Florida when there was a considerable increase in population. The population decreased in the winter and increased again in early spring (March-April) but spring populations were still smaller than in the summer. The females commonly oviposit on floral buds, mature flowers, leaf buds, and leaves of sapodilla.

The egg hatches after three to four days and immediately the caterpillar begins boring into the flow- ers and leaves, which gives the caterpillar a characteristic coloration depending upon what it feeds on. Individuals that feed on floral parts are reddish green, and those that eat leaf buds are grayish green. The larvae that feed on mature flowers are dark brown with a paler mid-dorsal line and the larvae that feed on leaves are yellowish green. Some larvae stay inside the flower during all development stages (18–24 days) until they reach the pupal stage and others prefer to make a cocoon in the leaves.

The pupal stage is about 19–23 days. The adult life span is seven to nine days feeding only on sugar water. However, we observed some adults feeding on the nectar of sapodilla flowers, but we do not know how this affect the adult life span.

Damage. This species feeds on everything inside the flowers, including sepals and pedicels; these flowers turn reddish green then desiccate and abscise. The entire inflorescence, including leaf buds, is destroyed, with silk tunnels and frass attached to the outside. The larvae also feed on leaves, preferring the new leaves and sometimes eating every part except the midrib.

Management. Some species of parasitic wasps were observed parasitizing Z. laidion including Bracon sp. and Goniozus floridanus (Ashmead) . We also found some adults eaten by Neoscona crucifera (Lucas) . Additionally, some pesticides have been used without a significant result.

Figures

Figure 1. Larvae of Lepidoptera pests of sapodilla. A) Dichrorampha sapodilla Heppner. B) Comotia torsicornis Dyar. C) Holcocera crassicornella Dietz. D) Zamagiria laidion (Zeller). E) Electrostrymon angelia (Hewitson). F) Phidotricha erigens Ragonot. G) Banisia myrsusalis Walker. H) Banisia argutula Whalley. I) Pyroderces badia (Hodges). J) Erinnyis ello (Linnaeus).

Figure 2. Adults of Lepidoptera pests of sapodilla. The unlabeled images in the top half of the figure are to scale, whereas the labeled images in the bottom half of the figure have been resized. A) Dichrorampha sapodilla Heppner. B) Comotia torsicornis Dyar. C) Holcocera crassicornella Dietz. D) Zamagiria laidion (Zeller). E) Pyroderces badia (Hodges). F) Phidotricha erigens Ragonot. G) Banisia myrsusalis Walker. H) Banisia argutula Whalley. I) Electrostrymon angelia (Hewitson). J) Erinnyis ello (Linnaeus).