Acria cocophaga, Chen, Fuqiang & Wu, Chunsheng, 2011

Chen, Fuqiang & Wu, Chunsheng, 2011, A new Cocos- eating moth of Acria Stephens, 1834 (Lepidoptera, Peleopodidae) from China, with descriptions of its adult, larva and pupa, Zootaxa 2882, pp. 51-58 : 52-56

Acria cocophaga sp. nov.

Figs. 1–21

Diagnosis. The species is distinguished from other species of this genus by having the forewing with a fuscous patch below the costal concavity, the valva with a bifurcated apex and a finger-like projection from the apical trisection of costa, and the corpus bursae with two signa. It is more similar to A. equibicruris Wang, 2008 than to other species by similar external and genital structures. In A. equibicruris , the male genitalia has the finger-like projection and cornutus absent, the female has signum absent.

Description. Adult ( Figs. 1 –13). External characters. Wing span 3 13–15 mm, Ƥ 14.5–17mm. Frons pale ochreous yellow; base of antenna swollen and covered with pale ochreous yellow scales; labial palpus slender, upturned, second and third segments elongated, most areas pale ochreous yellow, first segment and basal part of second segment black on outer side, third segment with a black ring subterminally. Thorax and abdomen pale ochreous yellow; leg pale yellow, except foreleg black ventrally. Forewing pale ochreous yellow; costa with a blurry fuscous spot subbasally, a fuscous patch below the slight concavity; cilia ochreous yellow at base, black at middle and fuscous at apex. Hindwing grayish yellow. Female similar to male, but darker in color.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 5, 6 , 9–11). Uncus bifid from the basal trisection, apex covered with setae; gnathos lobes oval, with dense small setae dorsally; valva constricted from base to apex, apex bifurcated, transtilla sclerotized, costa of valva with a finger-like projection from the apical trisection; saccus elongated; juxta shield-like; aedeagus expanded at base and slender at apex, sclerotized manica and a row of stout spine-like cornuti present; bulbus ejaculatorius arising from base of aedeagus.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 7, 8 , 12, 13). Papilla analis setose and slender; anterior apophysis about half length of posterior apophysis; ostium bursae sclerotized; antrum twisted, about half length of ductus bursae; ductus bursae as long as corpus bursae; ductus seminalis arising from anterior part of ductus bursae, bulla seminalis round, close to ductus bursae; corpus bursae oval, two signa present at base of corpus bursae, signum sclerotized, plate-like.

Larva ( Figs. 14–19 ). Head. Hypognathous, epicranial suture relatively short; six stemmata, C1 little shorter than C2; S1 and S2 approximate; SS1 and SS2 approximate; F1 at anterior of frons; AF1 and AF2 approximate; A3 longer than other two, A1 centrally located, A2 shortest; P1 longer than P2; mandible with several stout teeth; labrum with five setae on each side externally.

FIGURES 9–13. Genitalia of Acria cocophaga sp. nov. 9–11, male; 12–13, 8, female. Scales: 9–10, 0.5mm; 12, 1mm.

Thorax. Prothorax (T1) shorter than mesothorax (T2) and metathorax (T3); prothoracic shield weakly sclerotized, some secondary setae present in mature larva; D1 shorter than D2; XD1 and XD2 approximate; SD1 slightly longer than SD2; L1 longer than L2 and L3; SV1 longer than SV2. On mesothorax (T2) and metathorax (T3), D1 shorter than D2; SD1 longer than SD2; L1 longer than L2 and L3; SV setae unisetose.

Abdomen. First abdominal segment (A1) with D1 shorter than D2; SD group unisetose; L1 shorter than L2 and L3; SV1 longer than SV2; V group unisetose. Second abdominal segment (A2) similar to A1, except SV group trisetose. Abdominal segments 3–6 (A3–6) similar to A2. Abdominal segment 7 (A7) similar to A1. Abdominal segment 8 (A8) similar to A7, except L group bisetose and SV group unisetose. Abdominal segment 9 (A9) shorter than A1–8; D1 shorter than D2; SD group unisetose; L1 longer than L2; SV and V groups unisetose. On abdominal segment 10 (A10), anal plate weakly sclerotized; D1 short than D2; SD1 shorter than SD2; SV setae from anal proleg. Thoracic legs well developed. Prolegs 5 pairs, from A3–6 and A10, with crochets biserial in anterior penellipse.

Pupa ( Figs. 20–21 ). Ventral view. Frons of head convex; labrum narrow; labial palpus visible, long; proboscis extending to A2; foreleg reaching to middle of A1; midleg reaching to middle of A2; antenna long, reaching to A4.

Dorsal view. Mesothorax broad with two setae on each side externally; metathorax with a seta on each side; hindwing and A1–A8 visible; cremaster somewhat flattened dorsoventrally with a truncate apex.

Material examined. Holotype, 3, CHINA, Hainan, Wenchang, Wenqing Rd., 39m (19.56ºN, 110.78ºE), 2010. XI.12, Li Chaoxu (genital slide no. W10128). Paratypes. 30 3 (genital slide no. W10127, W10131, W10153), 10 ƤƤ (genital slide no. W10129, W10130, W10133, W10154), same data as holotype. 10 larvae and 5 pupae examined. All deposited in IZCAS.

Host plants. Cocos nucifera (Arecaceae) .

Biology notes. The species was found only in greenhouses so far. It feeds on coconut seedlings and takes about 20 days to complete its life cycle. The larvae make a tunnel-like silk shelter on the surface of leaves of the host, and pupate in the shelter when they are mature (pers. comm. from Chaoxu Li).

Distribution. China (Hainan).

Etymology. The specific name refers to the generic name Cocos (Arecaceae) of the food plant.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Adults of Acria cocophaga sp. nov. 1, male (paratype); 2, female (paratype); 3, labial palpus; 4, antenna. Scales: 1 – 2, 1 mm; 3 – 4, 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 5 – 8. Genitalia of Acria cocophaga sp. nov. 5, 6, male; 7, 8, female. Scales: 5 – 6, 0.5 mm; 7, 1 mm.

FIGURES 14 – 18. Larva of Acria cocophaga sp. nov. (head and proleg). 14, head (lateral view); 15, head (anterior view); 16, mandible; 17, labrum; 18, crochets of proleg.

FIGURES 19. Larva of Acria cocophaga sp. nov. (thorax and abdomen). Thorax, T 1 – 3; abdomen, A 1 – 10.

FIGURES 20 – 21. Pupa of Acria cocophaga sp. nov. 13, ventral view; 14, dorsal view.