Phyllocnistis canta Cerdeña & Farfán, 2022

Cerdeña, José, Farfán, Jackie, Vargas, Héctor A., Huanca-Mamani, Wilson, Gonçalves, Gislene L. & Moreira, Gilson R. P., 2022, A contribution to the knowledge of leaf-mining Phyllocnistis Zeller, 1848 associated with Baccharis (Asteraceae), with description of two new species from Peru (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Zootaxa 5104 (2), pp. 196-208 : 198-200

Phyllocnistis canta Cerdeña & Farfán , n. sp.

( Figs. 1 A, B , 2. A, B , 3. A–C )

Type locality. Peru, Lima, Canta [11º28’S; 76º38’W], 2450 m .

Type material: Holotype ♂: Peru, Lima, Canta, 2450 m, 11°28’48”S / 76°38’13”W, ix.2020, J. Cerdeña & J. Farfán [leg.], reared from pupae collected on Baccharis latifolia (Asteraceae) ; deposited in MUSM;

Paratypes (3♂, 2♀): 1♂ and 1♀: Peru, Lima, Matucana , 2300 m, 11°51’11”S / 76°24’0.88”W, ix.2020, J. Cerdeña & J. Farfán [leg.], reared from pupae collected on Baccharis latifolia (Asteraceae), deposited in MUSA ; 2♂ and 1♀: Peru, Lima, Yauyos , 2900m, 12°20’09”S / 75°49’30”W, vi.2020, J. Cerdeña & J. Farfán [leg.], reared from pupae collected on Baccharis latifolia (Asteraceae), deposited in MUSA .

Other material. Immature stages preserved in 70% ethanol, all deposited in MUSA: 12 pupae: Peru, Lima, Canta , 2450m, 11°28’48”S / 76°38’13”W, ix.2020, J. Cerdeña & J. Farfán [leg.]; 07 pupae: Peru, Lima, Matucana, 2300m, 11°51’11”S / 76°24’0.88”W, ix.2020, J. Cerdeña & J. Farfán [leg.]; 06 pupae: Peru, Lima, Yauyos, 2900m, 12°20’09”S / 75°49’30”W, vi.2020, J. Cerdeña & J. Farfán [leg.] .

Diagnosis. Adults of P. canta n. sp. can be distinguished from all other known species of Neotropical Phyllocnistis in the forewing pattern by a combination of the following characters: ground color silver with light-brown color on inner margin below the longitudinal fascia; four distinct transverse fasciae; transverse fascia 1 reduced to the costal margin and fused to the longitudinal fascia, both connected to transverse fascia 2; transverse fascia 3 reaching the inner margin of the wing. This species can still be recognized by robust male genitalia and an invagination in the middle of arch of the tegumen. The female abdomen is diagnostic by a large expansion of VIII abdominal tergum. P. canta n. sp. is similar to P. furcata in wing size and fasciae patterns. However, in P. furcata the inner margin of the wing below the longitudinal fascia is silver, while in P. canta n. sp. it is light brown.

Description. MALE ( Figs. 1. A, B ): Forewing length (including fringes) 3.10 – 3.33 mm (N = 4).

Head: Vestiture silvery light brown. Antennae brown, becoming dark towards apex; approximately equal to length of forewing. Labial palpus slender, covered with light grey scales. Proboscis without scales.

Thorax: Forewing ground color silvery white with a light brown area close to the inner margin below light orange longitudinal fascia (lf). Also, four transverse (tf) fasciae; lf bordered by dark brown scales, extending 2/3 length of wing from base of costa and connected to tf1 apically; tf1 does not reach the inner margin, restricted between the costal margin and lf; tf2 connected to lf+tf1, slightly convex, crossing the wing entirely; tf3 separate from tf2, reaching the inner margin; tf4 separate from tf3, crossing the wing entirely. Apex of forewing with a well-marked black spot. Three costal strigulae light orange, emerging from the base of tf2, tf3 and tf4. Four apical strigulae dark brown, emerging from black spot. Inner marginal fringe varying from orange to dark brown. Hind wings and legs light grey.

Abdomen: generally dark grey, covered with silvery pale, brown scales. Two pairs of coremata present laterally on segment VIII; one pair consisting of a set of flat, long scales and the other formed by wide rounded flat ones. Genitalia ( Figs. 2 A, B ): Uncus absent. Tegumen membranous, approximately equal to length of the valva, with spines arranged laterally from the base to the medial region, and with a conspicuous invagination in the middle of the arch. Saccus U-shaped, well developed, ~ 0.5× the size of valva. Valvae digitiform and slightly convergent from the base to the apex, which bears a small spine. Phallus wider in the proximal part and with a slightly convex apex, weakly sclerotized, slightly longer than valva; cornuti absent. FEMALE: Forewing length (including fringes) 3.30 – 3.41 mm (N = 2). Color and pattern similar to that of male. Tergum of VIII abdominal segment with large, medium distal expansion.

Genitalia ( Figs. 3 A, B, C ): Papillae anales slightly sclerotized, covered with hair-like setae. Posterior apophyses ~ 2× length of anterior apophyses. Ostium bursae posterior to sternum VII. Ductus bursae completely membranous, slender, elongate, over 7.0× length of papillae anales. Corpus bursae slightly elongated, ~ 0.2× length of ductus bursae, mainly membranous.A prominent signum on base of corpus bursae, with two short, acute to rounded, flattened externally projected spines. Ductus seminalis membranous, narrow, inserted in base of corpus bursae.

Etymology. The specific epithet is based on the type locality of Canta (Lima, Peru) where this new species was found. A feminine noun.

Distribution. Phyllocnistis canta n. sp. is known from the western slopes of the Andes in Department Lima, Peru. This species was recorded from three river basins: Chillón, Ríma, and Cañete, between 2,000 and 3,000 m elevation. ( Fig. 4 ).

Host plant. Baccharis latifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. (Asteraceae) , which is a shrub 1 to 2 m in height, widely distributed in South America; it is abundant in Peru, where it grows mainly on riverbanks between 1,000 and 4,000 m elevation ( Beltrán 2016; Vilcapoma & Beltrán 2018).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Adults of Phyllocnistis canta n. sp. (A–B), Phyllocnistis elongata n. sp. (C–D) and Phyllocnistis furcata Vargas & Cerdeña (E–F). (A, C, E) dorsal view, (B, D, F) detail of right forewing. Scale bars: 2 mm (A, C, D, E), 1 mm (B, F).

FIGURE 2. Male genitalia of Phyllocnistis canta n. sp. (A–B), Phyllocnistis elongata n. sp. (C–D) and Phyllocnistis furcata Vargas & Cerdeña (E–F), under light microscopy. (A, C, E) ventral view, (B, D, F) aedeagus, lateral view. Arrow indicates invagination in the middle of tegumen arch (A). Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A, C, E), 0.1 mm (B, D, F).

FIGURE 3. Female genitalia of Phyllocnistis canta n. sp. (A–C), Phyllocnistis elongata n. sp. (D–F) and Phyllocnistis furcata Vargas & Cerdeña (G-I) under light microscopy. (A, D, G) lateral view, (B, E, H) last abdominal tergum in dorsal view, (C, F, I) corpus bursae in detail. Arrows indicate expansion of VIII abdominal segment (A: also marked with asterisk in B), signum bearing two small spines (C) and additional sclerotized areas bearing micro-spines (I). Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, D, G), 0.2 mm (B, E, H), 0.1 mm (C, F, I).

FIGURE 4. Distribution of Phyllocnistis (Gracillariidae) species associated with Baccharis (Asteraceae) in Peru. (A) Records are for P. canta n. sp. (green circles), P. furcata Vargas & Cerdeña (red circles) and P. elongata n. sp. (yellow circles). (B) and (C) Type localities of P. canta n. sp. (Canta, Lima) and P. elongata n. sp. (Tarata, Tacna), respectively. Baccharis host plants of P. canta n. sp. and P. elongata n. sp. are indicated in both cases by red arrows.