Phyllocnistis elongata 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 : 202-203

Phyllocnistis elongata Cerdeña & Farfán , n. sp.

( Figs. 1 C, D , 2. C, D , 3. D–F )

Type locality. Peru, Tacna, Tarata [17º29’S; 70º02’W], 2900 m .

Type material: Holotype ♂: Peru, Tacna, Tarata, 2900m, 17°29’32”S / 70°02’42”W, vii.2021, J. Cerdeña & J. Farfán [leg.], reared from pupae collected on Baccharis latifolia (Asteraceae) , deposited in MUSM; Paratypes (5 ♂, 4 ♀): 4♂ and 4♀: same data as holotype, deposited in MUSA; 1♂: Peru, Tacna, Candarave, 2980 m, 17°19’15”S / 70°14’52”W, vii.2021, J. Cerdeña & J. Farfán [leg.], reared from pupae collected on Baccharis latifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. (Asteraceae) , deposited in MUSA.

Other material. Immature stages preserved in 70% ethanol, all deposited in MUSA: 10 pupae: same data as holotype; 03 pupae: Peru, Tacna, Candarave , 2980m, 17°19’15”S / 70°14’52”W, ix.2020, J. Cerdeña & J. Farfán [leg.]; 05 pupae: Peru, Tacna, Candarave, 2960, 17°19’19”S / 70°11’38”W, ix.2020, J. Cerdeña & J. Farfán [leg.] .

Diagnosis. Adults of P. elongata n. sp. can be easily distinguished from all other known species of Neotropical Phyllocnistis in the forewing pattern by the light-brown color on the inner margin below the longitudinal fascia that bears two equidistant brown spots. The male genitalia of P. elongata n. sp. is remarkably similar to that of P. furcata . However, the two species can be accurately separated based on the female genitalia, as P. elongata n. sp. lacks the two small irregular signa that are present in P. furcata .

Description. MALE ( Figs. 1. C, D ): Forewing length (including fringes) 4.12–4.58 mm (N = 6). Head: Vestiture silvery brown. Antennae light brown, becoming dark towards apex, approximately equal to forewing in length. Labial palpus slender, covered with light grey scales. Proboscis without scales.

Thorax: Forewing ground color silvery white with light brown area below longitudinal fascia bearing two equidistant, brown spots. One light orange longitudinal (lf) and four transverse (tf) fasciae; lf bordered by dark brown scales, extending 2/3 length of wing from base of costa and connected with tf1 apically; tf1 does not reach the inner margin, restricted between the costal margin and lf; tf2 connected to lf+tf1, lightly 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 varies from orange to light brown. Hindwings and legs light grey.

Abdomen: dark grey covered with silvery 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 scales.

Genitalia ( Figs. 2. C, D ): Uncus absent. Tegumen membranous, approximately equal to valva in length, with spines arranged laterally from the base to the medial region. Saccus U-shaped, well developed, ~ 0.6× the size of valva. Valvae digitiform and slightly convergent from the base to the apex, that bears a small spine. Phallus slender, with a slightly convex apex, weakly sclerotized, slightly longer than valva; cornuti absent. FEMALE: Forewing length (including fringes) 3.80 – 4.32 mm (N = 4). Color and pattern similar to that of male.

Genitalia ( Figs. 3. D, E, F ): Papillae anales slightly sclerotized, covered with hair-like setae. Posterior apophyses ~ 2× length of anterior apophyses. Ostium bursae at the posterior part of sternum VII. Ductus bursae completely membranous, slender, elongate, over 6.0× 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 large flattened spines projecting from one side, varying from acute to rounded. Ductus seminalis membranous, narrow, inserted in base of corpus bursae.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the feminine of the Latin participle “elongatus”, meaning ‘prolonged’ or ‘elongated’, and is in reference to the elongate wings of this species, reaching up to 4.58 mm of forewing length, one of the longest wings among Neotropical Phyllocnistis .

Distribution. Phyllocnistis elongata n. sp. is known from the western slopes of the Andes in the Tacna Department, Peru. This species is recorded from two river basins: Locumba, and Sama, between 2,800 and 3,000 m elevation. ( Figure 4 ).

Host plant. Baccharis latifolia (Asteraceae) , as described for P. canta n. sp.

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.