Phyllocnistis aurilinea Zeller, 1877

Brito, Rosângela, Lopez-Vaamonde, Carlos, Gonçalves, Gislene L., Becker, Vitor O., Mielke, Olaf H. H. & Moreira, Gilson R. P., 2017, Taxonomic revision of Neotropical Phyllocnistis Zeller, 1848 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), with descriptions of seven new species and host plant associations, Zootaxa 4341 (3), pp. 301-352 : 307-308

Phyllocnistis aurilinea Zeller, 1877

Figs. 3B , 4B , 5 , S1; Tab. 2

Phyllocnistis aurilinea ; Zeller 1877: 450, 488. Davis & Miller 1984: 27. De Prins et al. 2016: 34. Phyllocnistis auriinea [sic]; Zeller 1877: 450.

Type material. Phyllocnistis aurilinea Zeller, 1877 was described based on an unknown number of specimens from Bogotá, Colombia. Two syntypes were found in the Zeller and Walsingham collections, at NHMUK; of these, one male ( Fig. 3B ) with the following labels (separated by forward slash symbols, Fig. 4B ) is here designated as lectotype: / Type / Phyllocnistis aurilinea , Bogotá / Abdomen missing / Zeller Coll. Wlsm. Coll. B.M. 1910-427 / 381 / Phyllocnistis aurilinea Zell. Hor. Soc. Ent. Ross. 3p.450 (1877) Type #m / BMNH(E) 1412371 /; other syntype, with no sex specified, with the following labels, is here designated as paralectotype: / el.20/23? / N. / Zeller Coll. Wlsm Coll. B. M. 1910-427. / BMNH(E) 1412357 /. This decision is made for the correct identification of the species. The lectotype has a label with the same locality of the original publication and the following additional labels were attached: / Lectotypus / Lectotypus P. aurilinea Zeller, 1877 Brito 2017 /. In addition, to the paralectotype, the following labels were added: / Paralectotypus / Paralectotypus P. aurilinea Zeller, 1877 Brito 2017 /.

Forewing length. 3.72 mm (n=2).

Diagnosis ( Figs. 3B, S 1; Tab. 2). Dorsal forewing: ground color light gray. lf narrow, lanceolate and convex, with acute apex; formed by yellow scales, longitudinally marked and distally transversally marked with fine dark gray scales; this fascia emerges on the proximal region of the wing (I), where it lined with costal margin and then turning towards the inner margin, ending on distal region of the wing (III). tf1 and tf2 well-marked, both dark gray; tf1 is narrow, connected to lf reaching middle portion of the wing; tf2 v-shaped, crossing entirely the wing, merging to tf1 close to inner margin; on region III, a bright yellow blotch formed by the union of tf3 and tf4. On the central region of this blotch and anterior to the black spot (as), a smaller, rounded, dark brown blotch. Costal and apical strigulae typical. P. aurilinea is similar to P. norak Brito & Lopez-Vaamonde sp. nov., P. kawakitai Brito & Lopez- Vaamonde sp. nov. and P. jupiter Brito & Moreira sp. nov. However, it differs from these species regarding shape of the lf and tf2, different from other species.

Geographical distribution ( Fig. 5 ). Only the two known type specimens have distribution records for Bogotá, Cundinamarca department, Colombia.

Natural history. There is no information available in relation to morphology of immature stages. According to the original description, one immature specimen was found feeding during March.

Host plant(s). Macleania rupestris (Kunth) A. C. Sm. (Ericaceae) .

Examined material. Lectotype and one paralectotype.

Remarks. The genitalic morphology was not examined due to the existence of only two specimens, deposited at the NHMUK.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Forewings of Neotropical Phyllocnistis. (A) P. abatiae holotype (left forewing reversed); (B) P. aurilinea lectotype (left, reversed); (C) P. baccharidis holotype (left, reversed); (D) P. bourquini holotype (right); (E) P. citrella lectotype (left, reversed); (F) P. dorcas holotype (right); (G) P. drimiphaga holotype (right); (H) P. helios holotype (right); (I) P. jupiter paratype (left, reversed); (J) P. kawakitai holotype (left, reversed); (K) P. maxberryi holotype (right); (L) P. meliacella holotype (right); (M) P. norak holotype (right); (N) P. ohshimai holotype (right); (O) P. ourea paratype (right); (P) P. perseafolia holotype (left, reversed); (Q) P. petronellii paratype (right); (R) P. phoebus paratype (left, reversed); (S) P. puyehuensis holotype (right); (T) P. rotans lectotype (right); (U) P. sciophanta holotype (left, reversed); (V) P. selene specimen (left, reversed); (W) P. sexangula lectotype (left, reversed); (X) P. tethys specimen (right); (Y) P. tropaeolicola holotype (right); (Z) P. wygodzinskyi holotype (left, reversed); (AA) P. xylopiella holotype (right). Scale bars: 1 (A – H, K, L, O, P, R – Z), 0.5 mm (I, J, M, N, Q, AA).

FIGURE 4. Labels of Neotropical Phyllocnistis types found in museums. (A) P. abatiae; (B) P. aurilinea; (C) P. baccharidis; (D) P. bourquini; (E) P. citrella; (F) P. dorcas; (G) P. drimiphaga; (H) P. helios; (I) P. jupiter; (J) P. kawakitai; (K) P. maxberryi; (L) P. meliacella; (M) P. norak; (N) P. ohshimai; (O) P. ourea; (P) P. perseafolia; (Q) P. petronellii; (R) P. phoebus; (S) P. puyehuensis; (T) P. rotans; (U) P. sciophanta; (V) P. selene; (W) P. sexangula; (X) P. tethys; (Y) P. tropaeolicola; (Z) P. wygodzinskyi; (AA) P. xylopiella.

FIGURE 5. Geographical distribution of Phyllocnistis species endemic to the Neotropical region.