Phyllonorycter rhynchosiae (Vari, 1961)

Prins, Jurate De & Kawahara, Akito Y., 2012, Systematics, revisionary taxonomy, and biodiversity of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Zootaxa 3594 (1), pp. 1-283 : 137

The rhynchosiae group

The rhynchosiae group consists of eight species: P. farensis De Prins & De Prins, 2007 , P. fletcheri De Prins , n. sp., P. gozmanyi De Prins & De Prins, 2007 , P. maererei De Prins , n. sp., P. mwatawalai De Prins , n. sp., P. ocimellus De Prins , n. sp., P. pavoniae ( Vári, 1961) and P. rhynchosiae ( Vári, 1961) .

Wing pattern of the rhynchosiae species group possesses the following white markings: a basal strigula/fascia, median fascia, costal and basal strigulae opposite of each other at 3/4 of forewing, white patch or narrow strigula at apex; basal streak very short or absent with slight diagnostic specific differences: only basal edge of median fascia is angulated in P. gozmanyi , P. pavoniae and P. fletcheri ; median fascia is very narrow and sinuate in P. ocimellus and P. maererei , basal margin of white markings strongly edged with black scales in P. mwatawalai .

Species in the rhynchosiae species group feed on a variety of plants belonging to Fabaceae , Malvaceae and Lamiaceae .

Male genitalia possess projection(s) of different shapes on ventral margin of valva; transtilla well developed, broad, strongly sclerotized, long proximal arms and short distal arms, horizontal bar broad; saccus long, significantly longer than sternum VIII; aedoeagus long, longer than saccus.

The female genitalia contain a large fold-like sterigmatic sclerotization (lamella antevaginalis) and short, sclerotized tubular antrum shortly protruding as sclerotized margins of ostium bursae. Corpus bursae in the rhynchosiae group with a oval signum area covered with fine, short spines and a stellate signum with broad teeth along the margin.