Phthoropoaea chalcomochla, Agassiz, 2011

Agassiz, David J. L., 2011, The Lepidoptera of Acacia domatia in Kenya, with description of two new genera and six new species, Journal of Natural History 45 (29 - 30), pp. 1867-1893 : 1876-1878

Phthoropoaea chalcomochla sp. nov.

Description of adult ( Figure 3A )

Wingspan 18–23 mm. Head ochreous, anterior fulvous, labial palpus clothed with dense dark grey scales, drooping; flagellum dull pale fuscous, with some dark segments in basal third, scape mixed dark grey and ochreous. Thorax whitish, tegulae grey. Fore wing white, veins outlined in black, a narrow brassy streak in fold, a broad brass bar in middle of wing from near base to before middle, blackish spots just above dorsum and two-fifths and three-fifths of its length; terminal cilia pale straw, becoming darker at tips, shaped to make termen falcate. Hind wing grey, cilia very pale fuscous. Abdomen straw-coloured.

The species was illustrated by Robinson (2009), who placed it in the genus Phthoropoea .

This species differs from other species in the genus by its large size, and distinctive fore wing pattern as described above.

Male genitalia ( Figure 4 ). Uncus formed into two lobes (socii); saccus very large and long, valva curved; sacculus comprising two pointed processes with spined hump near base. Aedeagus long, widened near base, apex turned into a hook.

Female genitalia ( Figure 5 ). Ovipositor very long and narrow, ostium aperture almost square, antrum tapering, bursae weak, narrow and membranous, without signum.

Life history

The long, pointed ovipositor suggests that the egg may be laid within a domatium. Larva lives in a white silken tube within a domatium of Acer drepanolobium ( Figure 1C ). It is not known whether other habitats are sometimes chosen, or whether the larva feeds on the plant tissue or on detritus within the domatium. Before pupation, a circular “trapdoor” is made to facilitate emergence through the wall of the domatium.

Derivation

The name is formed from two Greek words: ΧαΛΚ ó ς (chalcos) meaning brass and µo ΧΛ ó ς (mochlos) meaning a bar, from the marking on the fore wing.

Distribution

Kenya, Tanzania.

Material examined

Holotype ♂ KENYA: Central | 10 Km S of Naro Moru | 2060 m 0 ◦ 16 Ɩ 53 ƖƖS | 37 ◦ 0 Ɩ 39 ƖƖE | (larva) l. in domatium of| A. drepanolobium | (emerged) em. 5.xii.2009 | D.J.L. Agassiz; paratypes same locality ♂ em. 23.xii.2009, ♀♀ em. 28.xii.2009 and 25.i.2010, all to be deposited in NMK, paratypes: same locality ♂♂ em. 25.xi.2009 and 25.i.2010, ♀ em. 5.xii.2009 DJLA slide No. 1211( DJLA).

Also same data, ♂ (deformed) em. 8.xii.2009 DJLA slide No. 1210; ♀♀ KENYA: Rift Valley | Mpala ranch 1800 m | 0 ◦ 17 Ɩ N 36 ◦ 52 Ɩ E| in domatium of | A. drepanolonium | em. 15.xi.2009 and (2) em. 8.i.2010, 1 ♂ (deformed) same locality em. vi.2010 | Agassiz, Kioko, Mugambi & Ngugi ( DJLA); 1 ♂1 ♂ Kenya : Nairobi 28.ii.1973 | CIE A6574, ♂ BM Genitalia slide 16529; Kenya: Rift Valley | Gilgil 2100 m 0 ◦ 29 Ɩ S 36 ◦ 22 Ɩ E, 1.v.2005 |D.J.L. Agassiz; 3 ♂♂ Kenya : Naro Moru 1960 m | 0 ◦ 9 Ɩ 5 ƖƖ S 37 ◦ 0 Ɩ 40 ƖƖ E | 1.xii.2008 D. Agassiz, L. Aarvik & A.J. Kingston; Kenya: Rift Valley | Gilgil 2100 m 0 ◦ 29 Ɩ S 36 ◦ 22 Ɩ E, 23.xi.2008 D. Agassiz, L. Aarvik & A.J. Kingston; 2 ♀♀ Kenya : Lewa 2070 m 0 ◦ 8 Ɩ 24 ƖƖ N 37 ◦ 27 Ɩ 28 ƖƖ E| 28.xi.2008; 1 ♀ Tanzania : Arusha collected 23.i.1961 em. 20.ii.1961 B. Hocking ( BMNH) .

Figures

Figure 1. (A) Acacia drepanolobium showing the domatia; (B) domatium of A. drepanolobium showing “shields” protecting larvae from ants; (C) domatium of A. drepanolobium with larvae of Endotera nodi and silken tube made by Phthoropoea chalcomochla; (D) Larva of Hystrichophora vittana; (E) domatium of A. zanzibarica with frass exuded by Hystrichophora bopprei.

Figure 3. (A) Phthoropoea chalcomochla; (B) Endotera nodi; (C) Kenyatta iodes; (D) Hystrichophora vittana; (E) Hystrichophora bopprei; (F) Hystrichophora griseana;

Figure 4. Male genitalia of Phthoropoea chalcomochla, aedeagus on right.

Figure 5. Female genitalia of Phthoropoea chalcomochla.