Neoleucinodes elegantalis ( Guenée, 1854 ), Guenee, 1854

Bernard Landry, 2016, Taxonomic revision of the Spilomelinae (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae s. l.) of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, Revue suisse de Zoologie 123 (2), pp. 315-399 : 357

Neoleucinodes elegantalis ( Guenée, 1854)

Figs 37 , 115 , 161

Leucinodes elegantalis Guenée, 1854: 222 .

Neoleucinodes elegantalis (Guenée) : Causton et al., 2006: 141.

‒ Roque-Albelo & Landry, 2015.

Material examined: 1 ♀ from the Galápagos Islands: – Santa Cruz: Academy Bay. Deposited in BMNH.

Diagnosis: The mostly hyaline white wings with dark brown patches terminally toward apex and basally, in addition to a mostly rust brown patch medially on dorsum ( Fig. 37 ) will easily separate this species from the other Galápagos Spilomelinae. The forewing length of the single, unspread Galápagos specimen known is 12.5 mm (wingspan about 26 mm), but the species varies in this respect between 8 and 13 mm (see Hayden et al., 2013).

Biology: Known as the Tomato fruit borer, the larva of this species has been recorded to feed on a number of Solanaceae species, but especially in the genus Solanum ( Hayden et al., 2013) . Eggs are preferentially laid on young fruits, 1-3 cm in diameter. Newly hatched larvae immediately start boring into the fruit. Larvae consume seeds and fruit flesh and after five moults exit the fruit to pupate in a rolled leaf edge or among plant debris on the ground ( Hayden et al., 2013). The only specimen recorded from the Galápagos was collected in the littoral or arid zone in August 1969.

Distribution: Based on BMNH specimens (perhaps not all correctly identified), this native Western Hemisphere denizen of the tropical and subtropical regions is found in Trinidad, Mexico, Guatemala, British Guiana, Surinam, Colombia, and Brazil. Hayden et al. (2013) report a wide distribution from Mexico through the Antilles, Central and South America to Peru and Argentina. It is reported from Florida, USA according to Heppner (2003), but it is not present in North America according to Hayden et al. (2013). Only one specimen, collected on Santa Cruz, is known so far from the Galápagos. Academy Bay is where Puerto Ayora is located. This is the touristic hub and most populated area of the archipelago. Neoleucinodes elegantalis likely still occurs there in gardens.

Remarks: The single known Galápagos specimen was determined with Capps (1948) and Hayden et al. (2013). The female holotype from Brazil was not examined. There are other, similar species of this genus on continental South and Central America.

Figures

Figs 33 - 40. Neotropical specimens of Spilomelinae, size not to scale. (33, 34) Marasmia trapezalis. (33) ♂, Galápagos, Isabela, Sierra Negra, 11 km N Puerto Villamil, 9. iv. 2004, MHNG. (34) ♀, Galápagos, Santiago, Central, 700 m, 9. iv. 1992, MHNG. (35) Maruca vitrata ♀, Ecuador, Pichincha, Septimo Paraiso Reserve, ± 1300 m, 10. v. 2002, MHNG. (36) Microthyris anormalis ♀, Galápagos, Isabela, V. Darwin, 300 m, 15. v. 1992, MHNG. (37) Neoleucinodes elegantalis ♂, Guyane française, Rte de Kaw @ pk 37, 271 m, 6. iv. 2008, MHNG. (38, 39) Neoleucinodes galapagensis. (38) ♂ holotype, MHNG. (39) ♀ paratype, Isabela, NE slope Alcedo, ca. 400 m up Los Guayabillos camp, 892 m, 1. iv. 2004, MHNG. (40) Palpita flegia ♂, Galápagos, Santa Cruz, ix-xi. 1970, BMNH ©, the Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London.

Figs 113 - 115. Male genitalia of Neotropical Spilomelinae, a and b from same slides, but not to scale, (a) showing the genitalia without phallus and (b), the phallus. (113) Maruca vitrata: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8995, French Guiana. (114) Microthyris anormalis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 9006, Galápagos, Isabela. (115) Neoleucinodes elegantalis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8693, French Guiana.

Figs 158 - 162. Female genitalia of Neotropical Spilomelinae, not to scale. (158) Marasmia trapezalis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 9026, Galápagos, Santa Cruz (MHNG). (159) Maruca vitrata: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8996, French Guiana. (160) Microthyris anormalis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 9027, Galápagos, Isabela (MHNG). (161) Neoleucinodes elegantalis: slide MHNG- ENTO- 8694, Venezuela. (162) N. galapagensis paratype: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8692.