Published December 31, 2014 | Version v1
Taxonomic treatment Open

Grapholitini

Description

Grapholitini

Age onychistica Diakonoff, 1982 (Figs. 26, 53, 54)

Age onychistica Diakonoff, 1982: 57, figs. 32–34; Groenen & Aarvik, 2008: 454, figs.10–13. Cydia omana Razowski, 1995: 136, fig. 9.

Age arabica Kuznetsov, 1997: 301, fig. 1.

Brief description. Wingspan 8–9 mm. Forewing reddish with cream-coloured costal strigulae and silvery striae particularly in terminal part of wing, speculum consists of three to four black streaks (Fig. 26). Male with costal fold forming concavity on basal part of costa, with modified black scales. The male genitalia (Fig. 53) are highly distinct; top of tegumen with three processes interpreted as paired socii and uncus in middle; valva short and broad with rounded excision demarcating cucullus and sacculus; phallus with bulbous base and long and narrow distal part. In the female genitalia (Fig. 54) ductus seminalis is connected directly with corpus bursae which has a sclerotised ring at the entrance point. We have found no other African tortricids with which Age onychistica can easily be confused.

Distribution. Sri Lanka (Diakonoff 1982), Oman, United Arab Emirates (Razowski 1995, Groenen & Aarvik 2008) and Kenya (present record).

Biology. In Kenya bred from spinnings and fungus galls on Acacia tortilis (see above).

Remarks. The present record is the first from the African continent. The species may turn out to be widespread in the savannas of Africa.

Coniostola stereoma (Meyrick, 1912) (Figs. 27, 55, 63)

Eucosma stereoma Meyrick 1912: 33; Clarke 1958: pl. 194, figs. 2–2a (lectotype stereoma). Coniostola stereoma: Diakonoff 1961:71, figs. 25, 27–29; 1988: 178.

Eucosma eriomis Meyrick 1933: 419; Clarke (1958) pl. 180, figs. 4–4a (lectotype eriomis). Coniostola eriomis: Diakonoff 1961: 74 (synonymised with stereoma).

Coniostola omistus Diakonoff, 1988: 178, figs. 6–8, 28. Syn. nov.

Diagnosis. Coniostola stereoma differs from its congeners by the more simple forewing pattern, and particularly in the male by the presence of a conspicuous costal fold. The male genitalia (Fig. 55) are distinguished by the long and slender portion of the phallus. In the female genitalia (Fig. 63) the sterigma has two oblong sclerites that form a V.

Distribution. India, Thailand, Java (Robinson et al. 1994), Madagascar (Diakonoff 1988) and Seychelles (Diakonoff 1961). The authors have collected large series from both Kenya and Tanzania; there are specimens from Namibia, Somalia and Nigeria (BMNH).

Biology. The larva rolls leaves of Acacia catechu, A. pennata and Dichrostachys cinerea (Fabaceae) (Robinson et al. 1994). In the present study we bred it from leaves of several Acacia species in Kenya (see above).

Remarks. The figures of Coniostola omistus Diakonoff, 1988 (Diakonoff 1988) show no differences from the type of C. stereoma figured by Clarke (1958) or from African material studied by the authors. As a consequence we consider C. omistus to be a junior synonym of C. stereoma.

Coniostola flavitinctana Agassiz & Aarvik, sp. n. (Figs. 28, 56, 64)

Type material. Holotype ♂, KENYA: Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha 1900 m, 0˚47’S, 36˚24’E, Acacia xanthophloea, em: 9.xii.2003, D.J.L. Agassiz (NMK). Paratypes (34). Same data as holotype, em: 26.xi.–26. xii.2003, 5 ♂, 12♀ (BMNH), 4♂, 13♀ (NMK); same data as holotype, em: 9–10.v.2003, ♂ genitalia slide L. Aarvik 2009.024, ♀ genitalia slide 2009.025 L. Aarvik (DJLA).

Additional material examind. Thirty-two specimens bred from A. xanthophloea, Kenya: Naivasha, Hells Gate, Soysambu & Lake Nakuru, specimens taken at light: 11 from Naivasha, 1999, 2003 & 2011; 3 from Lake Nakuru, 1999; 3 from Escarpment between Limuru and Mai Mahiu, 1999; 1 from Gilgil, 2005; 4 from Rumuruti, 2008; 2 from Hunters Lodge 2012 (DJLA); 1♂, Kenya: Kilungu, bred from flowers of Acacia gerrardii, ii.1992, J. Marohasy (BMNH), L. Naivasha; 1 bred from A. xanthophloea 2003, D.J.L. Agassiz (BMNH).

Description. Adult. Male (Fig. 28). Head: Fuscous, labial palpus fuscous, segment 2 tufted, segment 3 short and drooping. Thorax: Dorsum and tegulae fuscous to cream. Wingspan 9–12 mm. Forewing dark fuscous from base along dorsum, a pale medial streak, costa with a sequence of cream strigulae; a pale dorsal blotch, leaden grey strigulation beyond and towards apex, ocellus usually a single black dash; termen cream with a dark terminal line, apex a cream semicircular spot surrounded by dark fuscous; terminal cilia silver grey. Hindwing pale fuscous, a single darker line in terminal cilia. Abdomen: Pale fuscous. Genitalia (Fig. 56). Tegumen a simple ring which is widened dorsally; valva nearly straight on dorsal side, concave on ventral side, cucullus larger than proximal part of valva, apically and ventrally with dense cover of bristles, ventral edge narrowly denuded; phallus basally bulbous, narrowing into slender process which is half the length of the phallus.

Female. Head and thorax: Essentially as described for male. Abdomen: Genitalia (Fig. 64). Posterior edge of sternite 7 shallowly concave; papillae anales narrow; apophyses posteriores longer than anterior ones; sterigma broad, becoming narrower anteriorly, posteriorly with V-shaped excavation and lateral spines; ductus bursae tubular, with sclerotised portion, the length of which is three times its width; corpus bursae with sclerotised ring at inception of ductus bursae; two horn-shaped signa.

Diagnosis. The rounded cucullus lacking a ventral process separates this species from C. rufitinctana sp. n. and C. laikipiana sp. n. The short slender part of the phallus separates it from C. stereoma. In the female genitalia the long sclerite in the ductus bursae is diagnostic.

Distribution. Kenya: Rift Valley Province.

Biology. The larva feeds among leaves and in shoots of Acacia xanthophloea and other Acacia spp.

Etymology. The species’ name refers to the yellowish colouration of the forewing.

Coniostola rufitinctana Agassiz & Aarvik, sp. n. (Figs. 29, 57, 65)

Type material. Holotype ♂, KENYA: Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha 1900 m, 0˚47’S, 36˚24’E, Acacia xanthophloea, em: 14.xii.2003, D.J.L. Agassiz (NMK). Paratypes (14). Same data, em: 8–22. xii.2003, 4 ♂, 3♀ (BMNH), 4♂, 3♀ (NMK); same locality, em: 29.xi.–22.xii.2003, ♂ genitalia slide L. Aarvik, 2009.026, ♀ genitalia slide L. Aarvik 2009.027 (DJLA).

Additional material examined. Eleven specimens bred from A. xanthophloea, Kenya: Naivasha, Kenya, 1998 & 2003, specimens taken at light: 19 from Naivasha, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2008, 2011; Lake Elmenteita 1999, Lake Nakuru 1999, Rumuruti 2008 (DJLA): Kilungu, 1♀ bred from flowers of Acacia drepanolobium, 24.ii.1992, J. Marohasy, Lake Naivasha, 2 bred from A. xanthophloea 2003 (BMNH); TANZANIA: 1♀, Arumeru Distr.: Usa River, 1170 m, 19.ii.1992, L. Aarvik (NHMO).

Description. Adult. Male (Fig. 29) Head: Fuscous, pale laterally, labial palpus segment 2 tufted, segment 3 white; antenna dark fuscous. Thorax: Dorsum fuscous, tegulae paler and often reddish tinged. Wingspan 8–11 mm. Forewing base dark brown interrupted by a broad whitish medial streak; dorsal half of wing with fascia beyond middle, bent outwardly and divided by three metallic lines, outer area of dorsum ferruginous-fuscous; costa with two sets of whitish strigulae, teminal area with mixed ferruginous and metallic markings; apex with a round whitish spot, bisected by a dark line; terminal cilia shining fuscous. Hindwing pale fuscous with a single line in terminal cilia. Abdomen: Genitalia (Fig. 57). Tegumen widened dorsally; valva club-shaped, gradually widened from one third, cucullus larger than proximal part of valva, subrectangular, distal half with dense cover of bristles, ventral edge broadly denuded; phallus basally bulbous, narrowing into slender process which is less than half the length of the phallus.

Female. Head and thorax: Essentially as described for male. Abdomen: Genitalia (Fig. 65). Posterior edge of sternite 7 shallowly concave; papillae anales narrow; apophyses posteriores longer than anterior ones; sterigma broad, posteriorly with lateral, spined extensions; ductus bursae tubular, with sclerotised band; corpus bursae with sclerotised ring at inception of ductus bursae¸ two horn-shaped signa present.

Diagnosis. In the male genitalia the subrectangular shape and broad naked ventral edge of cucullus is characteristic. In the female genitalia the small band-like sclerite in the ductus bursae combined with small sterigma separate it from its congeners.

Distribution. Rift Valley Province in Kenya and northern Tanzania.

Biology. The larva feeds among flowers and in shoots of Acacia xanthophloea and A. drepanolobium.

Etymology. The species’ name refers to the reddish colouration of the forewing.

Coniostola laikipiana Agassiz & Aarvik, sp. n. (Figs. 30, 58, 66)

Type material. Holotype ♂, KENYA: Laikipia Mpala R.C. 1700 m, N 0˚17’22”E, 36˚53’52”, 9.ix.2012, D.J.L. Agassiz, S. Beavan, R. Heckford & M. Ngugi (NMK). Paratypes (9). Same data as holotype, 3♂, 5♀, 26–28.xi.2008, L. Aarvik, D.J.L. Agassiz, A. Kingston, 1♀ (NMK), 1♀ (DJLA), 3♂, 3♀, genitalia slides L. Aarvik ♂ 2782, ♀ 2783 (NHMO); 1♂, same data as holotype (DJLA).

Description. Adult. Male (Fig. 30). Head: Dull orange, labial palpus drooping, segment 2 tufted, fuscous, much paler distally, segment 3 small and very pale; antenna orange fuscous. Thorax: Dorsum and tegulae dull orange. Wingspan 9–10 mm. Forewing base orange to ¾, costal part of wing dark fuscous interrupted by a series of pale ochreous strigulae, leaden striation in terminal third of wing, ocellus with 1–3 black dashes, apex pale orange divided by a black mark, termen with central section pale whitish, terminal cilia dark fuscous. Hindwing pale fuscous, a single line in terminal cilia; male with dark line along anal edge. Abdomen: Pale fuscous. Genitalia (Fig. 58). Tegumen widened dorsally; valva nearly straight on dorsal side, concave on ventral side, cucullus larger than proximal part of valva, distal half with dense cover of bristles, ventral edge with pointed process; phallus basally bulbous, narrowing into slender process which is about one third of the length of the phallus.

Female. Head and thorax: Essentially as described for male. Abdomen: Genitalia (Fig. 66). Posterior edge of sternite 7 shallowly concave; papillae anales narrow; apophyses posteriores longer than anterior ones; sterigma broad, posteriorly concave and with lateral spines; ductus bursae short, with small sclerite, widened before entering corpus bursae; corpus bursae with sclerotised ring near inception of ductus bursae¸ two horn-shaped signa present.

Diagnosis. Coniostola laikipiana can be distinguished from other Coniostola species by the conspicuous orange dorsal streak in the forewing. In the male genitalia it differs from congeners by the presence of a pointed process on ventral edge of valva. In the female genitalia the small sclerite in ductus bursae combined with large sterigma is diagnostic.

Distribution. Known only from the Laikipia district in the Rift Valley Province, Kenya.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the district from which the species has been recorded.

Eucosmocydia pharangodes (Meyrick, 1920), comb. n. (Figs. 31, 59, 60, 67)

Eucosma pharangodes Meyrick, 1920: 58.

Type material. Holotype ♂, labelled: TYPE; Afrique or. anglaise, Mt. Kénya vers’ ouest, zone inférieure, Alluaud & Jeannel; Rivière Amboni, Vallée Boisée, 1800 m, Janv.- Fév. 1912, St. 35 Eucosma pharangodes Meyr., type; HOLOTYPE Eucosma pharangodes Meyrick ♂, Genital prep. 99032 L. Aarvik (MNHN).

Additional material examined. 2♀, KENYA: Rift Valley, L. Naivasha 1900 m, 0˚47’S, 36˚24’E, 1 on Acacia xanthophloea, em: 10.xii.2003, D.J.L. Agassiz, genitalia slide. L. Aarvik 2009.031 (DJLA); 1♀, Rift Valley, Turi, 8000 ft, 9.ii.2000, D.J.L. Agassiz (DJLA); 1♂, Rift Valley, Turi, 8000 ft, 8.v.2000, D.J.L. Agassiz (DJLA); 2♀, Kilungu, bred from flowers of Acacia gerrardii, 24.ii.1992, J. Marohasy (BMNH); 1 from Lake Naivasha, 1989 (DJLA); 1♂, Rift Valley Province, Gilgil, 2100 m, 22–24.xi.2008, L. Aarvik, D.J.L. Agassiz, A. Kingston (NHMO). ZIMBABWE: 1♂,1♀, Bvumba, 1994, D.J.L. Agassiz (BMNH).

Diagnosis. Wingspan 12-14 mm. Externally E. pharangodes differs from its congener E. prolixa by the more mottled forewing pattern (Fig. 31). The male genitalia (Fig. 59) differ from those of E. prolixa by the more straight dorsal edge of the valva and more slender tegumen. The female (Fig. 67) has a larger and more spiny sterigma than E. prolixa.

Biology. Larva feeds in spinnings of leaves of Acacia spp.

Distribution. Kenya and Zimbabwe.

Remarks. The present records are the first since the description of the species. The adult and the genitalia have not been figured previously.

Eucosmocydia prolixa Razowski & Wojtusiak, 2012 (Figs. 32, 33, 61, 62, 68)

Eucosmocydia prolixa Razowski & Wojtusiak, 2012: 91, figs. 36, 131.

Material examined. 3♂, 1♀, KENYA: Rift Valley Province: Gilgil 2100 m, 22–24.xi.2008, L. Aarvik, D.J.L.

Agassiz, A. Kingston, genitalia slides L. Aarvik ♂ 2817, ♂ 2818 (NHMO); 6 bred from A. xanthophloea, L. Naivasha, em: 9.xii.2003, genitalia slide ♂ L. Aarvik 2009.028 (DJLA); Naivasha, 3♀, 7.xi.2003; Turi, 1♀, 19.i.2000, 1♂, 7.ii.2000, 1♀, 18.xii.1999; Rumuruti, 1♀, 24.xi.2008; Aberdares Country Club, 2♀, 2.iv.2000, 1♂, 27.iv.2003, 1♀, 27.iv.2003, DJLA slide No. 1288; Thika, 1♀, 18.iv.1999, 1♀, 1♂, 3.xii.1999. UGANDA: 2♀, Budongo Forest, 18–19.vii.2000; Kilungu, 3♀ bred from flowers of Acacia gerrardii, 24.ii.1992; near President’s farm, 1♀ bred from flowers of Acacia lahai, 7.ii.1992, J. Marohasy (BMNH). MALAWI: Mt. Mulanje, 2♀, 8.xii. 200. ZIMBABWE: 1♂, Bvumba, 3.i.1994, D.J.L. Agassiz (BMNH).

Diagnosis. Wingspan 10–12 mm. Wing pattern variable, but less mottled than in E. pharangodes (Figs. 32, 33). The male genitalia (Fig. 61) are characterised by the oval tegumen and strongly curved costa of the valva. In the female genitalia (Fig. 68) the sterigma consists of two oval sclerites forming a broad V; ductus bursae widens gradually towards corpus bursae from which it is not clearly differentiated.

Biology. The larva has been found among flowers and leaves of Acacia spp.

Distribution. Nigeria (Razowski & Wojtusiak 2012), Kenya, Uganda, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Remarks. Razowski & Wojtusiak (2012) described this species based on a male collected in Nigeria. The male genitalia of the material from Kenya agree closely with those of the figure of the holotype. The female was unknown until now.

Notes

Published as part of Agassiz, David J. L. & Aarvik, Leif, 2014, New Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) from East Africa with an account of the tortricid fauna of acacia in the Kenyan Rift Valley, pp. 369-397 in Zootaxa 3861 (4) on pages 384-396, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3861.4.7, http://zenodo.org/record/251829

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Linked records

Additional details

Biodiversity

Family
Tortricidae
Kingdom
Animalia
Order
Lepidoptera
Phylum
Arthropoda
Taxon rank
tribe

References

  • Diakonoff, A. (1982) On a collection of some families of Microlepidoptera from Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Zoologische Verhandelingen, 193, 1 - 124, plates 1 - 18.
  • Groenen, F. & Aarvik, L. (2008) Lepidoptera, family Tortricidae. In: Harten, A. v. (Ed.), Arthropod Fauna of the United Arab Emirates, 1, pp. 457 - 458.
  • Razowski, J. (1995) Some Tortricidae from the Arabian Peninsula, with description of one new genus and four new species (Insecta: Lepidoptera). SHILAP Revista de lepidopterologia, 23, 129 - 139.
  • Kuznetsov, V. I. (1997) A new species of the genus Age Diakonoff, 1982 from the United Arabic Emirates (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Zoosystematica Rossica, 5, 301 - 302.
  • Meyrick, E. (1912) Exotic Microlepidoptera, 1 (2). Printed by Taylor and Francis, London, 33 - 64.
  • Clarke, J. F. G. (1958) Catalogue of the Type Specimens of Microlepidoptera in the British Museum (Natural History) described by Edward Meyrick. Vol. III. Tortricidae, Olethreutidae, Noctuidae. Trustees of the British Museum, London, 600 pp.
  • Diakonoff, A. (1961) Records and descriptions of exotic Tortricoidea [Lep]. Annales de la Societe Entomologique de France, 130, 49 - 76, 1 pl.
  • Meyrick, E. (1933) Exotic Microlepidoptera, 4 (14). Printed by Taylor and Francis, London, 417 - 448.
  • Diakonoff, A. (1988) Tortricidae from Madagascar. Part 2. Olethreutinae, 3 (Lepidoptera). Annales de la Societe Entomologique de France, New Series, 24 (2), 161 - 180.
  • Robinson, G. S., Tuck, K. R. & Shaffer, M. (1994) A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of South-East Asia. Malaysian Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur, 309 pp.
  • Meyrick, E. (1920) Voyage de Ch. Alluaud et R. Jeannel en Afrique Orientale (1911 - 1912). Resultats Scientifiques. Insectes Lepidopteres II. Microlepidoptera. Paris, 120 pp.