Caloptilia augeas Guiguet, Lopez-Vaamonde, van Nieukerken & Ohshima, sp. nov.

Figs 4–10, 21, 23, 24, 29–31, 38–42

Type material.

Holotype. New Caledonia • ♂; Province Sud, Farino, near La Fao, Parc des Grandes Fougères; 21.626°S, 165.759°E; alt. 430 m; 13 Sep. 2018; 23 Sep. 2018 em. [adult emergence]; Ohshima, Issei et al. leg.; Rearing No. IsO-1058; Host: “ Glochidion billarideri ” [recte billardierei]; DNA extraction No. IO-873; Genitalia slide: EvN 5562; RMNH.INS.25562; RMNH. Paratypes (12 ♂ 15 ♀). New Caledonia, Same collecting data as holotype • 2 ♂; 26 & 20 Sep. 2018 em.; DNA extraction No.: IO-875, IO-871 & IO-966; Genitalia slides EvN 5563, EvN 5648; RMNH.INS.25563; RMNH.INS.25648 • 3 ♀; 22 & 29 Sep. 2018 em.; DNA extraction No.: IO-870, IO-881, IO-882 & IO-965; Genitalia slides EvN 5561, EvN 5560; RMNH.INS.1557477, RMNH.INS.25560, RMNH.INS.25561 • 2 ♂; 1 Oct. 2018 em.; DNA extraction No.: IO-886, IO-887; MNHN • 3 ♀; 18, 26 & 29 Sep. 2018 em.; DNA extraction No.: IO-872, IO-874, IO-880; MNHN • 1 ♂ 1 ♀; 28 Sep., 1 Oct 2018 em.; DNA extraction No.: IO-876, IO-888; NHMUK • 3 ♂; 1 & 11 Oct. 2018 em.; DNA extraction No.: IO-883, IO-885, IO-934; KPU • 5 ♀; 23 Sep. – 5 Oct. 2018 em.; DNA extraction No.: IO-867, IO-868, IO-877, IO-878, IO-933; KPU • 2 ♂; 1 & 3 Oct. 2018 em.; DNA extraction No.: IO-884, IO-932; NHMW • 2 ♀; 22 & 29 Sep. 2018 em.; DNA extraction No.: IO-869, IO-879; NHMW • 1 ♂ 1 ♀; Province Sud, Farino, Parc des Grandes Fougères, Camp de la Houe; 21.6109°S, 165.755°E; alt. 382 m; 14 Sep. 2018; Ohshima, Issei et al. leg.; light trap; DNA extraction No.: IO-865 (♂), IO-866 (♀); MNHN • 1 ♂; Same data as previous; DNA extraction No.: IO-864; NHMUK.

Diagnosis.

Caloptilia augeas is distinguished from other Caloptilia species by the forewing with the ambiguously margined costal elongated large metallic gold patch and by the metallic gold hind wing (Figs 4–10). Despite the obvious difference in the wing pattern, both male and female genital morphology resembles C. ceryneia and C. cecidophora. However, C. augeas is distinguished from the former by the rounded ventral margin of valva and from the latter by the rounded terminal margin of valva in the male genitalia. In the female genitalia, C. augeas is clearly distinguished from the two species by large L-shaped signa. Larvae induce large leaf galls on Glochidion billardierei, and the galls protrude on the adaxial side with an opening on the abaxial side (Figs 38–42).

Description.

Habitus (Figs 4–10). Forewing length 5.44–6.24 mm (5.44 mm in holotype, 5.84 mm on average of 6 specimens). No sexual dimorphism exhibited.

Head: Vertex metallic gold. Antenna 1.1 × longer than forewing, yellow, annulated with brown. Labial palpus upcurved, metallic gold, brown apically.

Thorax: Tegula metallic gold. Forewing rather broad, with ground of light brown scales; basal 1 / 4 of costa ochreous-brown with a minute blackish spot near base; large elongated metallic gold patch ranging from 1 / 4 to apex along costa, narrowed at 1 / 2, and ambiguously margined by light brown scales except at the proximal margin where edged by dark brown scales; dorsum before tornus metallic gold, shading into light brown scales towards fold, and some scales with darkened tips around tornus to apex; fringe metallic gold, with three lines. Hindwing metallic gold, with greyish brown scales along costa from base to middle part; fringe metallic gold. Fore- and midlegs with coxa ochreous-brown; tarsi ochreous-white; hindleg with coxa metallic gold.

Abdomen: terga lustrous brass; sterna lustrous brass.

Male genitalia (Figs 23, 24): Tegumen about as long as vinculum, poorly sclerotised. Valva elongate, upcurved, distally dilated, straight on terminal margin, setose on almost all the internal ventral surface of cucullus, naked distally. Vinculum a little more than 2 / 3 as long as valva. Phallus ~ 1.3 × as long as vinculum, needle-shaped, without cornuti; phallus length 595–645 µm.

Female genitalia (Figs 29–31): Papilla analis with numerous spine-like setae on dorso-caudal corner besides the usual slender setae, posterior edge slightly convex more sclerotised. Antrum poorly developed. Ductus bursae long, slender, membranous. Ductus seminalis meets ductus bursae close to ostium. Corpus bursae elongate-ovoid in form, wrinkled; a pair of well-developed signa curved, sabre-shaped, protruding externally, as long as the diameter of the corpus bursae section. Signa length 235–320 µm.

Biology.

The species is known to feed exclusively on Glochidion billardierei Baill. (Phyllanthaceae). Larvae begin their development as sap feeding leaf miners (Fig. 39) creating an irregular gallery in the lower epidermis of the leaf. Subsequently, they induce the formation of prominent galls that protrude from the adaxial (upper) surface of the leaf (Fig. 38). Each gall has a small opening on the abaxial (lower) side, which the larva uses to expel frass from the larval chamber. Once waste removal is complete, the opening is sealed with a silk seal (Figs 40–42). Right before pupation, the larva digs the future adult exit hole below the adaxial surface of the gall on the extremity opposed to the frass hole, leaving only a circular membrane of epidermal cuticle. The larva pupates inside the gall. The adults emerged between 20 September and 11 October, suggesting that at least some of the collected galls contained pupae.

Distribution.

So far, the species is only known from two sites within the Parc des Grandes Fougères in the South Province of New Caledonia.

Etymology.

The specific name augeas refers to the fifth Labour of Hercules in the Greek mythology. The larval behaviour of frass cleaning in the gall reminds this Labour that consisted in cleaning the stables of king Augeas (Αὐγέας). This name comes from the word “ αὐγή ” that designates “ sun shine ” and “ reflection of a shiny object ” in Classic Greek (Bailly 1899), referring to the bright colour of the adult wings. The epithet is to be regarded as a noun in apposition.

DNA barcodes.

Twenty-eight barcodes of the same population form a single BIN BOLD: AEC 4316, with an average distance of 0.2 % and a maximum distance of 0.64 %; there is a 3.69 % (p - distance) difference to its nearest-neighbour BOLD: AEC 4478 (C. ceryneia, Suppl. materials 1 – 3).