A non-destructive virtual dissection by micro-CT reveals diagnostic characters in the type specimen of Caloptilia stigmatella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

Nearly a century ago, wing venation pattern was introduced in the gracillariid taxonomy to diagnose the closely related genera and species groups. Recent advances in non-destructive virtual micro-dissections suggest a promising approach in revisiting the relevance of wing venation characters and application of this method to historic primary type specimens. Many unique type specimens in Gracillariidae and other microlepidoptera groups are preserved in the museum collections in poor condition and in the course of history suffered loss or damage to their abdomens, so internal genitalia structural morphology is not available for diagnosis and comparisons. The interpretation of wing venation characters became a significant element in Gracillariidae taxonomy dealing with species complexes and defining the boundaries of genera. In this paper we emphasize the need to include the type species and type specimens into the broader context of taxonomic studies on micro moths in general and the family Gracillariidae in particular. For the first time we introduce the method of virtual descaling of the wings in micro moths. The genus Caloptilia with a world-wide distribution has more than 200 years history of research, but the generic boundaries and groupings within the genus are not resolved yet due to the lack of a reliable set of taxonomic characters obtained from the primary types. We describe a method of virtual descaling of the fore and hindwings of an unset micro-moth type specimen Caloptilia stigmatella Fabricius, 1781, in order to demonstrate that the study of historic and fragile type specimens and diagnosis of their internal morphological characters becomes possible by applying new and non-destructive technology

Leaf miners of avocado (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae). Status, identification, damage evaluation and management proposal

El cultivo de aguacate representa uno de los principales productos agrícolas de Colombia. Durante las últimas dos décadas, el área sembrada se quintuplicó y se ampliaron, notablemente, las zonas de siembra, en especial, para el cultivar Hass. Con el crecimiento de su producción, también se reportan nuevos problemas fitosanitarios, mayormente, por la adopción de sistemas productivos de otras latitudes del mundo, donde no se cuentan con ecosistemas con presencia de lauráceas y otras plantas relacionadas con el aguacate. Dentro de las especies plagas, se registra a los minadores de hojas del orden Lepidoptera, que se caracterizan por desarrollarse y alimentarse dentro de las hojas, cuyo efecto perjudicial, se genera, en principio, cuando son afectadas las poblaciones de sus enemigos naturales. El primer registro documentado de estos insectos en el país, se realizó a partir de muestras colectadas en un cultivo de aguacate cv. Hass, en Villamaría, (Caldas), que presentó una explosión de las poblaciones de minadores, como consecuencia de la aplicación calendario de plaguicidas, con el criterio de proteger de plagas al cultivo, como arañita roja y trips. Con el fin de evitar que se aumente la frecuencia de eventos, como el enunciado, se desarrolló el trabajo actual, el cual, tuvo como objeto presentar el estado actual de los minadores de hoja del aguacate en Colombia, identificación y descripción del daño del minador de hojas del aguacate en serpentina y en ampolla y brindar recomendaciones para su manejo, en las zonas productoras de ColombiaAvocado has become one of the most important crops in Colombia. During the last two decades, the area planted with avocado has quintuplicated, and it is widespread across a wide range of high-altitude lands growing in monoculture with Hass variety. As the plantation areas increase, new sanitary problems appear, as consequences of the adoption of technical recommendations from other latitudes where the ecosystems do not have laurels and other plants related to avocado. Within the pest species, the leafminers of Lepidoptera are reported, which the main characteristic is that they develop and feed inside the leaves. The damage they cause happens mainly when the population of their natural enemies is affected. The first record of leafminers in Colombia was done from samples collected in one orchard of avocado cv. Hass in Villa Maria, Caldas where a high infestation outbreak happened as a consequence of the pesticide application following calendar spraying to prevent the attack of pests like red spider mites and thrips. The objective of this paper is to present the status of leafminer pest of avocado leaves in Colombia, providing its identification, description of the serpentine and blotch damage, and proposing recommendations for its management. This will inform the scientific community and farmers about the presence of this pest in avocado crop regions in Colombia, contributing to minimize damaging events like the aforementioned.Incluye referencias bibliográfica

Vallissiana universitaria (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae): A new genus and species of leaf-mining moth associated with Erythroxylum (Erythroxylaceae) in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

Vallissiana universitaria Pereira & Arévalo, a new genus and species of leaf-miner moth (Gracillariidae: Gracillariinae) is described and illustrated with the aid of optical and scanning electron microscopy, including adults, larva, pupa and the mine. Its monophyletic status is confirmed within the subfamily based on a DNA barcode CoI tree. The immature stages are associated with Erythroxylum argentinum O. E. Schulz (Erythroxylaceae) and four larval instars are found, all forming a round blotch mine from the beginning of ontogeny. The first two instars are sap-feeders, using only the epidermal cells, whereas the last two are tissue-feeders, mining the parenchyma cells. Pupation occurs inside the leaf mine within a flimsy, silk-made cocoon. This is the third endemic genus of gracillariid moths described from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil and the first associated with Erythroxylum P. Browne. Characteristics found on the forewing and in the last abdominal segments of the adult were determinant for the proposition of the new genus. The CoI tree indicated that it is closely related to Aspilapteryx, while this genus was recovered as polyphyletic in the analyses. Morphological evidence supports this polyphyly. Consequently, Sabulopteryx Triberti, 1985, stat. nov. is considered a valid genus