Discovery of an unknown diversity of Leucinodes species damaging Solanaceae fruits in sub-Saharan Africa and moving in trade (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Pyraloidea)

The larvae of the Old World genera Leucinodes Guenée, 1854 and Sceliodes Guenée, 1854 are internal feeders in the fruits of Solanaceae, causing economic damage to cultivated plants like Solanum melongena and S. aethiopicum . In sub-Saharan Africa five nominal species of Leucinodes and one of Sceliodes occur. One of these species, the eggplant fruit and shoot borer L. orbonalis Guenée, 1854, is regarded as regularly intercepted from Africa and Asia in Europe, North and South America and is therefore a quarantine pest on these continents. We investigate the taxonomy of African Leucinodes and Sceliodes based on morpho - logical characters in wing pattern, genitalia and larvae, as well as mitochondrial DNA, providing these data for identification of all life stages. The results suggest that both genera are congeneric, with Sceliodes syn. n. established as junior subjective synonym of Leucinodes . L. orbonalis is described from Asia and none of the samples investigated from Africa belong to this species. Instead, sub-Saharan Africa harbours a complex of eight endemic Leucinodes species. Among the former nominal species of Leucinodes (and Sceliodes ) from Africa, only L. laisalis (Walker, 1859), comb. n. ( Sceliodes ) is confirmed, with Leucinodes translucidalis Gaede, 1917, syn. n. as a junior subjective synonym. The other African Leucinodes species were unknown to science and are described as new: L. africensis sp. n. , L. ethiopica sp. n. , L. kenyensis sp. n. , L. malawiensis sp. n. , L. pseudorbonalis sp. n. , L. rimavallis sp. n. and L. ugandensis sp. n. An identification key based on male genitalia is provided for the African Leucinodes species. Most imports of Leucinodes specimens from Africa into Europe refer to Leucinodes africensis , which has been frequently imported with fruits during the last 50 years. In contrast, L. laisalis has been much less frequently re - corded, and L. pseudorbonalis as well as L. rimavallis only very recently in fruit imports from Uganda. Accordingly, interceptions of Leucinodes from Africa into other continents will need to be re-investigated for their species identity and will likely require, at least in parts, revisions of the quarantine regulations. The following African taxa are excluded from Leucinodes : Hyperanalyta Strand, 1918, syn. rev. as revised synonym of Analyta Lederer, 1863; Analyta apicalis (Hampson, 1896), comb. n. ( Leucinodes ); Lygropia aureomarginalis (Gaede, 1916), comb. n. ( Leucinodes ); Syllepte hemichionalis Mabille, 1900, comb. rev. , S. hemichionalis idalis Viette, 1958, comb. rev. and S. vagans (Tutt, 1890), comb. n. ( Aphytoceros ). Deanolis iriocapna (Meyrick, 1938), comb. n. from Indonesia is originally described and misplaced in Sceliodes , and L. cordalis (Doubleday, 1843), comb. n. ( Margaritia ) from New Zealand, L. raondry (Viette, 1981) comb. n. ( Daraba ) from Madagascar as well as L. grisealis (Kenrick, 1912), comb. n. ( Sceliodes ) from New Guinea are transferred from Sceliodes to Leucinodes . While Leucinodes is now revised from Africa, it still needs further revision in Asia.publishedVersio

Deaf moths employ acoustic Müllerian mimicry against bats using wingbeat-powered tymbals

Abstract Emitting ultrasound upon hearing an attacking bat is an effective defence strategy used by several moth taxa. Here we reveal how Yponomeuta moths acquire sophisticated acoustic protection despite being deaf themselves and hence unable to respond to bat attacks. Instead, flying Yponomeuta produce bursts of ultrasonic clicks perpetually; a striated patch in their hind wing clicks as the beating wing rotates and bends. This wing structure is strikingly similar to the thorax tymbals with which arctiine moths produce their anti-bat sounds. And indeed, Yponomeuta sounds closely mimic such arctiine signals, revealing convergence in form and function. Because both moth taxa contain noxious compounds, we conclude they are mutual Müllerian acoustic mimics. Yponomeuta’s perpetual clicking would however also attract bat predators. In response, their click amplitude is reduced and affords acoustic protection just as far as required, matching the distance over which bat biosonar would pick up Yponomeuta echoes anyway – advanced acoustic defences for a deaf moth

Nymphicula ochrepunctalis Agassiz, 2014, sp. n.

Nymphicula ochrepunctalis sp. n. Description of imago (fig. 7). Wingspan 11 mm. Head pale ochreous; labial palpus terminal segment longer than second, pale ochreous; second segment with some pale brown scales. Antenna brownish ochreous; collar, tegulae and thorax pale ochreous. Forewing base whitish; a dark fuscous subbasal fascia, bordering antemedian band which is broad white tinged ochreous, outwardly edged dark fuscous; medial zone irrorate dark brown from dorsum to costa; terminal area orange, not reaching costa; first strigula white inwardly edged dark fuscous; second strigula with lower half shining grey, inwardly edged dark brown towards costa; tornal spot barely separated from medial zone, not touching margin; terminal cilia fuscous except white above tornus. Hindwing base whitish more or less suffused fuscous; antemedian band indistinct, brownish with a conspicuous deep ochreous spot in disc; a deep ochreous tornal streak with elongate metallic spot in tornus and beyond; medial zone as forewing; submarginal line strong, just paler than scaling of medial zone; five eye-spots, confluent especially 4 and 5, separated by metallic spots; orange between eye-spots and margin. Abdomen ochreous; legs pale ochreous, fore- and mid-legs darker above especially on joints, second tarsus of male foreleg with pale ochreous scales. Tympanal organs (fig. 33) Venulae secundae evenly curved outwards, slightly divergent; venula media weak, about half length of venulae secundae. Male genitalia (fig. 55) Abdomen without hair pencils; gnathos over half uncus; valva length 4 x width; juxta finely spined. Aedeagus with sclerotised tip and curved cornutus. Female genitalia (fig. 78) Ostial chamber weak, half length of bursa; courpus bursae bulbous anteriorly, signum comprising a dentate strip along its length, more heavily sclerotised near the edges of the strip posteriorly. Material examined. Holotype ♀ "Smith Point, Cobourg Peninsula, N.T., 26.i. 77 " in Coll. ANC. Paratypes: 1 ♂ "Claudia River, Queensland, 13.11.85 " Genitalia slide No. 13087; 2 ♀♀s "Black Point, Cobourg Pen. N.T. 25.i. 77 in coll. ANC; 1 ♀ data as holotype in coll. ANC; 1 ♀ "Fanny Bay, Darwin, N.T., 3.iii. 1967 " in coll. ANC; 1 ♀ "Port Darwin" BMNH Pyralidae slide No. 17639 in coll. BMNH; 1 ♀ " Papua New Guinea, Western Dist., Rouka, Morehead River, 14.iii.– 28.v. 1962 " in coll. ANC Diagnosis. Distinguished by the ochreous spot in the hindwing. Derivation. from the ochreous spot in the middle of the hindwing. Distribution. Australia: Northern Terrritory, Queensland; Papua New Guinea, Western Province. Nymphicula queenslandica (Hampson) Cataclysta queenslandica Hampson, 1917: 376 Redescription of imago (fig. 8). Wingspan 13–15 mm. Head pale ochreous; labial palpus with terminal segment longer than second, pale straw; second segment clothed with pale brown scales. Antenna pale ochreous. Collar deep ochreous. Thorax pale ochreous. Forewing: base pale ochreous, suffused brown; subbasal band brown; antemedian fascia broad, white, reaching from dorsum to sub-costal vein; costa brown from base to two-thirds of its length; medial zone small, triangular, white, densely scaled with brown except near dorsum; an indistinct white spot between medial zone and yelloworange terminal area in middle of wing; first strigula inwardly edged brown; second strigula narrow and straight, its lower two-thirds suffused metallic grey; tornal crescent almost touching termen; terminal cilia fuscous, except above tornus. Hindwing: base white suffused pale fuscous; subbasal band broad, white with diffuse brownish transverse line in middle; antemedian band brownish, sometimes heavily suffused orange, and including orange spot; a yelloworange tornal streak with metallic spots before and beyond it; medial zone white, lightly and evenly sprinkled with brown scales; submarginal line a slightly paler brown than scales in medial zone; five black eye-spots connected by metallic spots; orange between eye-spots and margin. Abdomen pale ochreous; legs pale ochreous, brown above on femur; tibia and joints of fore- and mid-legs. Tympanal organs (fig. 34) with venulae gently curved and diverging anteriorly, then bent towards one another. Male genitalia (fig. 56): abdomen without internal cornuti. Valva ovate with apex rather pointed, length 3.5 x breadth. Aedeagus with a mass of scobinate sclerotisation towards apex and a short cornutus. Female genitalia (fig. 79): Ostium broad; ductus bursae nearly as wide as corpus bursae, signa comprising a spinose band extending to three-quarters of length of bursa. Material examined. Holotype male, 2 ♂♂s & 2 ♀♀s in coll. BMNH, (BMNH Pyralidae slides Nos. 17585 & 17640); 2 ♂ Dunk I., Q; 1 ♂ Cairns, Q. 4.xii. 1986; 1 ♀ Kuranda, F.P. Dodd Feb. [19]04; 1 ♀ Annan R. nr Helenvale, Q; 1 ♀ Townsville, F.P. Dodd 29.iii. [19]00; 1 ♀ Brisbane, 8.iii. [18] 94 in ANIC. Diagnosis. Similar to edwardsi but the tornal spot on the hindwing does not reach the termen. Distribution. Queensland, Australia. (Brisbane, Cairns, Dunk Island, Claudie River, Helenvale, Townsville, Cedar Bay south of Cooktown).Published as part of Agassiz, David, 2014, A preliminary study of the genus Nymphicula Snellen from Australia, New Guinea and the south Pacific (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae: Acentropinae), pp. 401-429 in Zootaxa 3774 (5) on pages 405-407, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3774.5.1, http://zenodo.org/record/23006

Nymphicula torresalis Agassiz, 2014, sp. n.

<i>Nymphicula torresalis</i> sp. n. <p> <b>Description of imago</b> (fig. 9). Wingspan 12–13 mm. Head pale ochreous; labial palpus terminal segment ochreous, a little longer than second segment; second segment with fuscous scales on sides; antenna pale fuscous. Thorax pale fuscous mixed ochreous. Forewing base brown; subbasal fascia broad, yellow, edged on each side with white; antemedian fascia a thin sinuous line of dark fuscous scales; median zone evenly scaled dark brown; terminal area yellow extending well inside tornal spot; first strigula white, inwardly edged brown; second strigula white, lower two-thirds silver grey, yellow on costa; terminal cilia with grey line, whitish above tornus; tornal spot crescentshaped, entirely enclosed in yellow.</p> <p>Hindwing base whitish; subbasal fascia indistinct; brownish antemedian fascia enclosing whitish lunule; tornal spot silver grey followed by a yellow streak to dorsum; median zone clear white with irregular patches of blackish scales; submarginal line clear, irregular, partially following contours of eye-spots; five distinct eye-spots separated by small silver studs and orange against termen; a silver grey spot before eye-spot 1.</p> <p>Abdomen ochreous; legs pale ochreous, brownish above of forelegs.</p> <p> <i>Tympanal organs</i> (fig. 35): Venula media half to two-thirds length of venulae secundae; venulae secundae diverging, slightly curved outwards, anterior end very close to rami tympani.</p> <p> <i>Male genitalia</i> (fig. 57): Abdomen with two pairs of coremata pads at base of eighth segment, a pair of internal hair pencils twice length of seventh segment; valva length 5x breadth, uncus at least twice gnathos. Aedeagus slender, sclerotisation around tip but no conspicuous cornutus in vesica.</p> <p> <i>Female genitalia</i> (fig. 80): Antrum longer than ductus bursae; corpus bursae with signa comprising a spinose band extending from junction with ductus about halfway along length of corpus bursae.</p> <p> <b>Material examined.</b> Holotype ♀ Babinda| North Queensland| 16th September 1930. ANIC. 3 paratypes Base cableway, Mt. Belanden-Ker, Queensland, 80m, 19th October 1981. ANIC ♂ slide No. 13089, 2♀♀s. paratypes in BMNH: 2 labelled Kuranda, near Cairns, P.F. Dodd; 1 labelled Papua, Mafulu, 4000ft, i.1934, L.E. Cheesman; 1 labelled Cedar Bay, s of Cooktown, Meek. One further specimen, forewings missing, St Aignan (BMNH).</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> Distinguished by the strong straight subterminal line of the hindwing.</p> <p> <b>Derivation.</b> from the Torres Straits which separate Australia and New Guinea.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> Queensland and Papua New Guinea.</p>Published as part of <i>Agassiz, David, 2014, A preliminary study of the genus Nymphicula Snellen from Australia, New Guinea and the south Pacific (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae: Acentropinae), pp. 401-429 in Zootaxa 3774 (5)</i> on page 407, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3774.5.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/230064">http://zenodo.org/record/230064</a&gt

Nymphicula samoensis Agassiz, 2014, sp. n.

Nymphicula samoensis sp. n. Cataclysta dialitha (Tams, 1935: fasc 4: 259) homonym. This species was adequately described by Tams, but since dialitha is a homonym a new name is proposed. The material of this species is in BMH. FIGURES 2–16. 2. N. adelphalis; 3. N. christinae; 4. N. conjunctalis; 5. N. edwardsi; 6. N. hampsoni; 7. N. ochrepunctalis; 8. N. queenslandica; 9. N. torresalis; 10. N. beni; 11. N. irianalis; 12. N. michaeli; 13. N. monticola; 14. N. nigristriata; 15. N. nokensis; 16. N. plubilinealis. FIGURES 17–27. 17. N. submarginalis; 18. N. susannae; 19. N. tariensis; 20. N. xanthocostalis; 21. N. fionae; 22. N. insulalis; 23. N. lactealis; 24. N. lifuensis; 25. N. cheesmanae; 26. N. australis; 27. N. cyanolitha. FIGURES 17–27. Tympanal organs: 28. N. adelphalis; 29. N. christinae; 30. N. conjunctalis; 31. N. edwardsi; 32. N. hampsoni; 33. N. ochrepunctalis; 34. N. queenslandica; 35. N. torresalis; 36. N. beni; 37. N. irianalis; 38. N. michaeli; 39. N. FIGURES 40–53. Tympanal organs: 40. N. niugristriata; 41. N. nokensis; 42. N. plumbilinealis; 43. N. submarginalis; 44. N. susannae; 45. N. tariensis; 46. N. xanthocostalis; 47. N. fionae; 48. N. insulalis; 49. N. lactealis; 50. N. lifuensis; 51. N. cheesmanae; 52. N. australis; 53. N. cyanolitha. FIGURES 54–59. Male genitalia: 54. N. christinae; 55. N. ochrepunctalis; 56. N. queenslandica; 57. N. torresalis; 58. N. beni; FIGURES 60–65. Male genitalia: 60. N. michaeli; 61. N. monticola; 62. N. nigristriata; 63. N. nokensis; 64. N. plumbilinealis; FIGURES 66–69. Male genitalia: 66. N. tariensis; 67. N. xanthocostalis; 68. N. insulalis; 69. N. lactealis. FIGURES 70–73. Male genitalia: 70. N. lifuensis; 71. N. cheesmanae; 72. N. australis; 73. N. cyanolitha. FIGURES 74–81. Female genitalia: 74. N. adelphalis; 75. N. conjunctalis; 76. N. edwardsi; 77. N. hampsoni; 78. N. ochrepunctalis; 79. N. queenslandica; 80. N. torresalis; 81. N. beni. FIGURES 82–91. Female genitalia: 82. N. irianalis; 83. N monticola; 84. N. nigristriata; 85. N. plumbilinealis; 86. N. submarginalis; 87. N. susannae; 88. N. tariensis; 89. N. fionae; 90. N. insulalis; 91. N. lactealis. FIGURES 92–95. Female genitalia: 92. N. lifuensis, 93. N. cheesmanae, 94 N. australis, 95. N. cyanolitha.Published as part of Agassiz, David, 2014, A preliminary study of the genus Nymphicula Snellen from Australia, New Guinea and the south Pacific (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae: Acentropinae), pp. 401-429 in Zootaxa 3774 (5) on pages 417-428, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3774.5.1, http://zenodo.org/record/23006

BOOK REVIEW Enjoying Moths. By Roy Leverton, 2002

AGASSIZ, DAVID (2007): BOOK REVIEW Enjoying Moths. By Roy Leverton, 2002. Journal of Natural History 41 (33-36): 2285-2286, DOI: 10.1080/0022293070141238

A preliminary study of the genus Nymphicula Snellen from Australia, New Guinea and the south Pacific (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae: Acentropinae)

Agassiz, David (2014): A preliminary study of the genus Nymphicula Snellen from Australia, New Guinea and the south Pacific (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae: Acentropinae). Zootaxa 3774 (5): 401-429, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3774.5.

Nymphicula submarginalis Agassiz, 2014, sp. n.

<i>Nymphicula submarginalis</i> sp. n. <p> <b>Description of imago</b> (fig. 17). Wingspan 12mm. Head, face, thorax & tegulae pale ochreous. Labial palpus ochreous, second segment fuscous ventrally. Forewing: base dark fuscous; antemedian band orange from dorsum to above fold, then fuscous, not going beyond subcostal vein; a fuscous spot on middle of costa; medial area darkly edged on inside and above by strong curved row of scales; terminal cilia irregularly chequered fuscous & white. Hindwing: base white; subbasal band a diffuse fuscous line; antemedian band fuscous containing dull orange lunule; medial area with clear line near costa and contiguous with strong submarginal line—closely following outline of eye-spots; five eye-spots, confluent, especially 3 and 4; separated by silver studs.</p> <p>Foreleg of male with blackish tibial epiphysis and black distal tibial spines; foreleg of female with just the epiphysis.</p> <p> <i>Tympanal organs</i> (fig. 43) Ramus tympany slender; pons tympany close together; venulae secundae strong, very slightly curved, widely separated; venula media very short; tympanum with inner edge of lobes rather straight..</p> <p> <i>Male genitalia</i> (fig. 65) Coremata twice length of 7th segment. Valva long and slender, costa convex, dorsum slightly concave; hairs in a longish bunch at apex only; uncus twice gnathos. Aedeagus with a simple thorn-shaped cornutus.</p> <p> <i>Female genitalia</i> (fig. 86) Ductus bursa with a pronounced swelling below collar; corpus bursa long and slender, signa comprising a long broad scobinate patch almost whole length of corpus bursa.</p> <p> <b>Material examined.</b> Holotype ♂ labelled Papua New Guinea | Southern Highlands | Pimaga 2400ft.| 16.i.1986 | D.J.L.Agassiz; 23 paratypes: 17 with same data, 2 Papua New Guinea | Western Highlands | Baiyer R. 3500ft | D.J.L. Agassiz. (BMNH); 1♂, 1 ♀ deposited in ANIC, Canberra; 2 ♀♀s in coll. W.Speidel.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> Distinguished from <i>N. nigristriata</i> by the conspicuous subterminal line of the hindwing.</p> <p> <b>Derivation.</b> from the subterminal markings of the hindwing.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> Papua New Guinea: Southern Highlands Pimaga; Western Highlands, Baiyer River;</p>Published as part of <i>Agassiz, David, 2014, A preliminary study of the genus Nymphicula Snellen from Australia, New Guinea and the south Pacific (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae: Acentropinae), pp. 401-429 in Zootaxa 3774 (5)</i> on pages 411-412, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3774.5.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/230064">http://zenodo.org/record/230064</a&gt