Phyllonorycter stenopterae Lu & Liu, 2025

Lu, Ming, Yao, Zhicheng & Liu, Tengteng, 2025, Leaf-mining moths of the genus Phyllonorycter Hübner (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae: Lithocolletinae) associated with Juglandaceae in China, with descriptions of two new species and one newly recorded species, Zootaxa 5621 (4), pp. 453-464 : 455-457

Phyllonorycter stenopterae Lu & Liu , sp. nov.

( Figs 1–2 , 5–6 , 9 , 11–16 )

ĨŇÎDzš [Chinese name]

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to Phyllonorycter engelhardiae Kumata, 1973 and P. drepanota (Meyrick, 1928) , but can be distinguished by the following characteristics. In the male of the new species, the basal 2/3 of the valva dorsal margin is straight, the distal 1/3 is convex, the valva bears a saccular process basally, the phallus exhibits a V-shaped notch distally with a tiny barb on each side of the notch, the eighth sternite is triangular. In the female, the seventh abdominal segment fused with the eighth, the anterior apophyses are very minute, often not visible, the seventh sternite protruded over ostium bursae into a semicircular flap, notched on distal margin. In the male of P. engelhardiae , the valva is similar to new species, but the saccular process is absent on the base, the distal 1/6 of the phallus is suddenly narrowed, hook-like processes are absent, the notch on the posterior margin of the eighth sternite is triangular; in the female, the anterior apophyses are well developed ( Kumata 1973: Fig. 8 ). In P. drepanota , the valva dorsal margin is arc-shaped, the basal 2/3 of ventral margin is straight, the distal 1/3 is deeply emarginate, the saccular process is absent on the base of the valva, the phallus has a pair of large hook-like processes distally, the eighth sternite is subrectangular with apical margin slightly serrated; the female genitalia is very similar but the projection of seventh sternite is less incised, the anterior apophyses is slightly more pronounced ( Kumata 1973: Fig. 6 ).

Type material. Holotype, ♂, CHINA: Shandong, Yantai, Mt. Zhuque , 37.259°N, 121.381°E, 300 m, 14.vii.2022, mine on leaves of Pterocarya stenoptera , emerged 22.vii.2022 (indoors), leg. Ming Lu, field no. LU00258 , genitalia slide no. LM0150, SDNU. Ent 041931; SDNU.

Paratypes (all China): 1♂ , Shandong, Qingdao, Mt. Lao , 36.210°N, 120.593°E, 390 m, 10.vii.2015, leg. Tengteng Liu, SDNU. Ent 150863 ; 2♀, Shandong, Yantai, Mt. Kunyu , 37.267°N, 121.762°E, 300 m, 6.viii.2019, mine on leaves of Pt. stenoptera , emerged 17–20.viii.2019 (indoors), leg. Tengteng Liu, field no. LTT00713 , SDNU. Ent 012155, SDNU. Ent 012156 (LM0072 ♀) ; 1♂ , Shandong, Linyi, Pingyi County, Mt. Meng , 35.544°N, 117.875°E, 400 m, 5.vii.2022, mine on leaves of Pt. stenoptera , emerged 17.vii.2022 (indoors), leg. Ming Lu, field no. LU00255 , SDNU. Ent 041927 (LM0140 ♂, DNA barcode) ; 1♂, 3♀, data same as holotype, SDNU. Ent 041928–29, SDNU. Ent 041930 (LM0151 ♀), SDNU. Ent 041932 (LM0139 ♂, DNA barcode) ; 2♂, 3♀, Shandong, Yantai, Qixia, Mt. Ya National Forest Park , 37.226°N, 121.055°E, 400 m, 16.vii.2022, mine on leaves of Pt. stenoptera , emerged 29.vii.2022 (indoors), leg. Ming Lu, field no. LU00271 , SDNU. Ent 041935–36, SDNU. Ent 041937 (LM0165 ♂), SDNU. Ent 04648–49 .

Other specimens. 1 pressed mine with a pupa, Shandong, Qingdao, Mt. Juyu, 36.069°N, 120.343°E, 100 m, 12.vii.2022, leg. Ming Lu, field no. LU00341 ; 1 pressed mine with a pupa, Shandong, Weifang, Mt. Yangtian , 36.46°N, 118.29°E, 14.viii.2022, leg. Ming Lu, field no. LU00380 ( Figs 15–16 ) .

Adult ( Figs 1–2 ). Forewing length 2.3–2.6 mm (HT = 2.6 mm). Frons white, interspersed with a few yellowish-brown scales. Piliform scales tuft on vertex yellowish-brown mixed with white. Labial palpus white, black ventrally. Antenna almost as long as forewing, scape yellowish-brown on dorsum, white ventrally, flagellomeres yellowish-brown with a black ring. Dorsal thorax and tegula yellowish brown, the former with three white longitudinal stripes. Forewing ground color yellowish brown, markings beige, edged basally with black scales, five costal and three dorsal strigulae; medio-basal streak about 1/4 length of forewing, edged with black scale; first costal strigula at basal 1/3, outwardly oblique, linear; second costal strigula at basal 1/2, parallel to first and similar in size; third costal strigula at distal 1/3, vertical, triangular; fourth and fifth costal strigula near apex, vertical, linear, with a row of white scales; first dorsal strigula at basal 1/3, outwardly oblique, rod-shaped, second and third dorsal strigulae located at basal 1/2 and distal 1/4, parallel to first dorsal strigula and similar in size; cilia grayish white on dorsum, basal half black and distal half yellow on termen. Hindwing and cilia uniformly gray. Legs beige; at basal 1/2 of fore femur and tibia dark brown, at distal 1/2 fore tarsus with two dark brown spots; mid tibia with two faint yellowish-brown twill stripes, mid tarsus with two dark brown spots, distal yellowish-brown; hind tibia with one yellowish-brown spot, hind tarsus with two wide dark brown spots. Abdomen dark brown dorsally, grayish white ventrally; genital segments with yellow tuft.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 5 ). Tegumen elongately conical, tuba analis scarcely produced, without micro-spines. Transtilla well sclerotized. Valva symmetrical, almost equal to tegumen, basal 2/3 of dorsal margin straight, distal 1/3 outwardly convex, ventral margin straight, rounded distally; saccular process present, about 1/2 length of valva, sclerotized, wide at base, gradually narrowed to a curved apex; setae dense and short at apex, gradually sparse and elongated towards base, at basal 2/3 nearly absent. Vinculum + saccus V-shaped, rounded distally. Phallus almost as long as valva, basal 2/3 membranous, containing one sclerotized rod, distal 1/3 weakly sclerotized, strongly sclerotized before apex, a V-shaped notch apically with a tiny barb on each side of notch. Eighth sternite triangular, rounded distally.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 6 ). Anal papillae densely setose. Posterior apophyses wide basally, tapered apically; seventh abdominal segment tightly fused with the eighth, seventh sternite covering ostium bursae with a semicircular projection, its posterior margin deeply notched; anterior apophyses absent or very minute. Ostium bursae with strongly sclerotized margins, about 1/2 width of length of posterior apophyses. Antrum tubular, weakly sclerotized. Ductus bursae slender and membranous. Corpus bursae nearly ellipsoidal, signum with one conical odontoid process, slightly curved.

Pupa ( Fig. 9 ). Length 2.5–3.1 mm, width 0.5–0.7 mm. Yellowish-brown. Cocoon cutter triangular. Segments II to VII densely covered with short spinous processes dorsally. Antenna from dorsal side of compound eyes to middle of segment VII. Labial palpus and proboscis from posterior margin of labrum, proboscis extending anterior margin of segments I. Fore, mid and hind leg extending obliquely to middle ventrally; fore femora reaching anterior margin of segment I, tarsus reaching posterior margin of segment III; mid tarsus reaching posterior margin of segment VI; hind tarsus reaching middle of segment VIII. Forewing extending obliquely to middle ventrally with costa along antenna, reaching near anterior margin of segment VI. Segment X sharply constricted, slender, rounded distally. Cremaster with one pair of small spines, curving distally, located at distal of segment X.

Biology ( Figs 11–14 ). The mine is located on the upper side of the leaf. In the early stage, the mine appears as a blotch with black spots arranged in a spiral pattern. As the larvae develop, the mine becomes elliptical, and the black spots on the upper surface expand outward from the center toward the edges. In mature mines, the leaf margin bends upward, and the upper epidermis develops fine wrinkles, while the lower epidermis lacks transparent spots. Mines of different instars can be collected starting in July, with mature mines collected in August. Based on these observations, it is inferred that this species has one or two generations per year and likely overwinters as pupae or adults.

Host plants. Pterocarya stenoptera C. DC. ( Juglandaceae ).

Distribution. China (Shandong).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the specific name of the host plant. In the naming, " stenopterae " is used as a noun in the nominative singular standing in apposition to the generic name to mean "a species hosted by Pterocarya stenoptera ".

Figures

FIGURES 1−4. Adults of Phyllonorycter spp. (All from China). 1−2, P. stenopterae, sp. nov.: 1, male, holotype, SDNU. Ent041931, Yantai; 2, male, paratype, SDNU.Ent041937, Yantai; 3. P. tumoris, sp. nov., male, holotype, SDNU.Ent041968, Qingdao; 4. P. pterocaryae (Kumata, 1963), male, SDNU.Ent012157, Yantai. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 5−8. Male and female genitalia of Phyllonorycter spp. 5−6, P. stenopterae, sp. nov.: 5, holotype, slide no. LM0150, arrows indicating the saccular process; 5a, a tiny barb on each side of notch as indicated by arrows; 6, paratype, slide no. LM0072; 7, P. tumoris, sp. nov., holotype, slide no. LM0138 (phallus damaged, partially attached to tegumen); 8, P. pterocaryae (Kumata, 1963), slide no. LM0071 (right valva damaged).

FIGURES 9−10. Pupa of Phyllonorycter spp. 9, P. stenopterae, sp. nov., lateral view; 9a, hooked setae on cremaster; 10, P. tumoris, sp. nov., lateral view; 10a, straight setae on cremaster.

FIGURES 11−18. Biology of Phyllonorycter spp. 11−16, P. stenopterae, sp. nov.: 11, leaf mines, upper side view; 12, leaf mines, underside view; 13, larva feeding in mine; 14, host plant Pterocarya stenoptera C. DC.; 15−16, pressed leaves mine; 17−18, P. tumoris, sp. nov.: 17, leaf mines, underside view; 18, leaf mines, upper side view.