Phyllonorycter tumoris 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 : 457-459

Phyllonorycter tumoris Lu & Liu , sp. nov.

( Figs 3 , 7 , 10 , 17–18 )

ÊẊÎDzš [Chinese name]

Diagnosis. The forewing of this species is similar to Phyllonorycter pterocaryae ( Kumata, 1963) , but they can be clearly distinguished by the male genitalia. In the male of new species, the dorsal margin of the valva has several tuberculated processes, and a square process at the ventral base of valva. In P. pterocaryae , the valva has a smooth dorsal margin without processes, with one triangular process at the ventral base ( Kumata 1963: Fig. 6 ).

Type material. Holotype, ♂, CHINA: Shandong, Qingdao, Mt. Juyu , 36.069°N, 120.343°E, 100 m, 12.viii.2022, mine on leaves of Pt. stenoptera , emerged 21.viii.2022 (indoors), leg. Ming Lu, field no. LU00340 , genitalia slide no. LM0138, SDNU. Ent 041968 (DNA barcode); SDNU.

Paratype: 1♂, CHINA: Shandong, Linyi, Pingyi County, Mt. Meng , 35.544°N, 117.875°E, 400 m, 5.vii 2022, mine on leaves of Pterocarya stenoptera , emerged 21.viii.2022 (indoors), leg. Ming Lu, field no. LU00254 , SDNU. Ent 046497 (LM0154 ♂) .

Adult ( Fig. 3 ). Forewing length: 2.5–2.6 mm (HT = 2.5 mm). Frons white, interspersed with pale yellow scales. Piliform scales tuft on vertex white mixed with brown. Labial palpus white, ventrally black.Antenna slightly shorter than forewing, scape white, flagellomeres yellowish-brown with black ring. Dorsal thorax and tegula yellowish brown, with one white longitudinal stripe on each side, and tegula white on inner side. Forewing ground color yellowish brown, markings beige, with black scales edged basally; longitudinal medio-basal streak approximately 1/4 length of forewing, fused into posterior 1/3 of angular transverse fascia; three costal strigulae on distal half, first at basal 1/2, oblique, triangular, second at distal 1/3, vertical, triangular, third near apex, slightly inwardly oblique, dot-shaped; two silvery dorsal strigulae, both 3/4 width of wing, parallel, almost touch costal first and second strigulae, respectively; black scales scattered at distal 1/4; cilia grayish white on dorsum, basal half black and distal half grayish white on termen. Hindwing and cilia uniformly gray. Legs beige; fore tibia black brown, fore tarsus evenly distributed with four wide blackish brown rings; mid tibia with two black brown twill stripes, mid tarsus with two wide black rings; hind tibia with yellowish-brown scales at middle, hind tarsus with three wide black rings. Abdomen dark grey dorsally, grayish white ventrally; genital segments with yellow tuft.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 7 ). Tegumen triangular; tuba analis slightly produced with micro-spines. Transtilla strongly sclerotized. Valva symmetrical, bar-shaped, slightly longer than tegumen, dorsal margin slightly convex outward, basal 1/2, distal 1/3 and 1/4 of dorsal margin with tuberculate processes, covered with setae; ventral margin with square process at base; a row of long setae distributed distally. Saccus strongly sclerotized, subtriangular, slightly rounded distally. Phallus 2/3 length of valva, basal 3/4 membranous, distal 1/4 sclerotized, near apex with a pair of tiny hook-like processes. Eighth sternite almost rectangular, distally rounded.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Pupa ( Fig. 10 ). Length about 2.7 mm, width about 0.6 mm. Black brown. Cocoon cutter triangular. Segments II to VIII densely covered with short spinous processes dorsally. Antenna from dorsal side of compound eyes to posterior margin of segment VII. Labial palpus and proboscis from posterior margin of labrum, proboscis extending anterior margin of posterior I. Fore, mid, and hind legs extending obliquely to middle ventrally; fore coxa reaching anterior margin of segment I, tarsus reaching anterior margin of segment II; mid tarsus reaching anterior margin of segment V; hind tarsus reaching anterior margin of segment VIII. Forewing extending obliquely to middle ventrally with costa along antenna, reaching anterior margin of segment VII. Segment X slender, straight distally. Cremaster with one pair of small spines, slender, straight, located on segment X distally.

Biology ( Figs 17–18 ). The mine is located on the underside of the leaf. Similar to most Phyllonorycter species, in the final stage, the mine surface begins to shrink, the leaf blade bends, and transparent spots appear on the upper epidermis of the mine. The mine is easily visible from the upper side of the leaf. Only mature mines were collected. The mature mines can be collected in July and August. Based on these observations, it is inferred that this species has at least two generations per year and likely overwinters as pupae or adults.

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

Distribution. China (Shandong).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin word “ tumoris ”, referring to the tuberculate processes at the dorsal margin of the valva. A noun in the nominative singular standing in apposition to the generic name.

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.