Gibbovalva zaplaca ( Meyrick, 1907 ), 2025

Prins, Jurate De, Hartley, Diana, Sruoga, Virginijus, Nicholls, James, Wallace, Jesse & Zwick, Andreas, 2025, Diversity of Australian Ornixolinae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) with taxonomic and nomenclatural acts within the related taxa (Acrocercopinae and Gracillariinae) based on the evidence of museomics, bionomics, and mitogenomics, Zootaxa 5616 (1), pp. 1-340 : 283-303

Gibbovalva zaplaca ( Meyrick, 1907) , comb. n.

( Fig. 562)

Taxonomic act: Based on external and internal morphological characters as well as mitogenomic data we place Conopomorpha zaplaca Meyrick, 1907 in the genus Gibbovalva Kumata & Kuroko, 1988 , and introduce Gibbovalva zaplaca ( Meyrick, 1907) , comb. n. For details on morphological characters of the tropical species belonging to the genus Gibbovalva please refer to Sruoga & De Prins (2023: 99).

“ C.[onopomorpha] zaplaca , n. sp. ”—Meyrick, E., 1907. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 32: 54–55. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6383133

Conopomorpha zaplaca — Nielsen & Kumata 1996: 48; De Prins & De Prins 2005: 159.

Acrocercops zaplaca — Turner 1913: 178; Turner 1940: 59.

Type locality: [ Australia], New South Wales, Sydney.

Type specimens: Syntypes 2♀, in NHMUK (London) .

Specimens examined: Syntype 1(♀), with abdomen: [1] Sydney/N.S. [New South] Wales / 31 January 1880; [2] Meyrick Coll./B.M. 1938-290; [3] Syntype; [4] Acrocercops / zaplaca /2/1 Meyr./E. Meyrick det./in Meyrick Coll; [5] BMNH(E) 1406222. Syntype 2(♀), with abdomen: [1] Sydney/N.S. [New South] Wales / 18 November 1884; [2] Meyrick Coll./B.M. 1938-290; [3] Syntype; [4] Acrocercops / zaplaca /2/2 Meyr./E. Meyrick det./in Meyrick Coll; [5] zaplaca Meyr. [6] BMNH(E) 1406225, in NHMUK (London).

Lectotype designation: Hereby, we designate as the lectotype of the species Conopomorpha zaplaca Meyrick, 1907 the female specimen ( Fig. 562) with abdomen, belonging to the syntype series and carrying the ID label ‘BMNH(E) 1406222’, in NHMUK (London).

Paralectotype: 1 specimen: Paralectotype ♀, with abdomen: belonging to the syntype series and carrying the ID label ‘BMNH(E) 1406225’, in NHMUK (London) .

The lectotype is designated as part of our taxonomic work to enhance the stability of nomenclature (Declaration 44—Amendment of Article 74.7.3) with the purpose of delineating this species-group taxon Conopomorpha zaplaca Meyrick, 1907 . This designation will preserve stability in nomenclature ( ICZN Recommendation 74A). We gave preference to the specimen indicated as ‘2/1 Meyr.’ in the Insect Collection of the Natural History Museum (London) which is with the abdomen, in good shape and curated by the former curator Dr. Jurate De Prins who provided it with the unique QR Code BMNH(E) 1406222 ( ICZN Recommendations 74B, C, D). The locality of the lectotype specimen is verified and included in the Global Taxonomic Database of Gracillariidae https://www.gracillariidae. net/species_by_code/CONOZAPL ( ICZN Recommendation 74E). The syntype specimen with the label data of the type locality and the QR Code BMNH(E) 1406225 is designated as the paralectotype ( ICZN Recommendation 74F).

Unverified specimens: Specimen 1: Queensland: Crow’s Nest , 33.8241°S 151.2027°E, 04-10-1921, leg. Nihil. Specimen 2: Brisbane, 27.4705°S 153.0260°E, 26-10-1915, leg. Nihil, in ANIC (Canberra) .

Morphological diagnostic characterisation: length of forewing ca. 4.2–4.8 mm. Wing span ca. 8.8–9.0 mm ( Fig. 562).

Head: vertex white, smooth, with suppressed filiform scales, occiput with snowy white, short, piliform scales directed posteriorly; labial palpus of moderate length, slightly longer than 1.5× of the diameter of the eye, directed straight forward, simple without any additional tufts of modified scales; antenna approximately as long as forewing, monochromous ochreous brown; scape white with dark brown distal part, pedicel dark brown.

Thorax ( Fig. 562): snowy white; tegula concolourous with thorax; forewing ground colour white with three dark ochreous fasciae and sub-apical oblique broad strigula; ornamental markings are edged by black scales; the first fascia is triangular-shaped at sub-base, the second fascia with a constriction at the midden part at 1/3 of forewing, the third fascia is the broadest with a light constriction at 2/3 of the forewing, and the fourth fascia oblique at sub-apical part of forewing, termen is marked by two ochreous spots; apical and fringe line are fused, marked by prolonged scales with dark brown tips; fringe white long, with yellowish shading. Hindwing very narrow with sharp apex, beige; fringe long, dense, beige at costa of hindwing and yellow white at dorsal margin of forewing. Legs white with dark brown rings.

Abdomen: monochromous dark beige, the anterior segment with lighter shading.

Male genitalia: No data.

Female genitalia: No data.

BOLD data: Specimen metadata and images, but no DNA sequences https://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/ Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxon= Conopomorpha+zaplaca +&searchTax=Search+Taxonomy (as Conopomorpha zaplaca ).

GenBank data: No data.

Mitogenomic data: No data.

Bionomics: No data.

Distribution: Australia: New South Wales ( Meyrick 1907: 55), Queensland ( Turner 1940: 59).

35. Ornica De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , gen. n.

“ Ornica De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , gen. n. ”—original citation.

Type species: Ornix australis Turner, 1896 , by present designation and monotypy.

BOLD data: https://v3.boldsystems.org/index.php/Public_SearchTerms?query=%22 Epicephala %20australis%22[t ax] (as Epicephala australis )

GenBank data: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/?term= Epicephala+australis

Taxonomic act: based on external and internal morphological characters as well as mitogenomic data, we transfer Ornix australis Turner, 1896 from the genus Epicephala Meyrick (1880) , in which it was placed by Meyrick (1907), and belonging to the subfamily Ornixolinae , to the genus Ornica gen. n., now placed here into the subfamily Acrocercopinae (see mitogenomic data Fig. 636). We introduce Ornica australis ( Turner, 1896) comb. n.

Diagnosis:the genus can be easily recognised from the other Acrocercopinae genera by the wing pattern, no transverse fasciae, but white stripe on dorsal margin and two strigulae on apex, characters that are attributed to species of the genus Epicephala , placed in the subfamily Ornixolinae . Long, narrow costal line which ends with oblique costal strigula in subapical sector can serve as a diagnostic character for the new genus Ornica . In abdominal segment II, the sternal apodemes are angulated like in sister genus Gibbovalva , but the tergal apodemes are long, slender and straight, not curved or sinuating like in Gibbovalva . Segment VIII in males like in Gibbovalva and Acrocercops with needle-like apodeme that goes well into the mid of segment VII. Differently from the sister genus Gibbovalva , the anterior segment in males of the genus Ornica , beside the needle-shaped apodeme, carries also a vertical sclerotised bow in the intersegmental sector between sterna VII and VIII. Costal margin of valvae in male genitalia differently from the sister genus Gibbovalva , in Ornica gen. n. without appendage. Female genitalia are also highly diagnostic: in the sister genus Gibbovalva corpus bursae usually without signum or with tiny short linear signum and a couple of scobs ( G. lambertiae sp. nov.), while in the type species of Ornica gen. n. the signum on corpus bursae is very impressive: two brushes of piliform sales protrude the wall of corpus bursae; colliculum and distal part of ductus bursae in Ornica gen. n. spectacularly sclerotised by multi-scobination. Host plant preferences of both sister genera are also different: Gibbovalva species feed on plants belonging to the families Apocynaceae , Lauraceae , Magnoliaceae , Proteaceae , and Typhaceae , while species belonging to Ornica gen. n. feed on Fabaceae . The clearly visual diagnostic differences are in the mitogenomic data (see Fig. 636). The type species Ornica australis does not belong to the species group E. colymbetella which is the type species of the genus Epicephala . The linear dorsal stripe and sub-apical oblique costal strigulae might serve as a perfect example of homology of two big tropical evolutionary clades within Gracillariidae that are circumscribed as two very big, diverse, and species-rich subfamilies Acrocercopinae and Ornixolinae . The diagnosis between them can be determined by internal morphology, and the relationships visualized by mitogenomic data. Based on the material of Afrotropical species assigned to the genera of Acrocercopinae ( Sruoga & De Prins 2023; present article) which share the same Gondwanan origin with the Australian Gracillariidae the species belonging to the genus Acrocercops can be diagnosed by the combination of the following characters of external and internal morphology: 1) antennal scape simple without a flap; 2) costal margin of forewing with six veins, veins R 5, M 1 and M 2 of the forewing connate or approximate at bases, dorsal margin of forewing with five or seven veins, CuP or A 1+2 can be rudimentary, CuA 2 might be absent in Afrotropical species; hindwing with 4M veins on dorsal margin, forked as follows: M 1 +M 2 and M 3 +M 4; 3) valva in male genitalia with one long comb on inner surface; 4) median sclerotisation of the dorso-cephalic apodeme of the male abdominal segment VIII does not extent onto tergum. The species assigned to the genus Epicephala can be diagnosed by the combination of the following characters ( Vári 1961; Kawahara et al. 2017; present article): 1) maxillary palpus relatively long, filiform; 2) labial palpus, simple without attached tufts of modified scales, cylindrical, drooping or gently uplifted at apical part; 3) forewing with six veins, veins R 5, M 1 and M 2 are separate, joining the central cell at a distance from each other; dorsal margin with seven veins A 1+2 well developed and strongly sclerotised; hindwing with 3M veins: forked M 1 +M 2, while M 3 is a single vein; 4) female abdomen with extended ovipositor; 5) in female genitalia the opening of ductus bursae is close to or at the anterior margin of segment VII. The further diagnostic characters between species groups that nest within Acrocercopinae or Ornixolinae can be found in the visualization of mitogenomic data. The lineage of the taxon Ornica australis is a sister lineage of the Australian taxon Gibbovalva zaplaca , which is transferred from Ornixolinae to Acrocercopinae in this present treatment. Description: Wingspan 6.3–7.0 mm; length of the forewing 3.0– 3.5 mm.

Head: white; maxillary palpus as long as about ca. 1/3 of the length of labial palpus, directed laterad, with sharply pointed apices; labial palpus of moderate length, slightly longer than 1.5× of the diameter of the eye, simple without any additional tufts of modified scales; antenna as long as forewing, or slightly shorter, monochromous; scape simple, with small tuft of short filiform scales.

Thorax: white and tegula; forewing pattern bears geometrical, diagnostic ornamentations; ground colour fuscous ochreous, costal margin of forewing is marked by a very thin white line developing to the first sub-apical strigula which mirrors an equally thin, white, edged by fine black lines of black scales; dorsal margin marked with rather broad, very clearly defined white stripe; apex of A. australis is marked by two white oblique costal strigulae, strongly edged by the line of black scales, tornus of A. australis carries a spectacular black brush; apical spot absent, apical line absent, fringe very short, thick and present only on termen. Hindwing very narrow with sharp apex, concolourous with the ground colour of forewing. Legs more or less monochromous; hind tibia rather thin, but carries a row of erected, spiculose, modified scales; tarsus monochromous without any particular markings.

Abdomen: Abdominal opening mid-sized, shaped as a triangle, ventral crossing joint double lined, sclerotised; sternal apodemes are well developed, short, bifurcated; tergal apodemes rather thick, straight, apices reaching the mid of segment II. Terminal segment in males with the joint between segment VIII and segment VII carrying a median semi-ring shaped sclerotisation, and the presence of a long needle-shaped dorsocephalic apodeme.

Male genitalia: Tegumen very long, narrow, a pair of long setae present on the apex of tegumen; valvae slightly shorter than tegumen gently curved to broadly rounded apex on ventral margin, ventral surface of valvae is densely setose, transtilla absent, vinculum trapezoid, with strongly sclerotised lateral margins; saccus broad, short, triangular. Aedeagus ca. 1/3 longer than valva, slender, straight, cylindrical, with strongly sclerotised vesica.

Female genitalia: papillae anales pressed and flat; apophyses posteriores long, almost reaching the anterior margin of segment VIII, straight; apophyses anteriores with broad triangular bases, occupying almost entirely segment VIII; sterigma absent; the ostium bursae is posterior to sternum VII, in the membrane between segments VII and VIII, antrum is broad channel-like, melanised; colliculum very well developed, strongly sclerotised by tiny and numerous scobinations; ductus bursae of different width; the division between corpus and ductus bursae is very strong; corpus bursae kidney-shaped with strong walls; signum consists of two tufts of sclerotised piliform scales protruding the bursal wall.

Preimaginal stage: cocoon oval, with dimensions ca. 7.0×3.0 mm, not transparent, with some short broad folds (a variable character). The appendages for future antennae, posterior legs and wings are free, not attached to the pupal case.

BOLD data: https://v3.boldsystems.org/index.php/Public_SearchTerms?query=%22 Epicephala %20australis%22[t ax] (as Epicephala australis )

GenBank data: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/?term= Epicephala+australis (as Epicephala australis ) Mitogenomic data.All analyses recovered the genus consistently and with very strong support as sister to Dondavisia gen. n. ( Figs 636, 639).

Bionomics: Fabaceae : Acacia longifolia (Andrews) Willd. , A. trinervata Sieber ex DC. , A. mangium Willd. (see O. australis ).

Distribution: Australian Region: Australia, Queensland ( Turner 1896: 3).

Etymology. The genus name Ornica derives from the feminine Greek word ὄρνις, meaning a bird. This generic name is in association with the original combination of the species Ornix australis Turner, 1896 , which is designated here as the type species for the genus Ornica De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , gen. n.

Species richness: World: 1 species; Australian Region: 1 species.

Type species: Ornica australis ( Turner, 1896) , comb. n.

( Figs 573–585, 636)

“ O.[rnix] australis , n. sp. ”—Turner, A. J., 1896. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia 20: 2–3. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/26249563

Epicephala australis — Meyrick 1907: 53, Turner 1913: 175, Turner 1940: 56, Nielsen & Kumata 1996: 48; De Prins & De Prins 2005: 178.

Type locality: [ Australia], Queensland, Brisbane.

Type specimens: Not stated, “Commonly”; 2 syntypes in ANIC (Canberra) .

Specimens examined: Syntype 1(♂) [labels verbatim]: [1] Syntype / Ornix australis / Turner, 1896 /type status assessed by T. Pleines, 2023; [2] Brisbane/Sep.[tember]; [3] ANIC Database No /31 087227; [4] ANIC / Image. Syntype 2(♀): [1] Syntype / Ornix australis / Turner, 1896 /type status assessed by T. Pleines, 2023; [2] Brisbane / Nov. [ember]; [3] ANIC Database No /31 087228; [4] ANIC / Image , in ANIC (Canberra).

Lectotype designation: Hereby, we designate as the lectotype of the species Ornix australis Turner, 1896 the female specimen ( Fig. 574) with abdomen, belonging to the syntype series and carrying the ID label ‘ ANIC Database No/31 087228’, in ANIC (Canberra).

Paralectotype: 1 specimen: Paralectotype (♂), without abdomen: belonging to the syntype series and carrying the ID label ‘ ANIC Database No/31 087227’, in ANIC (Canberra) .

The lectotype is designated as part of our taxonomic work to enhance the stability of nomenclature (Declaration 44—Amendment of Article 74.7.3) with the purpose to delineate this species-group taxon Ornix australis Turner, 1896 . This designation will preserve stability in nomenclature ( ICZN Recommendation 74A). We gave preference to the specimen databased and digitised in the Australian National Insect Collection of the CSIRO (Canberra) which is with abdomen, in a good shape and verified by the curator Dr. Thekla Pleines who provided it with the unique ID number 31 087228 and appropriate red label ( ICZN Recommendations 74B, C, D). The locality of the lectotype specimen is verified and included into working sheet of Teams of the ANIC staff and the Global Taxonomic Database of Gracillariidae https://www.gracillariidae.net/species_by_code/EPICAUST ( ICZN Recommendation 74E). The syntype specimen, without abdomen, with the label data of the type locality and the ANIC Acc. no 31 087227 is designated as the paralectotype ( ICZN Recommendation 74F).

Other verified specimens examined: Queensland: Specimen 1: Gravatt, Mt., 27.5625°S 153.0842°E blotch mine on Acacia cunninghamii [= Acacia trinervata Sieber ex DC. ], 12-07-1959, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 2: without abdomen, Brisbane, 27.4705°S 153.0260°E, July, no date, leg. nihil. Specimen 3: without abdomen, idem collecting data, except the month September. Specimen 4: without abdomen, idem locality data, no date. Specimen 5: without abdomen, idem data. Specimen 6: without abdomen, idem data. Specimen 7: without abdomen, idem data. Specimen 8: idem collecting data, except the month November. Specimen 9(♀): idem collecting data except the month August, DNA sample NULT022843, genitalia slide ANIC 6260, ANIC Acc. no 31 085610, in ANIC (Canberra).

Note: this specimen in the ANIC collection is indicated as “ Holotype ”; however, it is not the type specimen because the month of the collecting activity does not match the description.

Specimen 10: idem collecting data. Specimen 11: idem data except the date, 24-08-1912. Specimen 12: Gravatt, Mt., 27.5625°S 153.0842°E blotch mine on Acacia cunninghamii [= Acacia trinervata ], Barcode of Life, DNA voucher specimen, Sample ID: 11 ANIC- 16281, BOLD Proc. ID: ANICY281-11, 25-09-1957, leg. Common I.F.B, ANIC Acc. no 31 053616. Specimen 13: idem collecting and rearing data. Specimen 14: without abdomen, Brisbane, 27.4705°S 153.0260°E, May, No date, leg. Nihil. Specimen 15: Gravatt, Mt., 27.5625°S 153.0842°E, blotch mine on Acacia cunninghamii [= Acacia trinervata ], 19-09-1959, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 16(♀): idem locality and biology data, Barcode of Life, DNA voucher specimen, Sample ID: 11 ANIC- 10280, BOLD Proc. ID: ANICY280- 11, 12-09-1957, leg. Common I.F.B., reared, ANIC Acc. no 31 053615, DNA sample NULT022968, genitalia slide ANIC 6261, ANIC Acc. no 31 053615. Specimen 17: idem locality and biology data, 21-09-1959, leg. Common I.F.B. reared. Specimen 18: idem collecting and biology data, except the date 12-09-1957. Specimen 19(♂): idem locality and biology data, Barcode of Life, DNA voucher specimen, Sample ID: 11 ANIC- 16282, BOLD Proc. ID: ANICY282-11, 19-09-1959, reared, Common I.F.B., ANIC Acc. no 31 053817, DNA sample NULT023082, genitalia slide ANIC 6262, ANIC Acc. no 31 053817. Specimen 20: Wowan, 23.9082°S 150.1967°E, Acacia mangium Willd. , 04-02-1948, leg. Common I.F.B., ANIC Acc. no 31 075851. Specimen 21: Brisbane, 27.4705°S 153.0260°E, blotch mine on Acacia cunninghamii [= Acacia trinervata ], leg. 29-11-1947, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 22: idem data. Specimen 23: Yeppoon, 23.1335°S 150.7374°E, from Acacia cunninghamii [= Acacia trinervata ], 04-02-1948, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 24: idem locality data, 05-02-1948, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 25: Gravatt, Mt., 27.5625°S 153.0842°E, blotch mine on Acacia cunninghamii [= Acacia trinervata ], 17-09-1957, leg. Common I.F.B, ANIC Acc. no 31 075852. Specimen 26: collecting and biology data, 29-11-1947, leg. Common I.F.B., ANIC Acc. no 31 075850, in ANIC (Canberra).

Morphological diagnostic characterisation: This type species Ornica australis of the monotypic genus Ornica gen. n. is represented by the character sets of both levels: generic level and species level. When more species belonging to the genus Ornica gen. n. will be described, we shall separate both levels of character sets. Wingspan 6.3–7.0 mm; length of the forewing 3.0– 3.5 mm ( Figs 573, 574).

Head ( Figs 575, 576): white but covered by two fused very thick occipital tufts of vertically raised filiform scales, beige at basal halves and ochreous at apical halves; maxillary palpus as long as about ca. 1/3 of the length of labial palpus, directed laterad, with sharply pointed apices; labial palpus of moderate length, slightly longer than 1.5× of the diameter of the eye, directed straight forward, simple without any additional tufts of modified scales; antenna as long as forewing, or slightly shorter, monochromous ochreous with a strong bronze shine; scape simple, with a tiny appendix on ventral side carrying a small tuft of short filiform scales.

Thorax ( Figs 573, 574, 578): white with silver shine; tegula monochromous fuscous ochreous; forewing pattern bears geometrical ornamentations; ground colour fuscous ochreous, costal margin of forewing is marked by a very thin white line developing to the first sub-apical strigula which mirrors an equally thin, white, edged by fine black lines of black scales; dorsal margin marked with rather broad, very clearly defined straight at anterior margin white stripe that gently develops into the first dorsal subapical strigula opposing the first sub-apical costal strigula; apical area is not defined by different ground colour, presence of very clear apical spot and bordered by transverse fascia; apex of O. australis is marked by two white oblique costal strigulae, strongly edged by the line of black scales, tornus of O. australis carries a spectacular black brush; apical spot absent, apical line absent, fringe very short, thick and present only on termen. Hindwing very narrow with sharp apex, concolourous with the ground colour of forewing, with strong bronze lustre. Legs with a more or less monochromous shade, pale grey with silver shine; hind tibia rather thin, but carrying a row of erected, spiculose modified scales; tarsus monochromous without any particular markings.

Abdomen ( Figs 577, 584, 585): tergites matte, fuscous ochreous; sternites light grey with a strong metallic shine; three rudimental white markings present on lateral sides of abdomen—a diagnostic genus-group character. Abdominal opening mid-sized, shaped as a triangle, ventral crossing joint double lined, sclerotised, with bulbed enlarged protrusion at sternum II; sternal apodemes initiating at the corners of abdominal opening are well developed, short, bifurcated at the middle, oblique towards the mid part of sternum II, apices blunt; tergal apodemes rather thick, straight, with hooked bases, apices blunt reaching the mid of segment II. Terminal segment in males with the following androconial characters: (i) tergum VIII with a triangular melanised plate, (ii) the joint between segment VIII and segment VII with a median semi-ring shaped sclerotisation, (iii) presence of a long dorsocephalic apodeme that reaches the mid of segment VII.

Male genitalia ( Figs 579, 580): Tegumen very long, narrow, strongly narrowing at apical half, a pair of long setae present on the apex of tegumen; valvae slightly shorter than tegumen, rather broad, straight at costa, and gently curved to broadly rounded apex on ventral margin, ventral surface of valvae is densely setose, basal part of valvae tuberculate; transtilla absent, but the basal part of tegumen is stronger sclerotised probably taking the function of support; vinculum trapezoid, with strongly sclerotised lateral margins; saccus short, broad, more or less triangular appendage. Aedeagus ca. 1/3 longer than valva, slender, straight, cylindrical, with strongly sclerotised vesica, three long cornuti attached to each other stretch along the main body of the aedeagus.

Female genitalia ( Figs 581–583): papillae anales pressed and flat, joint together by their anterior surfaces, densely setose; apophyses posteriores long, almost reaching the anterior margin of segment VIII, almost straight, with slightly enlarged bases and blunt apices; apophyses anteriores with semi-ringed, far going broad triangular bases, occupying almost entirely segment VIII, apical part straight, slender entering the posterior 1/3 of segment VII; sterigma absent; the ostium bursae is posterior to sternum VII, in the membrane between segments VII and VIII. The sternum VII overlaps the antrum and part of ductus bursae, antrum a broad channel-like, melanised; colliculum very well developed, strongly sclerotised by tiny and numerous scobinations, occupying 1/3 of ductus bursae; ductus bursae of different width along sections with the broadest part at antrum and by the joint with corpus bursae; the division between corpus and ductus bursae is very strong; corpus bursae kidney-shaped with strong walls keeping the steady shape; signum consists of two tufts of sclerotised piliform scales protruding the bursal wall; bulla spermathecae small oval, ductus spermathecae very narrow, entering ductus bursae at the joint with corpus bursae.

Preimaginal stage: cocoon oval, with dimensions ca. 7.0×3.0 mm, not transparent, with rather thick walls, ochreous or dirty white, might bear a scobination of small sharp dark arrowhead-like sclerotisations or without any additional covering but with some short broad folds (a variable character). The appendages for future antennae, posterior legs and wings are free, not attached to the pupal case, appendages for maxillary palpus and labial palpus are relatively long.

BOLD data: https://v3.boldsystems.org/index.php/Public_SearchTerms?query=%22 Epicephala %20australis%22[t ax] (as Epicephala australis ).

GenBank data: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/?term= Epicephala+australis (as Epicephala australis ).

Mitogenomic data: The sampled specimens originated all from the Brisbane area, and the monophyly of the species is maximally supported in all analyses. The species is very strongly supported as sister to Dondavisia gen. n. in all analyses ( Figs 636, 639).

Bionomics: Fabaceae : Acacia longifolia (Andrews) Willd. ( Robinson et al. 2023) , A. trinervata Sieber ex DC. , new host plant record, A. mangium Willd. , new host plant record.

Distribution: Australia, Queensland, Brisbane.

36. Ponga De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , gen. n.

“ Ponga De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , gen. n. ”—original citation.

Type species: Ponga pinna De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , sp. nov., by present designation and monotypy.

BOLD data: No data.

GenBank data: No data.

Diagnosis: the genus can be easily recognised from the other Acrocercopinae genera by the concave tornus of forewing and a dull pattern of forewing, without any ornamentation. Lateral sides of abdomen, differently from many other Acrocercopinae genera are not marked by oblique strigulae; however, one big dark brown spot is present on the lateral side of segments 2–3, which is a diagnostic character for this new genus. In female genitalia the ostium bursae opens at segment VIII, a character which is not common but occurs in tropical Acrocercopinae species, colliculum is developed and it is supported by a strongly sclerotised, forceps-like structure at posterior margin of segment VII, also a character occurring in tropical Acrocercopinae ; ductus bursae and corpus bursae are not separated, smoothly transiting to each other, corpus bursae without signum, characters that are shared with Liocrobyla , strongly developed sterigmatic sclerotisations (lamella ante-vaginalis) on anterior margin of segment VII separates this new genus from its relatives. Segment VI in females is not sclerotised in Ponga gen. n. while it is sclerotised in Liocrobyla . The undoubtful diagnostic characters separating this genus from its relatives are found in mitogenomics. This new genus forms a sister clade to the tropical genus Gibbovalva . This type species Ponga pinna sp. nov. is easily distinguishable from Liocrobyla pinnatae sp. nov. collected at the same locality, at the same day and from the same host plant by the unicoloured pattern of forewing and the shape of apex of forewing. Unicoloured light greyish fuscous pattern and slightly arched tornus separate this species not only from L. pinnatae sp. nov. but also from the group of species that includes L. desmodiella and L. kuranda sp. nov.

Description: Wingspan less than 5 mm; length of the forewing just above 2 mm ( Fig. 586).

Head: Vertex smooth, frons smooth. Maxillary palpus short, pointed. Labial palpus unicoloured, drooping, covered with loosely attached scales, ca. 2× longer than the eye. Antenna without longitudinal lines on flagellomeres, not forming any ringed pattern, pedicel as long as the second flagellomere; scape short thicker basally with few pecten.

Thorax: Forewing narrowly elongated, with slightly curved apical part, the fringe line absent; fringe short. Hindwing narrow, elongate, sharply pointed, ca. 6× longer than the width of hindwing at the base. Hind tibia with a row of erected sharply pointed piliform scales, medial spurs and apical spurs of almost the same length.

Abdomen: horizontal joint of abdominal opening on sternum II very strongly, double margined sclerotised, joint on tergum I absent, sternal apodemes very short, curved, tergal apodemes initiating on tergum I, very long sinuating, reaching the posterior margin of segment II, sclerotisations on other segments of the female abdomen are absent.

Male genitalia: No data.

Female genitalia: Papillae anales fused, flattened; apophyses posteriores and anteriores are present, apophyses anteriores ca. 1/3 longer than apophyses posteriores; ostium bursae opening at segment VIII, colliculum at posterior part of segment VII strongly sclerotised; sterigma at anterior part of segment VII with convex enlargement; ductus bursae and corpus bursae smoothly transiting to each other, corpus bursae, prolonged sac-shaped, without signum. Mitogenomic data: All analyses recovered the genus consistently but with mixed support (weak to very strong) as sister to Gibbovalva ( Figs 636, 639).

Bionomics: Fabaceae : Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre ( P. pinna sp. nov.).

Distribution: Australian Region: Australia: Northern Territory.

Etymology: The genus name Ponga derives from the generic name of the host plant Pongamia Adans. ( Fabaceae ). This genus-group name is a noun of the feminine gender in the nominative case.

Species richness: World: 1 species; Australian Region: 1 species.

Type species: Ponga pinna De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , sp. nov.

( Figs 586–592, 636)

Type locality: Australia, Northern Territory, Darwin. Type specimen: Holotype ♀: [labels verbatim] [1] Australia N.T. [Northern Territory]/ 12.21°S 130.52°E / Casuarina C.R./Darwin em.[erged]/ 7 Feb 1998 /T. & M. Kumata. [2] Host 5739/ Pongamia / pinnata, DNA sample NULT024647, genitalia slide ANIC 6170, ANIC Acc. no 31 085542, in ANIC (Canberra). Type depository: Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Diagnosis: This type species Ponga pinna sp. nov. of the monotypic genus Ponga gen. n. is represented by the character sets of both levels: generic level and species level. When more species belonging to the genus Ponga gen. n. will be described, we shall separate both levels of character sets. At the moment, we present a short diagnosis of our new species Ponga pinna sp. nov. from the Australian species of the sister genus Gibbovalva . Externally Ponga pinna sp. nov. is easily recognisable by dull, fuscous brown, without any ornamentation wing pattern, while Gibbovalva species possess strikingly contrastive white broad fasciae. Female genitalia of Ponga pinna sp. nov. are diagnostic due to a parabola-shaped sterigmatic plate on the anterior margin of sternum VII. While in both Australian related species G. lambertiae sp. nov. and G. lomatiae sp. nov. a sterigmatic plate of sternum VII is absent. Description: Wingspan 4.6 mm; length of the forewing 2.2 mm ( Fig. 586). Head ( Figs 587, 588): Vertex light beige. Frons light ochreous with golden shine. Maxillary palpus short, pointed, dark brown with dirty white patch on basal palpomere. Labial palpus unicoloured golden ochreous long drooping with slightly upcurved apex, ca. 2× longer than the eye. Antenna uniformly light brown without longitudinal lines on flagellomeres, however each flagellomere with slightly darker apex, not forming any ringed pattern, ventrally same colour as dorsally, pedicel as long as the second flagellomere; scape short thicker basally dark brown, ventrally shining golden with few dark brown pecten. Thorax ( Fig. 586): Lightly beige, the same shading as forewing; tegula the same colour with slightly darker base. Forewing narrowly elongated, with slightly curved apex, unicoloured beige fuscous slightly darker base of costa, some indistinct but lighter dots on forewing and light beige apex and darker fuscous termen. The fringe line absent,

some darker with white apices prolonged piliform scales at termen; fringe short, darker beige at termen and tornus, light beige along the dorsal margin of fore wing. Hindwing narrow, elongate, sharply pointed, ground colour dark greyish fuscous, fringe of paler shading, shorter at costa and long, ca. 6× longer than the width of hindwing at the base. The fore femur tibia and tarsus dark fuscous; mid-femur dark fuscous, almost black with hanging longer piliform scales of the same shading, mid-tibia unicoloured dark fuscous, tibial spurs light grey shorter than tarsomere I; tarsus light grey except the terminal tarsomere V which is darker; hind tibia light beige with brown spots, hind tibia with a row of erected sharply pointed piliform scales, medial spurs and apical spurs of almost the same length, approximately as long as hind tarsomere 1, tip of leg of the same colour, light beige.

Abdomen ( Figs 589, 591): Abdominal opening with sharp, pointed posterior corners, margins of abdominal opening are strongly sclerotised, anterior margin of lateral arms is thickened; sternal joint of abdominal opening on sternum II complete, very strongly, double margined sclerotised, sternal apodemes very short, curved; tergal apodemes initiating on tergum I, very long sinuating, reaching the posterior margin of segment II, sclerotisations on other segments of female abdomen are absent.

Male genitalia: No data.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 590): Papillae anales fused, flattened, setose, with long strong, erect setae, apophyses posteriores with broadened, more or less rectangular bases, anterior part straight, with sharp apices, reaching the posterior margin of segment VII; apophyses anteriores with broad, rectangular bases, anterior part ca. 1/3 longer than that of apophyses posteriores, apices sharp, terminating in anterior 1/3 of segment VII. Segment VII with a melanised fold on posterior margin of sternum VII and well-developed W-shaped sterigma on the anterior margin of sternum VII. Ostium bursae opens in segment VIII. Colliculum is supported by a strong, sclerotised forceps-shaped fold. Ductus bursae long, rather thick, surpassing segments VII and VI; corpus bursae and ductus bursae smoothly interconnected, without distinct separation; corpus bursae without signum.

Bionomics: The larva is reared from Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre ( Fabaceae ) ( Fig. 592) (present article). The mining period is short, starting at the beginning of February. The flight period for adults starts from the second decade of February.

Mitogenomic data: All analyses recovered the single mitochondrial genome from the holotype consistently but with mixed support (weak to very strong) as a sister to Gibbovalva ( Figs 636, 639).

Distribution: Known only from the type locality: Australia: Northern Territory (present article).

Etymology: The specific name of this species is derived from the species name of its host plant Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre ( Fabaceae ). The specific name is an adjective of the feminine gender in nominative case (ICZN Art. 31.2).

Taxonomic and nomenclatural acts within the related taxa: changes within the subfamily Gracillariinae

Taxonomic act: The lineage Kallia + Euspilapteryx + Murwillumbah is the sister lineage to the lineage Caloptilia ( Fig. 636). The lineage Polka gen. n. is at the base of the clades of the genera assigned to Gracillariinae . Therefore, we place these newly described genera Kallia gen. n., Murwillumbah gen. n., and Polka gen. n. to the subfamily Gracillariinae .

37. Kallia De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , gen. n.

“ Kallia De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , gen. n. ”—original citation.

Type species: Kallia myopora De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , sp. nov., by present designation.

Diagnosis: This genus is highly diagnostic even from external characters due to its giant size, which is unusual in Gracillariidae , broad and apically rounded forewings, without any geometrical pattern, broad hindwings, unichromous legs. As in Ponga gen. n., Kallia gen. n. shows the distal concave dorsal margin of the forewing. The bionomics of this genus are also highly diagnostic. The representatives of Kallia gen. n. tunnel and create a stem gall in Scrophulariaceae plants which is very rare in Gracillariidae with one exception of the Nearctic species Caloptilia murtfeldtella ( Busck, 1904) , having a very similar biology ( Ely 1918; Braun 1922; De Prins & De Prins 2005). Following the phylogenetic data based on multiple nuclear genes ( Kawahara et al. 2017), C. murtfeldtella belongs to the Gracillaria clade that includes the genera Eucalybites Kumata, 1982 , Euspilapteryx Stephens, 1835 , and Gracillaria Haworth, 1828 . Our mitogenomic data on Australian Gracillariidae (present publication, Fig. 636) places Kallia gen. n. as a sister genus to Euspilapteryx . Therefore, we place Kallia gen. n. within the Gracillaria genus group. Two globally distributed genera, Caloptilia and Gracillaria , are similar in morphology but clearly separated by larval chaetotaxy, the pregenital segments of the male and female genitalia, wing venation, and host plant preferences ( Kumata 1982; De Prins 1985). Here below a short diagnostic table is presented to separate Kallia gen. n. from the globally distributed, related genera Caloptilia and Gracillaria .

Taxonomic act: based on external morphological characters (unfortunately internal morphological characters of this species were never studied) and bionomics (see https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7730034), as well as molecular data, we place Gracillaria murtfeldtella Busck, 1904 in the genus Kallia gen. n. and introduce Kallia murtfeldtella ( Busck, 1904) , comb. n. For details on molecular characters of this gall-making species on the stem of the host plant belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae , see Kawahara et al. (2017: Figs 2, 3; present publication Figs 603–617).

Description: Wingspan ca. 14.2–16.2 mm; length of the forewing 6.2–7.4 mm ( Figs 603, 604).

Head: vertex with a tuft of raised brightly ochreous scales. Frons richly covered with rather long dark ochreous upraised scales. Maxillary palpus very short, thin, slightly longer than labial palpomere II. Labial palpus, as long, ca. as long as 2× diameter of the eye, covered with rather lose scales. Antenna about as long as forewing, not ringed, pedicel slightly shorter than the following flagellomere; scape covered with loosely attached scales; pecten not perceptible.

Thorax: Forewing broadly elongated, ground colour ochreous with some irregular brighter patches. Fringe with golden ochreous shade, rather short. Hindwing rather broad, only about 25% narrower at base than the base of forewing, elongate, with gently rounded apex, ground colour grey, fringe of median length, ca. 2× longer than the width of hindwing at the base. Legs unicolourous ochreous, all tarsomeres light ochreous in shading.

Abdomen: Abdominal opening trapezoid with rounded and thickened posterior corners; sternal joint of abdominal opening on sternum II is incomplete, the mid part of the joint is crossed by convex enlargement of sternal plate; sternal apodemes very long, reaching the posterior margin of sternum II, rather thick, strongly sclerotised, straight or slightly bent at apices; tergal apodemes slightly shorter than the sternal apodemes, slender, straight or gently bent, just not reaching the mid of segment II; sternal plate strongly sclerotised, thick, Anterior margin of each sternite is sclerotised in both sexes. Anterior sternum VIII in males with parabola-shaped melanised plate. The cuticle of abdominal segments in both sexes is covered with tiny pointed sclerotised dust.

Male genitalia: Tegumen about 1/3 shorter than valva, with teguminal arms running parallel until gently rounded apex; sub-scaphium developed as a parabola-shaped plate; valvae rather broad, with enlarged cucullus, upraised, with gently bent costal and ventral margins; valval basal apodemes long with additional strongly sclerotised, sharply pointed appendages, forming a transverse support; transtilla absent; vinculum trapezoid, fully sclerotised, saccus well-developed, mid-sized. Aedeagus slender; the main body of aedeagus with prolonged sclerotised appendage.

Female genitalia: Papillae anales bean-shaped, covered with long setae; apophyses posteriores rather short, with prolonged broadened triangular bases; anterior apophyses with very broad basal semi-ring, the length of apophyses posteriores and anteriores are almost equal. Segment VII with numerous tiny tubercules, sterigma as sclerotised bow on the anterior margin of sternum VII. Ostium bursae opens at a membranous plate between segments VII and VIII, with slightly enlarged antrum. Ductus bursae long, narrow, not sclerotised, surpassing segments VII and partly VI; the distinction between ductus and corpus bursae very clear; corpus bursae small, round, with a thin melanised wall, without signum.

BOLD data: No data

GenBank data: No data.

Mitogenomic data: The mitochondrial genome sequences of the single sampled species are very distinct and form a maximally supported clade in all analyses ( Fig. 636). The genus is part of a maximally supported monophylum that includes additionally Caloptilia , Murwillumbah gen. n. and Euspilapteryx , but its placement within this monophylum as sister to Euspilapteryx is only recovered with moderate support by CODON, DEGEN and AA analyses, but not NT ( Fig. 639).

Bionomics: Scrophulariaceae : larvae tunnel in Myoporum insulare R.Br ( K. myopora sp. nov.) and Pentstemon hirsutus (L.) Willd., P. laevigatus Soland. , P. peckii Pennell ( K. murtfeldtella ( Busck, 1904)) resulting in the formation of a large gall in the stem of the host plant.

Distribution: Australian Region: Australia: Victoria, South Australia.

Nearctic region : Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan ; United States: California, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Washington .

Etymology: The eponymic genus name Kallia derives from the name of the collector Axel Kallies who discovered and reared the type species Kallia myopora sp. nov. This genus-group name is a noun of the feminine gender in the nominative case.

Species richness: World: 2 species; Australian Region: 1 species.

Type species: Kallia myopora De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , sp. nov.

( Figs 603–617, 636)

Type locality: Australia, Victoria, Mornington Peninsula.

Type specimens: Holotype ♂ ( Fig. 603): [labels verbatim] [1] Australia S[outh] Victoria /Mornington Peninsula/ Bushranger’s Bay/larva tunneling in Myoporum / insulare , 19–29 April 2004. e.l./leg. A. Kallies, DNA sample NULT025451, genitalia slide ANIC 6242, ANIC Acc. no 31 085518, in ANIC (Canberra).

Paratypes: 26 specimens: Victoria: Paratype 1(♀): S[South] Victoria, Mornington Peninsula, Bushranger’s Bay, larva tunnelling in Myoporum insulare 19–29 April 2004 e.l., leg. A. Kallies, DNA sample NULT025211, genitalia slide ANIC 6240, ANIC Acc. no 31 085595. Paratype 2(♀): same collecting data. Host Myoporum insulare R.Br. ( Scrophulariaceae ). Paratype 3(♀): same collecting data, DNA sample NULT025336, genitalia slide ANIC 6241, ANIC Acc. no 31 085596, in ANIC (Canberra). Paratypes 6–11: Mornington Peninsula, Bushrangers Bay, ex Myoporum insulare , 16–28.v.2003 e.l., leg. A. & A. Kallies. Paratypes 12–17: idem locality and rearing data, 25–30.iv.2009 e.l., leg. A. Kallies. Paratypes 18–20: Mornington Peninsula, Point Nepean, 38.310396°S 144.681093°E, ex Myoporum insulare , 22–27.iii.2022 e.l., leg. A. Kallies. Paratypes 21–23: East Gippsland, Point Hicks, 37.796111°S 149.283056°E, ex Myoporum insulare , 1–5.v.2019 e.l., leg. A. Kallies, in the collection of Axel Kallies, future deposition in ANIC (Canberra) and Museums Victoria (Melbourne).

South Australia: Paratype 4(♀): Kingscote forest, on Myoporum insulare , 5 th Rd[road], coll. [collected] as larva; 10 April 2010, leg. D.A. Young: ex. 26–28 July 2010, 35.39506°S 137.38268°E, DNA sample NULT025576, genitalia slide ANIC 6243, ANIC Acc. no 31 085593. Paratype 5(♀): the same collecting data except the emergency date 3–6 August 2010. Host Myoporum insulare R.Br. ( Scrophulariaceae ), DNA sample NULT022700, genitalia slide ANIC 6244, ANIC Acc. no 31 085594, in ANIC (Canberra). Paratype 24(♂): Kangaroo Island, Kingscote, fore shore scrub near Yacht Club, ex Myoporum insulare , 1–4.vi.2010 e.l., leg. D.A. Young. Paratype 25(♀): Bales Bay, Seal Bay CP, 35.59560°S 137.20830°E, ex Myoporum insulare , 27.v.2010 e.l., leg. D.A. Young. Paratype 26(♂): Kangaroo Island, Vivonne Bay, 35. 5816°S 137.10.69°E, 10.iv.2006, at light, leg. D.A. Young, in the collection of Axel Kallies, future deposition in ANIC (Canberra) and Museums Victoria (Melbourne).

Type depository: Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia and Museums Victoria, Melbourne .

Diagnosis: Very different from all other Australian Gracillariidae species, most similar to the Palaearctic species Ornixola caudulatella ( Zeller, 1839) . The gigantic size of the specimens belonging to this species, much broader forewings with no separation between forewing and fringe at apex, rather broad hindwings with gently rounded apices (in other Gracillariidae genera and the great majority of species the hindwings are with sharply pointed apices) make this species unique and easily recognisable just from a first look at the external characters. The proportional size of genital capsule makes the characters of internal morphology belonging to this species also easily diagnosable. Only one Gracillariidae species Kallia murtfeldtella ( Busck, 1904) , distributed in the Nearctic region feeds on a Scrophulariaceae hostplant Pentstemon spp. ( Ely 1918; Braun 1922; De Prins & De Prins 2005). No doubt that the mitogenomic characterisation also aids to diagnose this peculiar and eye-catching species.

Description: Wingspan ca. 14.8–15.0 mm; length of the forewing 6.9–7.4 mm ( Figs 603, 604).

Head ( Figs 606, 607): vertex with a tuft of slightly lifted, ochreous with bronze shine piliform scales, directed anteriorly; two tufts of long raised piliform scales are present on lateral sides of vertex just next to eyes, these scales form a semi-round fan and touch each other with their tips at the mid of vertex. Frons covered with lose rather long hanging ochreous scales intermixed with dark brown, labrum covered with shorter lighter than the scales at frons, ochreous scales with golden shine. Maxillary palpus very short, but well perceptible, palpus directed to lateral sides, gently following the semi-round eyes. Labial palpus, as long, ca. as long as 2× diameter of the eye, covered with rather lose, uniformly coloured, beige ochreous scales, a short bunch of loosely hanging piliform scales is present at the joint of palpomeres II and III, terminal palpomere with narrowing but blunt apex. Antenna about as long as forewing, flagellomeres golden ochreous with slightly darker apices, ventrally antenna is concolourous with dorsal shading, pedicel slightly shorter than the following flagellomere, with fuscous lateral sides; scape ochreous with fuscous lateral sides, a couple light ochreous thin, rather short piliform scales hanging as pecten.

Thorax ( Figs 603–605, 610, 611): covered with dark ochreous scales, concolourous with vertex, tegula ochreous, concolourous with thorax, however slightly darker at base. Forewing rather broadly elongated, ground colour rich ochreous, of the same shading as thorax and vertex, with very simplified forewing pattern: three light ochreous beige irregular patch-like markings are present on sub-basal, mid and sub-apical parts of forewing; a non-edged straight strigula, exceeding the mid of forewing is present on the sub-basal part of dorsal margin, irregular non-edged fascia with broader parts at costa and dorsum present on mid of forewing and just scattered light beige spots without defined shape and edges are present at sub-apical margin; apical line absent, the transition at termen to fringe is smooth, hardly visible. Fringe rich ochreous, concolourous with ground colour at termen, dark fuscous at tornus, abruptly light grey at dorsal margin of the forewing, fringe rather short, shorter at termen and dorsal margin, the longest at tornus. Hindwing rather broad in comparison with other Gracillariidae species, elongate, with gently rounded apex, ground colour fuscous with light golden shading, fringe of median length, ca. 2× longer than the width of hindwing at the base, lighter than the colour of hindwing, with strong golden shine. Fore femur rich golden ochreous with loosely hanging ochreous short scales, fore tibia thick, dark ochreous, covered with loosely attached darker scales, tarsomere I as long as tibia, light ochreous, tarsomere II ca. 2× shorter than tarsomere I, terminal tarsomeres short with loosely attached light ochreous with golden shine scales; mid femur richly ochreous, covered with raised darker scales in a similar way as fore femur, mid tibia lighter ochreous covered with pressed ochreous scales, mid tarsus unicolourous, darker ochreous at outer side and light ochreous at inner side, tip of tarsus dark ochreous; hind femur ochreous, hind tibia broader at apical part, apex of hind tibia covered with lose hanging light ochreous piliform scales, median spurs long, as long as about 1/2 of tibial length, light ochreous, apical spurs slightly shorter, golden, tarsomere I slightly curved, all tarsomeres light ochreous with golden shine, some erected short piliform scales at apices, the tip of hind tarsus grey.

Abdomen ( Figs 608–611, 615, 616): dorsally light fuscous, intersegmental areas covered with brushes of light ochreous short scales, ventrally ochreous, intermixed with dirty white, genital segments light beige with orange shading.Abdominal opening trapezoid with rounded and thickened posterior corners, margins of abdominal opening are strongly sclerotised, anterior margin of lateral arms is thickened; sternal joint of abdominal opening on sternum II is incomplete, with strongly sclerotised arms of transverse joint initiating at the corners, the mid part of the joint is crossed by convex enlargement of sternal plate; sternal apodemes very long, reaching the posterior margin of sternum II, rather thick, strongly sclerotised, straight or slightly bent at apices; tergal apodemes slightly shorter than the sternal apodemes, slender, straight or gently bent, just not reaching the mid of segment II; sternal plate strongly sclerotised, thick, with curled suture running parallel the sclerotised arms of transverse joint. Anterior margin of each sternite is sclerotised in both sexes. Anterior S 8 in males with parabola-shaped melanised plate. In females, similar anterior structures absent. The cuticle of abdominal segments in both sexes is covered with tiny pointed sclerotised dust.

Male genitalia ( Figs 612, 613): Tegumen about 1/3 shorter than valva, with teguminal arms running parallel until gently rounded apex; sub-scaphium developed as a parabola-shaped plate, tegumen setae free; valvae rather broad, with enlarged cucullus, upraised, with gently bent costal and ventral margins, the inner surface of apical and ventral sub-apical sectors covered with dense, thin, long setae; valval basal apodemes long with additional strongly sclerotised, sharply pointed appendages, meeting and crossing each other, in this way forming a transverse support; transtilla absent; basal saccular area with strongly sclerotised arms running deep into the vinculum; vinculum trapezoid, fully sclerotised, saccus well-developed, mid-sized, a gentle truncate prolongation of vinculum.Aedeagus about 2× shorter than valva, slender, with enlarged vesica that ends in an arrow-shaped double tip; the main body of aedeagus with a prolonged sclerotised appendage.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 614): Papillae anales fused only with sub-anterior inner lateral sides, papillae anales bean-shaped, covered with long erect, straight or curved setae; apophyses posteriores rather short, entering mid of segment VIII, with prolonged broadened triangular bases; apophyses anteriores with very broad basal semi-ring, occupying almost entirely segment VIII, anterior slender part ca. as long as basal part, the length of slender anterior part of apophyses posteriores and anteriores is almost equal, apices of apophyses anteriores enter the posterior part of segment VII. Segment VII lightly sclerotised with numerous tiny tubercules, sterigma is as narrow sclerotised bow on anterior margin of sternum VII. Ostium bursae in the form of a longitudinal slit; a great part of this slit is on the posterior part of sternum VII, but the posterior tip of this slit is on the membranous part posterior to sternum VII while the anterior part of the ostium is not visible due to non-transparency of sternum VII, because this sclerite overlaps the membranous area between segments VII and VIII. Ductus bursae long, narrow, not sclerotised, surpassing segments VII and partly VI; the distinction between ductus and corpus bursae very clear; corpus bursae small, round, with thin melanised wall, without signum; bulla spermathecae situated in segment VII, enters ductus bursae in the mid part of segment VII.

Individual variation: a substantial individual and intraspecific variation is observed in wing pattern and size of specimens. The wing pattern is marked by lighter irregular patches, without any geometrical form. Patches on forewing are hardly visible; they are of different shapes, irregular and scattered on the forewing without any repeating pattern. The position, number and form of patches vary within the same specimen (left and right forewing) and among the specimens known for this species. Only internal morphology, bionomics, and mitogenomic characters can serve for a more or less stable diagnosis of this species.

Bionomics ( Figs 605, 617): Larvae of this species tunnel in the stem of Myoporum insulare R.Br. ( Scrophulariaceae ).

BOLD data: No data.

GenBank data: No data.

Mitogenomic data: The two sampled populations of this species (from South Australia and Victoria) differ noticeably in the mitochondrial genome sequences (about 1.4% uncorrected pairwise distance), but the monophyly of the species is maximally supported in all analyses ( Fig. 636). The species’ placement as sister to Euspilapteryx is only moderately supported (see genus above; Fig. 639).

Distribution: Known from three regions: Australia: Victoria, Mornington Peninsula and East Gippsland; South Australia, Kangaroo Island.

Etymology: The specific epithet derives from the generic name of the host plant Myoporum insulare R.Br. ( Scrophulariaceae ). The specific epithet is a noun of the feminine gender in the nominative case, in apposition.

38. Murwillumbah De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , gen. n.

“ Murwillumbah De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , gen. n. ”—original citation.

Type species: Cyphosticha panconita Turner, 1913 , by present designation and monotypy.

Diagnosis: A highly diagnosable genus from external characters as presented for the type species Murwillumbah panconita ( Turner, 1913) below. Broad basal transverse fascia is strongly diagnostic character to recognise externally Murwillumbah species. The second external character that is easily applied to diagnose the genus Murwillumbah is the exceptionally pilose apical half of mid tibia giving the impression of pilose ‘boots’ ( Fig. 619). Male genitalia with broad straight cucullus and very narrow base of valva is diagnostic for the genus. In female genitalia small bulla-shaped corpus bursae with huge sickle-shaped signa, short triangular, with arced bases apophyses anteriores is highly diagnostic. The undoubtful diagnostic characters separating this genus from its relatives are found in mitogenomics. This new genus Murwillumbah is part of the sister lineage of the clade Euspilapteryx + Kallia gen. n., both genera assigned to Gracillariinae .

Description: Wingspan 6.0–7.0 mm; length of the forewing 2.9–3.3 mm ( Figs 618, 619).

Head: vertex with a bunch of smooth piliform scales, occiput with two tufts of slightly raised scales, frons smooth. Labial palpus long, slender, with curved apical parts distancing from each other. Antenna slightly longer than forewing, with a strong bronze shine, scape large, ca. as long as three flagellomeres with a row of hanging pecten. Thorax: light beige, dotted. Forewing pattern is highly diagnostic: geometrical marking absent, in general colouration is speckled with tiny dots and irregular small patches with three irregular fasciae that are distinguishable in fresh specimens from general dotted forewing pattern. Apical spot is not visible but might be detectable, apical line and fringe line are absent though prolonged fringe scales at apex, termen and tornus are darker and contrastively differ from the rest of the colouration pattern of the fringe. Hindwing with sharply pointed apex. Fore and midlegs with contrastive white/dark fuscous markings. Mid tibia exceptionally pilose, carries porrect brush-like scales. Dark fuscous ochreous apices of all hind tarsomeres are strongly contrastive from the dominant white colour of hind tarsus.

Abdomen: Abdominal opening broad, trapezoid, margins of abdominal opening on sternum II broadly and strongly sclerotised, especially posterior corners on sternum II, they are with two broad triangular appendages; ventral crossing joint slightly concave; sternal apodemes strong, rather thick, and exceptionally long reaching posterior 1/3 of sternum II; tergal apodemes equally slender, very long, approaching the posterior margin of segment II. Anterior margin of sterna IV–VI with narrow melanised suture, sternum II in both sexes with convex melanised fold. Sternum VII in males with two brushes of androconial coremata.

Male genitalia: Tegumen extended, broad cone-shaped, lateral teguminal arms and apical part narrow strongly sclerotised; sub-scaphium not developed, anal tube protrudes the apical part of tegumen; socii are well developed; valva slightly longer than tegumen, narrow at base and very broad, enlarged at cucullus, valvae appraised; cucullus area with additional extended flap; cucullus, inner sub-apical surface and ventral sub-apical margin carry long, thin, very dense, waving setae; sacculus area with fold(s) or sclerotised extensions; transtilla present and well developed, vinculum V-shaped, fully sclerotised, with strongly developed lateral sides that are folded inwards; saccus well developed, narrow, slender appendage. Aedeagus slightly shorter than valva, tubular shaped, with rather sharp vesica, a supportive sclerotisation extends along the entire length of aedeagus body; coecum short, irregular shaped.

Female genitalia: Papillae anales very strongly flattened and fused into one broad ring with narrow and clearly defined basal ringed sclerotisation with long, sharp, needle-like setae on lateral sides; apophyses posteriores rather thick and long, almost reaching the anterior margin of segment VIII. Segment VIII short, reduced, moderately melanised, carries broadly arced bows of basal parts of apophyses anteriores; apophyses anteriores as short broad triangular appendages. Apophyses anteriores are significantly shorter than apophyses posteriores. Sterigmatic sclerotisations on sternum VII absent. Ostium bursae opens in the membrane between segments VII and VIII (in most cases invisible due to the non-transparency of the cuticle of segments VII and VIII); antrum differs morphologically from ductus bursae, ductus bursae is very long, corpus bursae is situated in anterior abdominal segments. The transition between ductus bursae and corpus bursae is very strongly distinct. Corpus bursae bulla-shaped, with thick squamous wall and two strongly shaped, sclerotised signa. Bulla seminalis situated close to anterior margin of segment VII, enters ductus bursae with several convolutions.

Mitogenomic data: The mitochondrial genome sequences of the single sampled species form a maximally supported clade in all analyses ( Fig. 636). The genus is part of a maximally supported monophylum that includes additionally Caloptilia , Kallia gen. n. and Euspilateryx, but its placement within this monophylum as sister to the clade Euspilapteryx + Kallia gen. n. is only recovered with moderate support by CODON, DEGEN and AA analyses, but not NT ( Fig. 639).

BOLD data: https://boldsystems.org/index.php/TaxBrowser_TaxonPage?taxid=370219

GenBank data: No data.

Bionomics: No data.

Distribution: Australian Region: Australia: New South Wales, Queensland.

Etymology. The genus name Murwillumbah derives from the locality of occurrence Murwillumbah town in New South Wales. This name is derived from an Aboriginal term meaning a “good campsite” (see: https://www. murwillumbahhistoricalsociety.org.au/murwillumbah.htm). The genus-group name is a noun of the feminine gender in nominative case.

Species richness: World: 1 species; Australian Region: 1 species.

Type species: Murwillumbah panconita ( Turner, 1913) , comb. n.

( Figs 618–631, 636)

“ Cyphosticha panconita , n. sp. ”—Turner, A. J., 1913. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 38: 187. https:// www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6407216

Cyphosticha panconita — Turner 1940: 68, 393, Nielsen & Kumata 1996: 48, De Prins & De Prins 2005: 169.

Type locality: [ Australia] Q.[ueensland], Brisbane.

Type specimens: Type in the coll. Turner, (♂ and ♀), number not stated, “A long series”, coll. Turner, in ANIC (Canberra) .

Specimens examined: Holotype ♂ ( Fig. 618), [1] ‘Brisbane /10-3-04’(printed on light beige paper), [2] ‘ Cyphosticha panconita Turn. ’ (handwritten in black Indian ink on a beige paper), [3] ‘ ANIC Image’, [4]‘ HOLOTYPE / Cyphosticha panconita Turn. ’ (the word Holotype printed, the species name handwritten in black Indian ink on a red hard carton paper), [5] ‘ ANIC Database No/31 074442’ [printed on white paper], in ANIC (Canberra).

Paratype 1(♀): New South Wales: Murwillumbah , 28.3274°S 153.3958°E, 22-12-1912, leg. Nihil, ID: 31 053766, DNA sample NULT023444, genitalia slide ANIC 6265 . Paratype 2(♂) ( Fig. 619): Queensland: Brisbane , 27.4705°S 153.0260°E, 24-03-1904, DNA voucher specimen, Sample ID: 11 ANIC-16149 , BOLD Proc ID: ANICY149-11, leg. Nihil, DNA sample NULT023204, genitalia slide ANIC 6263 , ANIC Acc. no 31 053765 . Paratype 3 (♀): Kuranda, Townsville , 16.8193°S 145.6360°E, November 1905, leg. Dodd F. P. Paratype 4(♀): Kuranda, 16.8193°S 145.6360°E September 1906, leg. Dodd F.P. Paratype 5: Kuranda, Cairns , 16.8193°S 145.6360°E, no date, without abdomen, leg. Dodd F.P. Paratype 6: Kuranda, 16.8193°S 145.6360°E, September 1906, without abdomen, leg. Dodd F. P. Paratype 7: Ditto label data except the date October 1906, leg. Dodd F. P. Paratype 8: Ditto label data. Paratype 9(♂): Same locality data, no date, leg. Dodd F. P. Paratype 10: Same locality data, October 1905, without abdomen, leg. Dodd F.P. Paratype 11 & 12: Same locality data, no date, without abdomen, leg. Dodd F.P., in ANIC (Canberra) .

Additional verified specimens: Queensland: Specimen 1: Brisbane, 27.4705°S 153.0260°E, without abdomen, September , no precise data, leg. Nihil. Specimen 2(♀): Rockhampton , The Caves , 23.3786°S 150.5089°E, 01-04-1948, leg. Common I.F.B., DNA sample NULT023329, genitalia slide ANIC 6264 , ANIC Acc. no 31 085611. Specimen 3 & 4: Kuranda, 16.8193°S 145.6360°E, October 1906, without abdomen, leg. Dodd F. P., in ANIC (Canberra) .

Morphological diagnostic characterisation: Highly diagnosable species based from external characters as presented below. Wingspan 6.0–7.0 mm; length of the forewing 2.9–3.3 mm ( Figs 618, 619).

Head ( Figs 620–623): vertex with a bunch of smooth piliform light beige scales with a light intermixture of fuscous ochreous scales at occiput and at lateral sides of vertex, occiput with two tufts of slightly raised beige scales intermixed with fuscous ochreous, frons light beige smooth. Labial palpus long, slender, with curved apical parts distancing from each other, beige, basal palpomere brown at base with brightly yellow apical part. Antenna slightly longer than forewing, with a strong bronze shine, scape large, ca. as long as three flagellomeres with a row of hanging light beige pecten.

Thorax ( Figs 618, 619, 624): light beige, dotted with ochreous fuscous. Forewing pattern is highly diagnostic: no any geometrical marking, in general colouration is light, speckled with tiny dots and irregular small ochreous fuscous patches with three irregular fasciae that are distinguishable in fresh specimens from general dotted forewing pattern.Apical spot is not visible but might be detectable, since apical part of forewing is covered with dark ochreous fuscous scales, apical line and fringe line are also absent though prolonged fringe scales at apex, termen and tornus brown, significantly darker than the light grey colour of forewing and hindwing fringe. Hindwing with sharply pointed apex, dark grey. Fore and midlegs with contrastive white/dark fuscous markings. Mid tibia exceptionally pilose, carries porrect brush-like scales. Dark fuscous ochreous apices of all hind tarsomeres are strongly contrastive from the dominant white colour of hind tarsus.

Abdomen ( Figs 630, 631): tergites ochreous with light bronze shine, sternites light grey with a very strong silver shine, genital segments yellow-ochreous, matte.Abdominal opening broad, trapezoid, margins of abdominal opening on sternum II broadly and strongly sclerotised, especially posterior corners on sternum II, they are with two broad triangular appendages, strengthening the bases of sternal apodemes; ventral crossing joint very thick with rough unequal margins, slightly concave; sternal apodemes strong, rather thick, and exceptionally long reaching posterior 1/3 of sternum II, apices straight, gently blunt; tergal apodemes initiate at mid part of tergum I, with slightly bent bases approaching each other; the main part of tergal apodemes equally slender; tergal apodemes very long, just not reaching but approaching close to posterior margin of segment II, the most anterior part of tergal apodemes is not well perceptible since they are hidden under the thick cuticle of sternum II. Mid part of all abdominal segments is stronger melanised in both sexes, anterior margin of sterna IV–VI with narrow melanised suture, sternum II in both sexes with convex melanised fold. Sternum VII in males with extended androconial protrusions and narrow bands; two bunches, consisting of two contrastive brushes of androconial coremata are present in males: a brush with long light beige piliform coremata and the second brush with shorter dark brown, almost black thicker and tighter piliform coremata.

Male genitalia ( Figs 625, 626): Tegumen extended, broad cone-shaped with gently rounded apex, lateral teguminal arms and apical part narrow but very strongly sclerotised forming a prolonged arc; sub-scaphium not developed, anal tube broad cylindrical shaped, with cut apex, significantly protruding the apical part of tegumen; two huge socii, broad, curved, tape-shaped with sharp apices are well developed; valva slightly longer than tegumen, narrow at base and very broad, enlarged at cucullus, valvae appraised, with more or less straight costal margin and curved, almost semi-round ventral margin; cucullus area horizontally cut with additional extended flap gently following the cucullar margin; cucullus, inner sub-apical surface and ventral sub-apical margin carry long, thin, very dense, waving setae; sacculus area with two triangular, very long, sharply pointed folds, a strong, long sharp, irregularly shaped sclerotisation extends from sacculus toward vinculum forming a frame of basal lateral vincular support; transtilla present and well developed, consisting of joint connecting prolonged valval basal apodemes and two long extensions reaching the basal part of vinculum, vinculum V-shaped, fully sclerotised, without mid suture, but strongly developed lateral sides that are folded inwards; saccus well developed, as long as about half of length of valva, narrow, slender appendage with gently blunt apex. Aedeagus slightly shorter than valva, tubular shaped, with rather sharp vesica, a supportive sclerotisation extends along the entire length of aedeagus body; coecum short, irregularly shaped.

Female genitalia ( Figs 627–629): Papillae anales strongly flattened and fused into one broad round circle with narrow and clearly defined basal ringed sclerotisation; anterior margin of papillae anales flat, tuberculose, carrying short erect setae, lateral sides of papillae anales carry long, sharp, needle-like setae; apophyses posteriores rather thick and long, almost reaching the anterior margin of segment VIII with gently rounded apices. Segment VIII short, reduced, moderately melanised, carries broadly arced bows of basal parts of apophyses anteriores; apophyses anteriores as short broad triangular appendages, entering the posterior margin of segment VII, with gently rounded apices; apophyses anteriores are significantly shorter than apophyses posteriores. Segment VII short trapezoid shaped, posterior margin only slightly narrower than anterior margin; posterior margin with tuberculate sclerotisation. Sterigmatic sclerotisations on sternum VII absent. Ostium bursae opens in the membrane between segments VII and VIII as a sclerotised ring that forms a anterior part of short melanised antrum; antrum at the connection with ductus bursae narrow, drop-shaped, ductus bursae initiates with a swelling which is situated at mid of segment VII, then continues as a very long narrow melanised canal with several loops and turns at the entrance to corpus bursae; the length of ductus bursae is about twice of the length of segments VII+ VIII. The transition between ductus bursae and corpus bursae is very strongly distinct. Corpus bursae round, bulla-shaped, with thick squamous wall; two very big,

sharp, sickle-shaped signa are situated at the basal part of corpus bursae just at sides of the entrance of ductus bursae. Bulla seminalis is rectangularly shaped, situated close to anterior margin of segment VII, enters ductus bursae with four convolutions.

BOLD data: https://boldsystems.org/index.php/TaxBrowser_TaxonPage?taxid=370219

GenBank data: No data.

Mitogenomic data: The monophyly of the species is maximally supported in all analyses ( Fig. 636), but its placement as sister to the clade Kallia gen. n. + Euspilapteryx is only moderately supported (see genus above; Fig. 639). Bionomics: No data.

Distribution: Australia: New South Wales, Queensland ( Turner 1913: 187).

39. Polka De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , gen. n.

“ Polka De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , gen. n. ”—original citation.

Type species: Polka commoni De Prins, Sruoga & Zwick , sp. nov., by present designation and monotypy.

Diagnosis: Highly diagnosable genus from external characters as presented for the type species Polka commoni sp. nov. below. The peculiar wing pattern with two bright yellow dots on forewing makes this genus distinctive even from external characters. The main generic differences need to be searched in the molecular data. The lineage Polka gen. n. forms a basal clade for the rest of the treated Australian Gracillariinae genera: Caloptilia + Ornica gen. n. clade.

Description: Wingspan ca. 6.0– 6.2 mm; length of the forewing 2.8–3.1 mm ( Fig. 632).

Head: vertex covered with pressed piliform scales; occiput with two rather small tufts; frons smooth covered by pressed dark ochreous scales, labial palpus short, erected, with sharp apex; labial palpus light ochreous, significantly lighter than frons, upturned, darker at apical part. Antenna dark; pedicel shorter and thicker than the second flagellomere; scape tube-shaped, enlarged, as large as ca. three flagellomeres.

Thorax: dark, tegula concolourous with thorax; forewing slightly narrowing at apical part; ground colour dark with, eye catching spots, fringe line fused with fringe at apex, termen and tornus. Hindwing narrow, with sharp apex. Forelegs dark, mid tibia strongly thicken, covered with long piliform scales, tibial spurs ca, as long as 1/3 of mid tibia; hind tibia bears a row of erect stout scales, tarsi monochromous.

Abdomen: dorsally brown fuscous with metal shine, ventrally sternites of lighter shading with stronger metal lustre. Abdominal opening broad, arc-shaped, margins of abdominal opening on sternum II broadly and strongly sclerotised, especially lateral and anterior margins on sternum II, posterior corners of abdominal opening gently rounded; ventral crossing joint sclerotised only at lateral parts; the ventral joint of abdominal opening is doubled by a sclerotised anterior margin of abdominal plate that is slightly convex in the middle; abdominal segments without any sclerotisations, abdominal cuticle tuberculose.

Male genitalia: No data.

Female genitalia: Papillae anales strongly flattened. Apophyses posteriores with broad basal part, anterior part thick with blunt apices, entering the mid sector of segment VIII. Segment VIII, with a semi-circular sclerotised ring forming the bases of apophyses anteriores; anterior part of apophyses anteriores ca. 2× longer than apophyses posteriores. Sterigmatic sclerotisations on sternum VII absent. Ostium bursae opens at sub-posterior part of sternum VII; antrum small cup-shaped, colliculum long, extending segment VII, well-sclerotised; ductus bursae long, 3× longer than the length of the segment VII; the distinction between ductus bursae and corpus bursae is very clear. Corpus bursae small, oval shaped with huge signum, occupying entirely the surface of corpus bursae.

BOLD data: No data.

GenBank data: No data.

Mitogenomic data: The single mitochondrial genome sequence obtained from the holotype of the type species of this genus is very distinct from all other sequences and placed with maximum support in all analyses as a sister to all other Gracillariinae sequenced.

Bionomics: No data.

Distribution: Australian Region: Australia: New South Wales: Batemans Bay and Church Point.

Etymology: The genus name Polka derives from the design pattern consisting of an array of large filled dots of the same size. This polka dot design strongly resembles the forewing pattern of the type species Polka commoni sp. nov. The genus-group name is a noun of the feminine gender in nominative case.

Species richness: World: 1 species; Australian Region: 1 species.