Liocrobyla desmodiella Kuroko, 1982

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 : 180-184

Liocrobyla desmodiella Kuroko, 1982

( Figs 385, 386, 391, 392, 401–403, 408, 411, 414, 417, 418, 419–421, 638)

“ Liocrobyla desmodiella Kuroko , sp. nov. ”—Kuroko, H., 1982. Gracillariidae .— In: Inoue, H., Sugi, S., Kuroko, H., Moriuti, S. & Kawabe, A. (Eds.), Moths of Japan. 2 vols. Kodansha, Tokyo, vol. 1: 185; vol. 2: pl. 6, fig. 2; pl. 273, figs 1, 4.

Type locality: Japan .

Type specimens: Holotype ♀ ELKU (Fukuoka) ; Paratypes 4♂ and 5♀, in EIHU (Sapporo), NHMUK (London) .

Illustrations examined: 13 illustrations in https://www.gracillariidae.net/species_by_code/LIOCDESM (De Prins & De Prins 2024: the photographers and the sources of information are indicated therein).

Specimens examined (17 specimens): AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: Specimen (1) ♂: Solar Village, Humpty Doo, 12.37S 131.150E, 18 February 1998, leg. Kumata T. & M. Host 5851, Flemingia trifloliastrum Domin ( Fabaceae ), DNA sample NULT025105, genitalia slide ANIC 6158, ANIC Acc. no 31 085639. Specimen (2) ♂: same data, except the date 19 February1998, DNA sample NULT024984, genitalia slide ANIC 6157, ANIC Acc. no 31 085604. Specimen (3): same data, except the date 21 February 1998. Specimen (4): specimen in bad condition: only head with one right antenna, thorax and right forewing; same data, except the date 18 February1998. Specimen (5): same data except the date 21 February 1998. Specimen (6) ♀: Greenant Creek, Litchfield National Park, 13.32°S 131.10°E, 03 March 1998, leg. Kumata T. & M. Host 5924, Desmodium sp. ( Fabaceae ), DNA sample NULT025220, genitalia slide ANIC 6159, ANIC Acc. no 31 085640. Specimen (7): specimen without abdomen, antennae broken; Australia, Northern Territory, Solar Village, Humpty Doo, 12.37°S 131.150°E, 17 February 1998, leg. Kumata T. & M. Host 5849, Flemingia parviflora Benth. ( Fabaceae ). Specimen (8): same data except the date 18 February 1998. Specimen (9): same data, date 18 February 1998. Specimen (10) ♂: Darwin, Holmes Jungle NP, 16 February 1998, leg. T. & M. Kumata, DNA sample NULT025345, genitalia slide ANIC 6160, ANIC Acc. no 31 085641. Specimen (11): same data, except the date 18 February 1998. Specimen (12) ♀: Greenant Creek, Litchfield National Park, 13.32S 131.10E, 03 March 1998, leg. Kumata T. & M. Host 5924, Desmodium sp. ( Fabaceae ), DNA sample NULT025460, genitalia slide ANIC 6161, ANIC Acc. no 31 085642. Specimen (13): same data except the date 04 March 1998. Specimen (14): same data, date 04 March 1998. Specimen (15): Holmes Jungle National Park, Darwin, 12.24S 130.56E, 12 February 1998, leg. Kumata T. & M. Host 5771, Flemingia parviflora Benth. ( Fabaceae ). Specimen (16): same data, date 12 February 1998. Specimen (17): same data, date 12 February 1998; in ANIC (Canberra).

Diagnosis. The species is recognisable by external characters such as the dark fuscous ground colour which is unusual in Gracillariidae which is characterized by a variety of patterns on ochreous, white, greyish-brown or even scarlet-red ground colour. The combination of three oblique costal stripes and a row (4–6) of short longitudinal dorsal stripes serves as a fast detectable diagnostic character. Male and female genitalia are strongly diagnostic. Folded costal and ventral margins of valvae with straightly cut cucullus area without long and obvious appendages are diagnostic for L. desmodiella . and separates this species from L. kuranda sp. nov. Shape of aedeagus is also diagnostic: in L. desmodiella aedeagus is simple, straight cylindrical-shaped, in L. kuranda sp. nov. is S-shaped with long spiculose band. Sterigmatic sclerotisations as described below for the species are also diagnostic: in L. desmodiella sterigma is with W-shaped indentation plate and ostium bursae is surrounded by sterigmatic digitiform structure, while in L. kuranda sp. nov. sterigma is like a deep trench crossing segments VII and VI, ostium bursae opens at the anterior part of segment VII; antrum supported by a sclerotised collicular structure. Mitogenomic characters diagnose this species as a lineage with strong support within the genus Liocrobyla clade.

Morphological characterisation of the Australian specimens. Wingspan 4.4–4.6 mm; length of the forewing 1.9–2.1 mm ( Figs 385, 386).

Head ( Figs 391, 392): Vertex covered with a tuft of straight erected piliform but thick scales, dark fuscous in lateral sides and slightly paler shading with a slight silver shine in median part of vertex. Occiput covered by two broad rows of suppressed fuscous ochreous shorter scales with lighter tips projecting posteriorly and covering patagia; frons covered with fuscous beige smoothly transiting to white towards clypeus. Maxillary palpus short, dark fuscous at basis with lighter shading at the apical half. Labial palpus two coloured: dark fuscous on outside lateral sides of basal and median palpomeres, lighter fuscous on the inner side of basal and median palpomeres and apical palpomere shining white at the inner side, and patched fuscous at the outer side, last palpomere sharply pointed, ca. 2× longer than the eye, very slightly curved, more or less drooping, longer piliform shining white scales present between the basal part of the eye and labial palpus. proboscis bright yellowish beige. Antenna ca. ¼ longer than forewing, dark fuscous with silvery shining white tips at apices of flagellomeres, not striped, ventrally beige; pedicel short, coloured as rest of flagellomeres; scape short, dorsally dirty white anteriorly and fuscous posteriorly, light beige ventrally; pecten short, shorter than half the length of the scape, hardly visible, light beige.

Thorax ( Figs 385, 386): Patagium light fuscous, mesothorax light fuscous, tegula light fuscous with dirty white tip. Forewing narrowly elongated, with a narrowing apex, that is gently rounded, ground colour dark with white and black markings, that are differ in costal and dorsal halves of the forewing; costal half: basal 1/3 without markings, a sharply oblique white costal stripe with a broad base and narrow apex, sharply directed towards termen, margined basally with a broad row of black scales; two narrow costal oblique stripes, sharply directed toward termen at apical 1/3, sub-apical part repeats the round curving of apical margin; apex with sharply expressed apical black stripe, mirrored posteriorly with smaller white stripe edged with a row of black scales at tornus. Dorsal half of the forewing pattern consists of a row (4–6) of short interchangeable longitudinal stripes—black and white. Outer margin of apex narrow black, fringe line black, followed by prolonged white scales at apex, white black-tipped scales at tornus forming a double fringe line; fringe short, dirty white with black margin at apex, termen and tornus, pale grey with silver shine along the dorsal margin of fore wing sharply diminishing and narrowing toward the basal part of the forewing. Hindwing narrow, elongate, sharply pointed, ground colour dark greyish fuscous, fringe shorter at costa and long much lighter shading as hindwing at the dorsum. Fore femur light fuscous, fore tibia fuscous, tarsomeres dark fuscous, tarsomeres II and III with white apices, the tip of fore tarsus dirty white; mid femur beige fuscous, with two diagonal black stipes and black apex, mid tibia thick, dark fuscous tibial spurs short fuscous, tarsomeres fuscous with white apical parts; hind femur white with fuscous base, hind tibia white with a fuscous diagonal stripe at apical half, medial spurs white, long, reaching beyond the half of length of the tibia, apical spurs short dirty white, tarsomere I dirty white with fuscous medial and sub-apical parts, tarsomere II, fuscous white apical part, terminal tarsomeres dark fuscous, tip dirty white.

Abdomen ( Figs 411, 414): dorsally dark fuscous with terga I, II and VI with lighter shading, ventrally shining white with short ochreous oblique stripes on sterna I–V, sternum VII and sternum VIII monochromous light fuscous. This species possesses strongly expressed androconial characters on sterna VI–VIII and tergum IX in males. The posterior margin of sternum VI carries two melanised folds that carry two paired tufts of long androconial coremata; an intersegmental joint between segments VI and VII is very weakly sclerotised but sternum VII carries two narrow strongly sclerotised semi-rings initiating at anterior margin of sternum VII. Segment VII is strongly sclerotised and it bears a more or less semi-circular tape connecting two sub-lateral tufts of very long, as long as ca. three abdominal segments, consisting of thin piliform scales on sternum VII; segment VIII is reduced, and remains a small but broad triangular plate which bears a peculiar bunch of nicely and tightly arranged prolonged and flat scales forming a brushed triangular anterior decorative plate. The sides of abdominal opening on sternum I are very strongly sclerotised, especially the anterior part, however the horizontal joint is very thin and weakly sclerotised; apodemes on sternum II are rudimental almost invisible, while the apodemes on tergum II are thin, long, reaching the posterior 1/3 of segment 2, slightly bent at apical half; a sclerotised line joins the anterior parts of tergal apodemes; a sclerotised plate proceeds the opening of the abdomen. Anterior segments in females are simple, without any ornamental sclerotisations.

Individual variation: There is quite significant individual variation in the forewing pattern, especially in the length of costal stripe and shape, number and colour intensity of the row of black and white stripes running in the sub-dorsal area of the forewing. The sub-apical part may vary also in the way that the apical stripe and two sub-apical costal short lines form repeated curving patterns slightly different in different specimens. The visibility of the apical stripe varies from a black large thick stripe to just a narrow black line which is almost fusing with the striped sub-dorsal pattern of the forewing. No significant variation in genitalia structures is observed.

Male genitalia ( Figs 401–403):Tegumen with bluntly rounded apex, slightly shorter than valva, tuba analis protruded, truncate at apex, teguminal arms narrow, weakly sclerotised, gently approaching each other towards apex; valvae strongly diagnostic for this species, the margins are folded from both sides costal and ventral, especially broad fold is on sacculus area, the folded margins are covered with short stout setae; cucullus area is open, bluntly straightly cut, with gently rounded corners; a straight, dentate, strongly sclerotised suture runs on ventral side of valva at sub-apical sector; juxta narrow, complete, shaped as reverse V, costal bases of valvae sharply pointed, approaching but not touching each other, apical part of valvae richly setose, vinculum strongly developed, lateral arms are double sided with a strong sharp hook on apical part, anterior parts of vinculum gently dilating, and the fusion of semi-rounded basal parts of vinculum is seen well, saccus short but well developed, gently semi-rounded; aedeagus rather simple tubular, ca. as long as valva, vesica with a lot of tiny spicules, one long narrow ditch-like cornutus runs along the main part of aedeagus, coecum with two small rounded processes.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 408): Papillae anales flat, fused, densely covered with thin, long setae, apophyses posteriores thick and short, just reaching the anterior margin of segment VIII with their blunt apices; apophyses anteriores with broad sclerotised bases forming a semi-ring on tergum VIII, on ventral part they are angulated, anterior parts are thin and sharp reaching the sterigmatic sclerotisations on sternum VII. Segment VII with a very complex sterigmatic sclerotisation: lamella post-vaginalis is covered with internal short, thin-needle-like, brown scales, arranged in zig-zag order; lamella ante-vaginalis is strongly developed as a sclerotised plate with W-shaped indentation at posterior part where ostium bursae is located; the central sterigmatic sclerotisation with dactylus-shaped opening, anterior part of sterigma with two bent narrow and strongly sclerotised arms; anterior margin of tergum VII is strongly sclerotised; antrum covered with derivations of lamella post-vaginalis in the form of sclerotised fold which keeps and protects antrum; ductus bursae relatively short, slightly longer than segment VII, with tiny melanised folds; corpus bursae oval, sac-shaped, slightly shorter than ductus bursae, with many tiny small folds of the wall at posterior 1/3 of corpus bursae, the anterior part of corpus bursae is more or less smooth, without any signum, but with a few folds of different thickness.

BOLD data: https://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Public_SearchTerms?query=%22 Liocrobyla %20desmodiella %22[tax]

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

Mitogenomic data. The monophyly of this well-sampled species is maximally supported in all analyses, while its sister relationship to the clade L. pinnatae sp. nov. + L. kuranda sp. nov. is well supported ( Fig. 638).

Bionomics ( Figs 417, 418): Fabaceae : Desmodium sp. , Flemingia parviflora Benth , new record, F. trifloliastrum Domin , new record, ( Figs 417–421), Hylodesmum oldhamii (Oliv.) H.Ohashi & R.R.Mill ( Kuroko 1960: 4) , H. podocarpum subsp. oxyphyllum (DC.) H.Ohashi & R.R.Mill ( Kuroko 1960: 4) ; H. repandum (Vahl) H.Ohashi & R.R.Mill (label data in EIHU Collection, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan); Lespedeza bicolor Turcz. ( Liu et al. 2018: 306) ; L. cyrtobotrya Miq. , Ohwia caudata (Thunb.) H.Ohashi ( Kuroko 1960: 4) .

Distribution: Australian Region, new record: Australia, new record: Northern Territory, new record.

Palaearctic Region: China: Tianjin ( Liu et al. 2018 a: 306), Japan ( Kuroko 1982: 185): Hokkaidō, Honshū, Kyūshū ( Ermolaev 1987: 151), Shikoku (label data in EIHU Collection, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan), South Korea ( Kim & Byun 2019: 446), Russian Federation: Primorje region ( Ermolaev 1987: 151), Nyzhne Amur region ( Sinev 2019: 37).