Polysoma heliopla ( 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 : 247-252

Polysoma heliopla ( Meyrick, 1907) , comb. n., syn. n.

“ C.[onopomorpha] heliopla , n. sp. ”—Meyrick, E., 1907. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 32: 47–150. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6383136

Acrocercops heliopla — Turner 1913: 178; Turner 1940: 57; Common 1963: 36, fig. 57; Common 1990: 200.

Conopomorha heliopla — Nielsen & Kumata 1996: 48; De Prins & De Prins 2005: 158.

Type locality: [ Australia], Tasmania, Hobart.

Type specimens: Syntypes 1♂ and 1♀, NHMUK (London) .

Specimens examined: Syntype ♂, with the abdomen, [labels verbatim] [1] ‘Hobart/ Tasmania /7/12/82 [07 December 1882]’; [2] ‘Meyrick Coll./B.M. 1938-290’; [3] ‘Syntype’; [4] ‘ heliopla Meyr. ’; [5] ‘BMNH(E) 1406735’; [6] ‘ Acrocercops / heliopla /2/1 Meyr./E. Meyrick det./in Meyrick Coll.’, in NHMUK (London).

Syntype ♀: with the abdomen [labels verbatim] [1] ‘Mt. Wellington / Tasmania /1/12/82 [01 December 1882]’; [2] ‘Meyrick Coll./B.M. 1938-290’; [3] ‘Syntype’; [4] ‘ Acrocercops / heliopla /2/2 Meyr./E. Meyrick det./in Meyrick Coll.’;[5] ‘BMNH(E) 1406745’ in NHMUK (London).

Morphological diagnostic characterisation: This species closely resembles Polysoma eumetalla ( Meyrick, 1880, and it is here considered as conspecific (see figs of primary type specimens).

BOLD data: https://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxon= Conopomorpha+heliopla &se archTax=Search+Taxonomy (recte Polysoma eumetalla )

GenBank data: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/529400360 (recte Polysoma eumetalla ).

Verified specimens examined: ACT: Specimen 1: Acton, 35.2799°S 149.1193°E, 11-08-1948, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 6(♀): Bendora Dam, 35.4465°S 148.8284°E, ex gall on Acacia dealbata Link , 18-03-1949, leg. Common I.F.B., DNA sample NULT022898, genitalia slide ANIC 6291 , ANIC Acc. no 31 085625. Specimen 35: Acton, 21- 08-1948, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 36: idem collecting locality, 11-08-1948, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimens 38 and 39: idem collecting locality, 21-08-1948, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 43: Canberra, 35.2802°S 149.1310°E, 24-09-1948, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 44: Acton, 21-08-1948, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 45: Canberra, 20-06-1948, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 46: idem collecting data, 07-09-1948, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 47: idem collecting data, 01-09-1948, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 50(♂): Canberra, 22-08-1948, leg. Common I.F.B., DNA sample NULT023374, genitalia slide ANIC 6295 , ANIC Acc. no 31 085628, in ANIC (Canberra) .

New South Wales: Specimen 2: Sydney, 33.8688°S 151.2093°E, 26-11-1932, leg. Goldfinch G.M. Specimen 5(♀): Keira , Mt., 34.4027°S 150.8565°E, ex Pteromalid wasp galls on Acacia melanoxylon , 21-11-1956, leg. Common I.F.B., DNA sample NULT023019, genitalia slide ANIC 6292 , ANIC Acc. no 31 085626. Specimen 7(♀): Dromedary, Mt., 36.3062°S 150.0283°E, Barcode of Life , DNA voucher specimen, Sample ID: 11 ANIC-16265 , BOLD Proc. ID: ANICY265-11, 23-11-1965, leg. Common I.F.B. ANIC Acc. no 31 053600, DNA sample NULT022773, genitalia slide ANIC 6290 . Specimen 9: Moruya, Mossy Point, 7 miles N, - 35.9056°S 150.0818°E, 15-03-1951, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 10: Keira, Mt., ex Pteromalid wasp galls on Acacia melanoxylon , 27-11-1956, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 12: Sydney, 33.8688°S 151.2093°E, 26-11-1932, leg. Goldfinch G.M. Specimen 13: Braidwood, 15 miles SE, 26-09-1956, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 14: Sydney, 04-12-1932, leg. Goldfinch G.M. Specimen 15: Sydney, 15-11-1932, leg. Goldfinch G.M. Specimen 24: Keira, Mt., galls on Acacia melanoxylon , 21-11-1956, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 27: Keira, Mt., 11-11-1964, leg. Robinson V.J. Specimen 28: Upper Allyn , 32.1614°S 151.4898°E, 08-02-1961, leg. Common I.F.B. & Upton M.S., ANIC Acc. no 31 075744. Specimen 32: Gosford, 33.4267°S 151.3417°E, 30-03-1965, leg. Common I.F.B. & Upton M.S. Specimen 33: Batemans Bay , Depot beach 16 km NE, 35.7162°S 150.1795°E, 29-08-1975, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 34: idem collecting locality except for the date, 29-08-1975, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 37(♂): idem collecting locality and the date, leg. Common I.F.B., DNA sample NULT023499, genitalia slide ANIC 6296 , ANIC Acc. no 31 085627. Specimen 40: idem collecting locality, 01-01-1973, leg. Common I.F.B., ANIC Acc. no 31 075745. Specimen 42(♂): Keira, Mt., ex Pteromalid wasp galls on Acacia melanoxylon , genitalia slide male Grc 5682, 27-11-1956, leg. Common I.F.B, ANIC Acc. no 114444. Specimen 48: Braidwood, 15 miles SE, 26-09-1956, leg. Common I.F.B, in ANIC (Canberra) .

Queensland: Specimen 3: Toowoomba , 27.5598°S 151.9507°E, 04-09-1928, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 4: idem collecting locality, September, no date, leg. Common I.F.B. Specimen 8: National Park, Lofty Ra Mt, 27.8287°S 150.0837°E, 1000 ft, Barcode of Life, DNA voucher specimen, Sample ID: 11 ANIC- 16267, BOLD Proc. ID: ANICY267-11, from gall on Acacia pycnantha Benth. , 22-11-1951, leg. Common I.F.B., ANIC Acc. no 31 053602. Specimen 11: Warwick, 28.2138°S 152.0307°E, October, no date, leg. Nihil. Specimen 19: Brisbane, 27.4705°S 153.0260°E, 24-08-1911, leg. Nihil. Specimen 20: idem collecting data except the date 14-12-1920, leg. Nihil. Specimen 21: idem collecting data except the date 28-09-1913, leg. Nihil. Specimen 22: idem collecting data 28-09-1913, leg. Nihil. Specimen 23: Bunya Mts, 26.8811°S 151.5976°E, 02-03-1931, leg. Nihil. Specimen 25: Toowoomba, Prince Henry Heights , 27.5598°S 151.9507°E, 25-09-1954, leg. Common I.F.B., ANIC Acc. no 31 075746. Specimen 26: Toowoomba , 16-01-1939, leg. Cormon I. Specimen 41(♂): National Park, Lofty Ra, Mt, 27.8287°S 150.0838°E, ANIC slides Wings 11442, genitalia slide male 11443, Grc 5683, 22-11-1951, leg. Common I.F.B., ANIC Acc. no 31 081114, in ANIC (Canberra).

Western Australia: Specimen 30(♀): Pemberton, 34.4456°S 116.0333°E, Barcode of Life , DNA voucher specimen, Sample ID: 11 ANIC-16269 , BOLD Proc. ID: ANICY269-11, 30-03-1968, leg. Common I.F.B. & Upton M.S., DNA sample NULT023259, genitalia slide ANIC 6294 , ANIC Acc. no 31 053604, in ANIC (Canberra) .

Tasmania: Specimen 16, in a very bad condition, Hobart, Lea , 42.8826°S 147.3257°E, no date, leg. Nihil. Specimen 17: Deloraine , 41.5241°S 146.6529°E, 24-08-1911, leg. Nihil. Specimen 18: Wellington Mt, 42.8900°S 147.2300°E, Barcode of Life, DNA voucher specimen, Sample ID: 11 ANIC-16266 , BOLD Proc. ID: ANICY266-11, 24-08-1911, leg. Nihil , ANIC Acc. no 31 053601. Specimen 29: Westbury , 41.5262°S 146.8332°E, ex Acacia sp. , 09-04-1963, leg. Common I.F.B. & Upton M.S. Specimen 31(♂): Westbury, 41.5262°S 146.8332°E, Barcode of Life, DNA voucher specimen, Sample ID: 11 ANIC-16268 , BOLD Proc. ID: ANICY268-11, 10-09-1963, leg. Common I.F.B. & Upton M.S. , DNA sample NULT023134, genitalia slide ANIC 6293 , ANIC Acc. no 31 053603. Specimen 49 : Wellington Mt, 2000-2500 ft., DNA voucher specimen, Sample ID: 11 ANIC-16270 , BOLD Proc. ID: ANICY270- 11, 15-11-1952, leg. Cormon I. , ANIC Acc. no 31 053505, in ANIC (Canberra) .

Morphological diagnostic characterisation: highly diagnostic externally species due to the very strong metallic (copper) shine, and strigulate wing pattern as described below. Wing pattern strongly reminds that of Porphyrosela ( Lithocolletinae ), but morphological head characters and size of the specimens do not allow any confusion with the species assigned to Porphyrosela . Wingspan 5.2–7.0 mm; length of the forewing 2.2–3.2 mm ( Figs 519, 520).

Head: smooth, tightly covered by pressed piliform scales, occiput concolourous with vertex, scales tightly pressed, frons tightly covered with broader lamellar scales, the transition between vertex and frons is very obvious, concolourous; vertex and frons are separated by a trench; maxillary palpus short, hardly detectable, strongly bronze shining; labial palpus also rather short in comparison with other Ornixolinae genera, slightly longer than the diameter of eye, directed downwards with sharp apices, strongly copper shining; antenna slightly longer than forewing; fuscous black with silver shining inter-flagellomeral joints, pedicel only slightly longer than the rest of flagellomeres, pedicel enlarged, equally broad basally and apically, with black basal ring.

Thorax ( Figs 519, 520, 521): copper shining, concolourous with vertex, tegula of the same shining shade; ground colour intense ochreous with strong copper shine, three costal and three dorsal strigulae form the basis of the ornamental pattern on forewing; first costal strigula just before the mid of forewing, followed by the second costal strigula at sub-apical 1/3, the third costal strigula narrow, comma-shaped borders at the apical area of the forewing, dorsal margin carries the largest, s, oblique sub-basal strigula, second dorsal strigula straight, just beyond the mid of dorsal margin, sub-apical area bears one or two tiny comma shaped stripes opposing the costal strigula; two oval spots are present on the mid line of forewing between the sets of second and the third strigulae—an easily spotted diagnostic character, apical spot is irregular, more or less spot, apical line slightly of darker shading than background colour, contrastive black dot on termen of apical line; fringe line follows in shape and in colour the apical line with the presence of black stripe or dot on termen. Legs dark grey with silver shine, hind tibia pilose indicating the position of this species to Ornixolinae .

Abdomen: tergites dark fuscous, lateral sides grey with strong metal shine; sternites light grey with metal shine, anterior genital segments matte. Abdominal opening broadly arc-shaped, lateral sides of abdominal opening on sternum II broadly strongly sclerotised with attached additional plates at anterior margin, the distance between the lateral sides is relatively big; posterior corners of abdominal opening rounded, no additional structures are attached; ventral crossing joint strong, slightly thickened at lateral sides with thin median part; sternal apodemes absent; tergal apodemes mid-sized, relatively thick, slightly approaching each other at mid and distancing from each other with their apical parts at posterior 1/3 of segment II; sternal plate semi-oval present only on sterna I and II; a longitudinal melanised band runs along the mid part of abdominal sterna; anterior segment in males weakly melanised with thin and transparent cuticula; the sternal wall bears two androconial sclerotised rods, placed along the midline of sternum VII; abdominal segments I–VI with strong tuberculate cuticle; abdominal segments of females simple; the anterior margin of each abdominal segment of both sexes is lightly sclerotised or melanised.

Male genitalia ( Figs 522, 523): Tegumen well developed, long, only slightly shorter than valva, with gently round apical part, teguminal arms narrow, sclerotised, joining each other at apical part; sub-scaphium well-developed, narrow, protruding the apical part of tegumen; valvae, broad, long, densely setose with long thin setae, cucullus sharply angulated, valval basal apodemes narrow, bent, meeting each other at the mid of the genital cavity, playing a supportive transverse function. Aedeagus relatively short, ca. as long as 2/3 of valva, with a marked ring separating aedeagus body and vesica.

Female genitalia ( Figs 524, 524a): Papillae anales fused, flat, pressed, oval, covered with erect dense setae; apophyses posteriores with broader triangular bases, apical appendages reach the posterior sector of segment VII with their blunt apices; segment VIII strongly reduced, carries a moderately sclerotised semi-ring of the basal part of apophyses anteriores; apophyses anteriores slightly curved, with blunt apices, entering the sub-anterior sector of segment VII, segment VII shorter than in many genera of Ornixolinae except Parectopa , with slight V-shape indentation at the posterior margin, covered with tuberculose cuticle; anterior margin of sternum VII bears sterigma that is more or less triangular with the W-shaped anterior margin; the anterior margin of sternum VII is sclerotised; segment VI is melanised with sclerotised anterior margin, ca. as long as segment VII, covered with tuberculose cuticle. Ostium bursae opens between segments VI and VII, antrum short, cylindrical, sclerotised; ductus bursae rather broad in girth, just slightly longer than segment VI, with a smooth transition to corpus bursae; corpus bursae consists of two parts: the basal half is thicker with melanised cuticle bearing a round spinulose signum, the anterior portion of corpus bursae is irregularly sac-shaped with thin, semi-transparent cuticle.

BOLD data: https://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxon =eumetalla &searchTax=Searc h+Taxonomy

GenBank data: No data.

Mitogenomic data: The species was well sampled across its very wide geographic distribution in Australia (New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania, Western Australia). Despite the large geographic variation, genetic variation between the populations is very minor, and support for the monophyly of this species is maximal in all analyses ( Fig. 637).

Bionomics: Fabaceae : Acacia sp. ( Meyrick 1880: 160), A. dealbata Link , new record, Acacia melanoxylon R. Br. , new record, A. pycnantha Benth , new record.

Distribution: Australia: ACT, new record, New South Wales ( Meyrick 1880: 160), Queensland ( Turner 1913: 178), South Australia ( Common 1990: 200), Tasmania ( Meyrick 1907: 58), Victoria ( Meyrick 1907: 57), Western Australia ( Common 1990: 200); New Zealand ( Dugdale 1988: 71).

28. Semnocera Vári, 1961

“ Semnocera gen. nov. ”—Vári, L., 1961. Transvaal Museum Memoir 12: xvii (key), 100.

Type species: Acrocercops procellaris Meyrick, 1914a . Annals of the Transvaal Museum 4: 201, by original designation.

BOLD data: https://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxon= Semnocera &searchTax=Sear ch+Taxonomy

GenBank data: No data.

Mitogenomic data: No data.

Bionomics: Meliaceae : Ekebergia sp. ( Semnocera procellaris ( Meyrick, 1914a)) .

Distribution: Afrotropical region: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal.

Species richness: World: 1 species; Australian region: 0 species.

Type species: Semnocera procellaris ( Meyrick, 1914a)

“ Acrocercops procellaris , n. sp. ”—Meyrick, E., 1914a. Transvaal Museum Memoir 4(4): 201.

Type locality: [ South Africa], Natal [KwaZulu-Natal, Durban District], Sarnia.

Type specimen: Holotype ♀, genitalia slide G7153 ♀, in TMSA (Pretoria).

Additional verified specimen: ♂, genitalia slide G7047 ♂, in TMSA (Pretoria).

BOLD data: https://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxon= Semnocera+procellaris &sear chTax=Search+Taxonomy

GenBank data: No data.

Mitogenomic data: No data.

Bionomics: Meliaceae : Ekebergia sp. ( Vári 1961:102).

Distribution: Afrotropical region: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal ( Meyrick 1914a: 201).

29. Spanioptila Walsingham, 1897

“ Spanioptila , g. n. ”—Walsingham, Lord (Thomas de Grey), 1897. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1897 (1): 148.

Type species: Spanioptila spinosum Walsingham, 1897 , by original designation.

BOLD data: https://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxon= Spanioptila &searchTax=Sear ch+Taxonomy

GenBank data: No data.

Mitogenomic data: No data.

Bionomics: Salicaceae : Casearia hirsuta Sweet ( Spanioptila spinosum Walsingham, 1897 ).

Distribution: Neotropical region: Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, U.S.: Saint Thomas.

Species richness: World: 4 species; Australian region: 0 species.

Type species: Spanioptila spinosum Walsingham, 1897

“ Spanioptila spinosum , sp. n. ”—Walsingham, Lord (Thomas de Grey), 1897. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1897 (1): 148.

Type locality and collecting data: [ Virgin Islands], S[ain]t Thomas, 22.iii.1894, leg. Gudmann.

Type specimens: Syntypes 2♂: BMNH(E) 1409340, left wings missing, BMNH(E) 1409348, genitalia slides 6090 ♂, 6091 ♂, in NHMUK (London).

BOLD data: https://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxon= Spanioptila+spinosum &searc hTax=Search+Taxonomy

GenBank data: No data.

Mitogenomic data: No data.

Bionomics: Salicaceae : Casearia hirsuta Sweet ( Busck 1934: 172) .

Distribution: Neotropical region: Cuba, Puerto Rico ( Busck 1934: 172), Virgin Islands, U.S.: Saint Thomas ( Walsingham 1897: 148).