Neoblastobasis ximeniaella Adamski

Neoblastobasis ximeniaella Adamski

DIAGNOSIS. Neoblastobasis ximeniaella is most similar to N. perisella but differs from the latter by having a wider uncus, more tergal setae, a shorter spinelike process on the lower part of the valva, and a straight aedeagus.

DESCRIPTION.

Head: Vertex and frontoclypeus pale brown; labial palpus missing; scape of antenna pale brown; first flagellomere basally dilated, forming a notchlike area between dilation and flagellomeres 2–4, distal flagellum missing; proboscis pale brown.

Thorax: Tegula and mesonotum dark gray basally, pale brown distally. Legs missing. Forewing (Figure 53) length 6.1–6.7 mm (n = 2), pale brown intermixed with a few dark gray scales; base of costa with a few dark gray scales; median fascia absent; cell with three dark gray spots, one near midcell and two parallel with crossvein near distal end. Undersurface brown. Hindwing pale gray.

Abdomen: Male genitalia (Figure 6): Uncus abruptly curved subapically, apex broadly rounded; gnathos narrow, dorsoposterior margin bidentate medially; membrane below gnathos microtrichiate; vinculum wide; juxta bandlike; valva divided; basal 1/3 of costa of upper part overlaid by an elongate covering of dense microtrichiate membrane; distal 2/3 developed into a setose, digitate process; lower part of valva wide, bearing a straight spinelike process, extending to near base of acuminate process of lower part of valva; subventral area reflexed to apicoventral margin; apicoventral margin rounded, produced into an inwardly curved, acuminate process; aedeagus straight, sclerite of aedeagus abruptly curved near apical 1/3; anellus bearing several conical setae. Female Genitalia (Figure 22): Eighth tergum without a narrow, darkly pigmented streak on median longitudinal axis; membrane surrounding ostium not microtrichiate; a pair of short, membranous, lobelike, invaginations posterolateral to ostium; posterior margin of seventh sternum straight; ductus bursae about as long as ovipositor, with imbricate platelets on anterior end; inception of ductus seminalis anterior to a short membranous antrum; corpus bursae with a hornlike signum arising from a small base.

HOLOTYPE. ♂, “Kenya: Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, 3°12.18'S, 39°55.63'E, 3 Jan. 2001, A & M Coll[ection] # 960, R.S. Copeland, ICIPE/USAID, r.f. Ximenia caffra”; “Restrictions Apply, NMK-ICIPE, Agreement # 5” [purple label]; “♂ Genitalia Slide by D. Adamski, No. 5052” [yellow label]; “USNM ENT 00196943” [barcode label]; “DNA” [blue label] [NMK].

PARATYPES (1 ♂, 2 ♀). 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Same label data as holotype except, “101 m”; “♂ Slide 5057”; “00196944”; “Genitalia Slide by DA, USNM 83367” [USNM]; “♀ Slide 5104”; “00196945”, ♀ Genitalia Slide by DA, USNM 83369” [USNM]; 1 ♀, same as above except, “Kaya Kinondo, 4°23.93'S, 39°31.96'E, 7 July 2001, A & M Coll. # 1370, R.S. Copeland; ICIPE/USAID, r.f. Calophyllum inophyllum”; “♀ Slide 5851” “00196415”; “♀ Genitalia Slide by DA, USNM 83368.” All paratypes deposited in USNM.

ETYMOLOGY. The species epithet, ximeniaella, is derived from the generic name of the plant from which the moth was first reared.

DISTRIBUTION. Neoblastobasis ximeniaella is restricted to coastal lowland habitats in southeastern Kenya.

HOST. Ximenia caffra Sond. (Olacaceae), Calophyllum inophyllum L. (Clusiaceae).

Blastobasis Zeller, 1855

TYPE SPECIES. Oecophora (Scythris) phycidella Zeller, 1839, by subsequent designation (Walsingham, 1907).

Blastobasis is closely related to Neoblastobasis, but in the absence of a phylogenetic analysis their relationship is uncertain. Species of Blastobasis can be recognized by having a dilated first flagellomere of the antenna with an inner surface bearing palmate scales and corpus bursae with a posterior lobe near inception of ductus bursae.

MAP 4. Distribution of Neoblastobasis ximeniaella.