Phyllocnistis tethys Moreira & Vargas, sp. nov.

Phyllocnistis tethys Moreira & Vargas, sp. nov. Figs. (1–8) Type material. BRAZIL: Centro de Pesquisas e Conservação da Natureza Pró-Mata (CPCN Pró-Mata; 29 o 28 ’ 36 ’S, 50 º 10 ’01’W; 900 m), São Francisco de Paula Municipality, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. All adults were preserved dried and pinned, and reared by the senior author from larvae and pupae collected on 05- 11.V. 2011 by G.R.P. Moreira, R. Brito & K. Barão, on Passiflora organensis Gardner (Passifloraceae). HOLOTYPE: 3 (LMCI 155 - 58), deposited in DZUP (22.623). PARATYPES: 2 ƤƤ (LMCI 155 - 41 and 155 - 43), deposited in DZUP (22.633 and 22.643); 1 3, 1 Ƥ (LMCI 155 - 31 and 155 - 26), deposited in MCNZ (81901 and 81902); 1 3, 1 Ƥ (LMCI 155 - 35 and 155 - 30), deposited in MCTP (28635 and 28636 ). Other specimens examined. Adults, dried and pinned, 4 3, with the same collection data, deposited in LMCI (155 -25, 27, 32, 33); 2 ƤƤ, fixed in Dietrich’s fluid and preserved in 70 % ethanol, with the same collection data, deposited in LMCI (155 - 20). Genitalia preparations, mounted in Canada balsam on slides, with the same collection data, deposited in LMCI under the following accession numbers: 5 3 (GRPM 50 -10, 13, 14, 15 and 16); 4 ƤƤ (GRPM 50 -8, 17, 18, and 19). Immature stages, fixed in Dietrich’s fluid and preserved in 70 % ethanol, with the same collection data, deposited in LMCI under the following accession numbers: 3 eggs (LMCI 155 - 14), 2 first-instar (sap-feeding) larvae (LMCI 155 - 3 and 4), 5 third-instar (sap-feeding) larvae (LCMI 155 - 12 and 13), 4 fourth-instar (spinning) larvae (LMCI 155 - 16), and 8 pupae (LMCI 155 - 18 and 19). Mature leaf mines (n = 24) containing exuvia of all instars, mounted in glycerin on slides and stained with rose bengal, with the same collection data, 26.III. 2012, deposited in LMCI, under accession numbers LMCI 174 - 1 to 24. Diagnosis. Adults of P. t e th ys can be readily distinguished from all other known species of Neotropical Phyllocnistis in the forewing pattern, primarily by the absence of longitudinal and costal fasciae. Of the five species of Phyllocnistis known from neighboring Argentina and Chile (Davis & Miller 1984, Davis 1994), only two (P. abatiae Hering and P. puyehuensis Davis) lack the basal longitudinal fascia. However, P. abatiae possesses a pair of small, isolated costal fasciae; and P. puyehuenis has a single, broad, isolated pale-gold costal fascia that crosses the wing. In addition, in these species the presence of yellowish-orange scales on the subapical part of the forewing is restricted to a small circular area adjacent to the black spot. Also, in contrast to P. tethys, in these species the tornal fringes are uniform in color. Adult (Figs. 1, 2). Male and female similar in size and color (Fig. 1). Forewing length 2.41–2.72 mm (n = 5). Head: Vestiture moderately smooth, with a pair of latero-dorsal light-gray scale tufts that curve forward to the frons. Eyes medium in size (interocular index ranging from 0.51 to 0.72; n = 4). Antenna mostly dark gray, ~ equal to length of forewing, covered with lanceolate scales; a single row of scales encircling each flagellomere. Labial palpus slender, ~ 0.3 mm in length, covered with dark-gray scales. Proboscis without scales, slightly longer than labial palpus. Thorax: Forewing light gray; longitudinal and costal fasciae absent; transverse fascia C-shaped, with faint dark border filled in with sparse light-gray scales; apical to subapical area bright yellowish orange, medially interspersed on costal strigulae and transverse fascia, and with large black spot; three slender, dark costal strigulae, three slender dark apical strigulae, and one dark tornal strigula arising from the apical black spot; fringe along tornal margin light gray with a wide dark basal band of scales; ventral surface dark gray. Hindwing dark gray. Legs light gray; foretibia and tarsomeres mostly dark gray. Abdomen: Length ~ 1.7 mm, covered with dark-gray scales. Male genitalia: Tergum VIII small, semicircular; sternum VIII reduced to a narrow transverse band. A pair of coremata present meso-laterally on segment VIII, consisting of inflatable tubular extensions bearing a terminal cluster of long, wide and flat scales (Fig. 2 D). Tegumen formed by a basal, narrow transverse band that continues caudally up to approximately the length of the valvae, as an elongate, mostly membranous, basally spinose cylinder that encloses the anal tube (Fig. 2 A); saccus well developed, ~ 0.3 length of valve, U- shaped with rounded anterior end and sinuous posterior margin having pronounced concavity medially; valvae digitiform, slightly curved medially and long, ~2.0 length of saccus, with moderately broad base formed by two wide dorsal and ventral projections that converge, reaching each other medially; setae of medium size are scattered found on median surface of valve, and short setae distally. Aedeagus (Fig. 2 B) subcylindrical, weakly sclerotized, ~ equal to length of valva, having basal 2 / 3 portion slightly dilated and with subapical, dorsally located concave aperture. Vesica with several short spiniform cornuti (Figs. 2 B, E). Female genitalia: Sternum VII subrectangular, with concave anterior margin more heavily sclerotized, and posterior margin slightly concave (Fig. 2 C); tergum VIII reduced to narrow transverse band, with large subtriangular, latero-ventral projections; anterior apophysis similar in length to subtriangular projections of sternum VIII; anal papillae connected dorsally, covered with long piliform setae and microtrichia (Figs. 2 C, F); posterior apophyses similar in length to anterior ones; ostium bursae broad, located on posterior margin of sternum VII; ductus bursae membranous, broader at base and narrow distally; corpus bursae membranous, pear-shaped, ~ twice length of ductus bursae, with a conspicuous, proximal, diagonally oriented, and hook-shaped signum that is directed posteriorly into the lumen (Figs. 2 C, G); ductus seminalis membranous, narrow, inserted in apex of corpus bursae. Immature stages. Egg (Fig. 4 A; 7 C). Flat, slightly ellipsoid; chorion translucent, without external ornamentation, and white at deposition; larva can be seen by transparency before emergence; aeropyles and micropylar area were not observed. Larva (Figs. 3 A–C; 4 B–I; 5; 7 B, E, G). Leaf-miner, with hypermetamorphic development and four instars, all endophyllous. The first three instars are sap feeders, prognathous and apodous, with highly modified buccal apparatus and depressed body; maximum length of larvae examined 4.79 mm. The prothorax and mesothorax of first-instar larvae are somewhat longer than the metathorax, which is not the case in the following instars. However, we found no stable differences either in shape or coloration among the sap-feeding instars of P. te t hy s. Instars can be correctly identified through measurements of the head capsule, since there is no overlap between the head-capsule size of succeeding instars (Table 2). For the three sap-feeding instars, the following exponential growth equation was adjusted for the head-capsule width: y = 0.073 e ^ 0.504 x; n = 45; r = 0.98; p