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Ectoedemia (Fomoria) festivitatis spec. nov.
(figs 1-2, 4, 5-8, 9-12, 13-17, 27)
Type material.— Holotype ♂: Nepal, Valley of Marsyandi: Dharapani, 2000 m, 28.30N–84.21E, 17.xi.1981, E.J. van Nieukerken”; “[leafmines on] Hypericum cf. uralum Buch.-Ham., VU no 81744 KE, e. l. 22.ii.1982”, “Host: Hypericum uralum Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don, det NKB Robson 2007”; “RMNH Lepidoptera, Genitalia slide E.J. van Nieukerken 3812 ♂” “RMNH INS 23812 [with printed barcode]” (RMNH).— Paratypes: 23 ♂, 21 ♀.— China (Yunnan): 2 ♂, 2 ♀ [1 ♂ and 1 ♀ slides only], Anning, 24.55N-102.29E, 1900 m, 20.x.1984, Mixed Pinus yunnanensis, Keteleeria, oak forest, leafmines on H. beanii, e.l. 13.ii.1985, EvN no 35-19-1K, E.J. van Nieukerken & J. van Driel, Genitalia slides A076 ♂, A130 ♂, A131 ♀ (ZIAB, RMNH); 1 ♂, Kunming, Qiongzhu Si (Bamboo temple), 25.08N-102.37E, 2100 m, 18.x.1984, Evergreen cupuliferous forest on northern slope, leafmines on H. beanii, e.l. 31.i.1985, EvN no 22-35-1 K, E.J. van Nieukerken & J. van Driel (ZIAB, RMNH); 2 ♂, 1 ♀, 14 km SW Kunming, Xishan, 24.59N-102.37N, 2300 m, 5 & 22.x.1984, Open Pinus-oak forest and shrub, leafmines on H. beanii, e.l. 1.xii.1984, EvN no 23-4-1 K, E.J. van Nieukerken & J. van Driel, Genitalia slides A077 ♀ (ZIAB, RMNH); 2 ♂, 1 ♀, W. of Yiliang, 24.53N-103.07E, 1900 m, 7.x.1984, Steep hills with degenerated Pinus yunnanensis forest, leafmines on H. beanii, e.l. 3.xi.1984, EvN no 25-2-1 K, E.J. van Nieukerken & J. van Driel (ZIAB, RMNH).— Nepal: 4 ♂, 5 ♀, Bagmati, Kathmandu Valley, Balaju, 23.vii.1983, leafmines on H. spec., e.l. 6-10.viii.1983, Npl-244, T. Kumata, Genitalia slides JT093 ♂, 3813 ♂, 3814 ♀ [RMNH INS 23813, 23814] (EIHU, RMNH); ♀, Valley of Marsyandi: between Thangja and Chame, 28.32N-84.15E, 2400 m, 8.xi.1981, leafmines on H. uralum Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don, e.l. 5-23.ii.1982, VU no 81726 KE, E.J. van Nieukerken (RMNH); 2 ♂, 1 ♀, ditto, but 16.xi.1981, e.l. 9-18.ii.1982, VU no 81739 KE, E.J. van Nieukerken (RMNH); 5 ♂, 8 ♀, Valley of Marsyandi: Dharapani, 28.30N-84.21E, 2000 m, 17.xi.1981, leafmines on H. uralum Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don, e.l. 12.i-9.iii.1982, VU no 81744 KE, E.J. van Nieukerken, Genitalia slides VU 1341 ♂, EJvN 3815 ♀ [RMNH INS 21341+23815] (RMNH).— Vietnam: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Lao Cai, Hoang Lien Song, Bán Khoang, 9 km NW Sapa, 48Q UK750773, 1400 m, 1.xi.2001, leafmines; secondary vegetation along road, leafmines on H. hookerianum Wight & Arn., e.l. 14-16.i.2002, EvN no 2001301-1K [♂ abdomen lost] E.J. van Nieukerken & J.C. Koster, Genitalia slide 3816 ♀ [RMNH INS 23816] (RMNH); 2 ♂, 2 ♀, Lao Cai, Hoang Lien Song, pass N of Phan Xi Pang (Fansipan), 8 km WNW Sapa, 48Q UK736722, 1900 m, 30.x.2001, Secondary forest and grassland; on trail, leafmines on H. hookerianum Wight & Arn., e.l. 6-15.i.2002, EvN no 2001280K , E.J. van Nieukerken & J.C. Koster, Genitalia slide 3811 ♂ [RMNH INS 23811] (RMNH); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same locality and date, leafmines on H. henryi subsp. hancockii N. Robson, e.l. 6-11.i.2002, EvN no 2001281K (RMNH); 1 ♂, Hoang Lien Song, Tram Ton pass N of Phan Xi Pang (Fansipan), 8 km WNW Sapa, 1933 m, 48Q UK738726, 15.ix.2003, roadside shrub, leafmines on H. hookerianum Wight & Arn., e.l. 23.ix.2003, EvN no 2003056K, C. van den Berg & E.J. van Nieukerken (RMNH).
Material excluded from type series.— Nepal: 1 adult (abdomen missing), Bagmati, Kathmandu Valley, Mulkharka, 18-20.ix.1983, leafmines on H. spec., e.l. 17.x.1983, Npl-607, T. Kumata (EIHU).— Vietnam: 5 larvae (ethanol 96%), Lao Cai, Hoang Lien Song, pass N of Phan Xi Pang (Fansipan), 8 km WNW Sapa, 48Q UK736722, 1900-2000 m, 30.x.2001, Secondary forest and grassland; on trail, leafmines on H. hookerianum Wight & Arn., EvN no 2001280K, E.J. van Nieukerken & J.C. Koster (RMNH) (3 used for destructive DNA extraction, RMNH-INS numbers 11551, 11553, 11568).— Leafmines only: China (Yunnan): dead larvae, vacated mines, Anning, 20.x.1984, Mixed Pinus yunnanensis, Keteleeria, oak forest, leafmines on H. petiolulatum subsp. yunnanense, EvN no 35-18-1, E.J. van Nieukerken & J. van Driel (RMNH); old mines, Shilin (Stone forest), Lunan county, 6-7.x.1984, Cultivated and seminatural vegetation between rocks, leafmines on H. beanii, EvN no. 24-9-1, E.J. van Nieukerken & J. van Driel (RMNH).— Vietnam: mines, rearing failed, Lao Cai, Sapa, Ham Rong tourism area, 48Q UK813701, 1630 m, 13.ix.2003, rocky hill park with planted trees, sec. veg., leafmines on H. hookerianum Wight & Arn, EvN no 2003034, C. van den Berg & E.J. van Nieukerken (RMNH).
Diagnosis.— A typical fasciate nepticulid, relatively large, with collar composed of piliform scales, which can be confused with other fasciate Ectoedemia species, but E. festivitatis lacks all special scaling or hair pencils that occur in many other species. Externally similar Stigmella species can usually be recognised by a collar of lamellar scales. Male genitalia characterised by inner medial process of valva and very long curved ventral carinae; female genitalia by several sclerotizations in vestibulum.
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Figs. 1-4. Ectoedemia (Fomoria) spp., adult habitus. 1, E. festivitatis male holotype; 2, E. festivitatis female, paratype, Vietnam (RMNH INS 23816); 3, E. degeeri male holotype; E. festivitatis female, live specimen, Vietnam, emerged January 2002. Scales 1 mm. |
Male.— Forewing length 1.8-2.9 mm (2.4 ± 0.3, 17), wingspan 4.0-6.1 mm. Head: frontal tuft orange to pale ochreous; scape cream with dark brown edge; collar consisting of piliform scales, same colour as frontal tuft; antenna greyish brown, 34-50 segments (44.4 ± 5.9, 14), longer than two thirds length of forewing. Thorax and forewing fuscous to black, with faint purple reflections; all scales darker at tips; postmedial fascia cream white, almost straight, slightly wider at dorsum, sometimes divided to almost obsolete; cilia line distinct; terminal cilia greyish white to grey. Hindwing and cilia greyish brown; no androconial scales; costal bristles present. Underside wings fuscous. Abdomen black, with very small grey anal tufts; abdominal tip tapering.
Female.— Forewing length 1.9-3.1 mm (2.5 ± 0.3, 20), wingspan 4.1-6.6 mm. Antennae with 36-50 segments (43.1 ± 4.7, 14). Abdominal tip very broad, truncate. Otherwise similar to male.
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Figs. 5-8. Ectoedemia (Fomoria) festivitatis, male genitalia. 5-7, Holotype, slide 3812, focused from ventral to respectively more dorsal; 8, paratype, slide 3811. |
Male genitalia.— Vinculum with shallow anterior emargination; ventral plate posteriorly produced into a large bilobed juxta-like process, tightly fused to ventral carinae (best seen in fig. 8). Tegumen forming distinctly pointed pseuduncus, as long as uncus. Uncus with inverted Y-shaped medial process. Gnathos with relatively long narrow pointed central element. Valva narrow elongate to slightly triangular, medially with pronounced inner process in ventral plane; apex blunt. Transtilla with long transverse bar and relatively long sublateral processes. Aedeagus stout, with ventral pair of long, outward-curved carinae and dorsolateral pair of short, outward-curved carinae; vesica with groups of small blunt cornuti and two large cornuti near phallotrema, one straight, and one long curved, slightly sinuous, easily confused with carinae; a third one, proximal to the largest, a cone covered with small spines; cathrema conspicuous.
Measurements: capsule length 287-369 μm (327.5 ± 26.9, 7), valva length 204-228 μm (214.3 ± 10.7, 6), aedeagus length 253-387 μm (321.2 ± 45.5, 7), ratio aedeagus/capsule 0.8-1.1 (0.98 ± 0.09, 7).
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Figs. 9-12. Ectoedemia (Fomoria) festivitatis, genitalia, details. 9, Holotype, slide 3812; 10, male paratype, vesica partly everted, slide 3811, 11-12, female paratype, slide 3816. Coloured numbers 1-3 denote the three large cornuti, the third spinose; ap = anal papillae; ca = cathrema; lc = lateral (or dorsolateral) carina; s = sclerite with forward-directed spines. |
Female genitalia.— Abdominal tip: T8 broad and narrow, without any setae, posterior margin straight, with prominent rounded corners; T9: anal papillae each with ca 14-19 setae. Apophyses subequal in length, anterior apophyses curved. Bursa elongate, vestibulum with a number of strong sclerites (fig. 12), anteriormost a wide transverse bar, anteriorly covered with forward-directed spines (not seen in one specimen, 3814); bursa completely covered with pectinations, particularly strongly developed in folded ductus bursae, signa long and narrow 3-5 cells wide; ductus spermathecae with 2 shallow convolutions, ending in distinct vesicle.
Measurements: total length bursa 630-1160 μm (n = 3), length of signa resp. 290-445 and 260-455 μm long (n = 3).
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Figs. 13-17. Ectoedemia (Fomoria) festivitatis, leafmines, 13-16 in dried leaves. 13, two incomplete mines on Hypericum beanii, dead larvae and exit hole of parasitic wasp visible, China, Yunnan, Kunming, Qiongzhu Si; 14, incomplete mine on Hypericum uralum, final instar larva taken out, Nepal, Valley of Marsyandi: between Thangja and Chame; 15, 16, upper- and underside of completed, inflated mine, exit visible on underside (arrow), on Hypericum hookerianum; Vietnam (Lao Cai), Sapa, Ham Rong tourism area; 17, Hypericum hookerianum with several mines, Vietnam, Lao Cai, Hoang Lien Song, pass N of Phan Xi Pang, roadside, 30.x.2001. Scales 5 mm. |
Biology.— Food plants. Shrubby species of Hypericum, reared from H. beanii N. Robson (Yunnan), H. henryi H. Lév. & Vaniot subsp. hancockii N. Robson (Vietnam); H. hookerianum Wight & Arn. (Vietnam) and H. uralum Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don (Nepal). These species have often been mixed in the literature and are difficult to distinguish, a recent treatment is Li & Robson (2007) in the Flora of China. Vacated mines on H. petiolulatum Hook.f. & Thomson ex Dyer subsp. yunnanense (Franchet) N. Robson in Yunnan, syntopic with mines on H. beanii, may also have been made by E. festivitatis. A distinct mine, probably belonging to this species, is shown on a photograph of H. oblongifolium Choisy, taken in India, Himachal Pradesh (Polunin & Stainton, 1984: plate 19, 210).
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Fig. 18. Habitat of Ectoedemia (Fomoria) festivitatis in Vietnam (Lao Cai): Hoang Lien Song, pass N of Phan Xi Pang, 30.x.2001: secondary shrub vegetation with Hypericum hookerianum, Pteridium aquilinum, grasses, 1900 m. |
Voltinism: Larvae were collected in July and from September to early November and adults emerged under laboratory conditions in August, October and from January to March. E. fesitivitatis is bivoltine or has possibly more generations.
Egg deposited on under side of leaf, always near midrib. Leaf mine: starts as a very long, sinuous and very narrow gallery, often following leaf margin, with black to brown linear frass, abruptly widening into a blotch with scattered brown frass, usually concentrated in centre, adhering to upper epidermis. Later mine swollen and larva spinning cocoon inside a prepared silken tunnel, which leads to an exit slit, which the larva makes prior to spinning its cocoon.
Larva: greenish white with dark brown head capsule; feeding inside mine with venter upwards.
Habitat: secondary or degraded forest or shrub vegetation, in mountainous area (fig. 18).
Distribution.— Sino-Himalayan region: Nepal, China: Yunnan and North Vietnam (Fan Si Pan only). Probably more widespread, occurrence in India suggested by above cited photograph.
Remarks.— There is considerable variation in size. Males and females have approximately a similar number of antennal segments, which is quite unusual for Nepticulidae: usually males have significantly more segments. However, the ratio antennal segments / forewing length is on average slightly larger in males (18.8 ± 2.1, n = 12, in females 16.9 ± 2.1, n = 13). Also the valval shape shows some variation - the inner margin is sometimes triangularly tapering towards the middle process; in others the process is sharply demarcated from the inner margin.
The Hypericum beanii specimens from China were previously misidentified as H. patulum, this name can still be found on our labels, but labels with new identification of food plants are added. Also Vietnamese plants were initially misidentified, but these names have not been used on the labels or have been corrected.
Etymology.— Dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the start of zoological literature on 1 January 1758. Festivitatis: a noun in genitive case, from festivitas, Latin for feast, celebration.