Life history and systematics of Albusambia elaphoglossumae (Lepidoptera: Crambidae): a new genus and species of musotimine with leaf-mining biology from Costa Rica.
Albusambia elaphoglossumae Solis & Davis, a new genus and species, is described. It was discovered mining the fronds of the fern Elaphoglossum conspersum in Costa Rica (San José and Cartago Provinces, at elevations of 2300-3100 m). The type series was obtained by rearing of the immature stages in laboratory. The adult is defined by unique genital characters, and the pupa with a medial depression on the vertex and with two anterolateral horn-like structures on the prothorax. The larva is a gregarious leaf miner with its body flattened dorsoventrally and head prognathous; morphological adaptations to its leaf-mining habit are new to the Musotiminae. Fern-feeding musotimines are important to the discovery of new biological control agents for invasive ferns.
Solis
M Alma
MA
Systematic Entomology Laboratory, PSI, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, c/o National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., 20560-0168, USA. asolis@sel.barc.usda.gov
Davis
Donald R
DR
Nishida
Kenji
K
D000818:Animals; D003364:Costa Rica; D005260:Female; D029624:Ferns / Q000469:parasitology; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons