Genus Phyllonorycter Research Articles

Leaf-mining moths of the genus Phyllonorycter Hübner<br>(Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae: Lithocolletinae) associated with Malvaceae in China, with descriptions of one new species

Until recently, only one species of Phyllonorycter Hübner, 1822 has been known to feed on Malvaceae in China, i. e. the lime leaf miner P. issikii (Kumata, 1963) associated with Tilia spp. Here we describe a new species, Phyllonorycter bilobae T. Liu sp. n., found in Shaanxi and Shandong provinces in China feeding on Grewia biloba var. biloba G. Don and G. biloba var. parviflora (Bunge) Hand.-Mazz. (Malvaceae). Images of the adult, male and female genitalia, host plant, and the leaf mines of the new species are provided. Additionally, detailed distribution data of P. issikii in Shandong province (China) is given.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Phyllonorycter ringoniella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

The complete mitochondrial genome of Phyllonorycter ringoniella (Matsumura, 1931) is characterized by a circular with 15,729 bp in size, containing 37 encoded genes and a control region. The gene order and nucleotide composition are similar to the known gracillariid mitogenomes. All protein-coding genes (PCGs) initiate with ATN and terminate with TAN, while cox1 starts with CGA, cox1, cox2, nad3, and nad5 terminate with an incomplete codon TA– or T–. All transfer RNA genes (tRNAs) can fold into typical clover-leaf structure, except for trnS1 (AGN), in which dihydrouridine stem is simplified to form a loop structure. The control region is located between 12S rRNA and trnM with relatively strong AT bias. The phylogenetic trees reveal that two subfamilies Oecophyllembiinae and Acrocercopinae were clustered together, and that clade was sister to the subfamily Lithocolletinae. All species of the genus Phyllonorycter grouped into a monophyletic clade and the P. ringoniella was closely related to P. platani.

In search for the unlikely: Leaf-mining caterpillars (Gracillariidae, Lepidoptera) from Upper Cretaceous and Eocene ambers

Fossil leaf-mining caterpillars from amber are firstly described as the new species Phyllocnistis cretacea from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar amber and Phyllonorycter inopinata from Eocene Baltic amber. Both show typical traits of leaf-miners, and specifically, of later instars of caterpillars of their respective genera. The findings give further evidence for these being quite old and conservative genera of Gracillariidae. These are basal Ditrysia which retained the larval feeding and mining live mode. The findings also represent direct fossil evidence of individual stages of hypermetamorphosis known from extant Gracillariidae. The finds from the Upper Cretaceous and their putative identifications give direct evidence for a minimal geological age for the genus Phyllocnistis (Phyllocnistinae) and, by indirect conclusion based on their divergence, also for the genus Phyllonorycter in a sister clade (Lithocolletinae). It also predates mining habit closer to the time of radiation of their angiospermous host plants.

First record of Phyllonorycter maestingella (Müller, 1764) in Belarus

Inspection of green stands in order to identify representatives of the genus Phyllonorycter Hübner, 1822 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae, Lithocolletinae), which damage woody plants in Belarus, revealed a new species for the fauna – beech midget (Phyllonorycter maestingella (Müller, 1764)). In 2014 we discovered this new invasive insect pest of the beeches (Fagus spp.) in Belarus for the first time. During 2014–2018 leaf mines of Ph. maestingella were recorded in 2 localities, Minsk and Brest, on 3 hostplant species, Fagus sylvatica Linnaeus, 1753, Fagus grandifolia Ehrhart, 1788, and Fagus orientalis Lipsky (1898). It is important to note that American beech (F. grandifolia) is recorded as a new host plant for Ph. maestingella. A list of points of registrations is given. This species of Lithocolletinae is alien to the fauna, since all representatives of the genus Fagus L. are introduced into Belarus.

Occurrence of Leaf Miners Phyllonorycter populifoliella (Treitschke) and Ph. pastorella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) on Different Species of Poplars

The occurrence of leafminers of the genus Phyllonorycter (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) developing on various poplar species was studied in different geographic regions of Russia: St. Petersburg, Barnaul, Bryansk and Bryansk Province. The test plots in St. Petersburg contained only the Berlin poplar Populus ×berolinensis K. Koch; those in Barnaul contained hybrids combining the features of P. nigra, P. balsamifera, and P. laurifolia (except a single specimen of the black poplar P. nigra L.); those in Bryansk and Bryansk Province contained Populus ×berolinensis, P. nigra, and the Chinese poplar P. simonii Carriere. The poplar leafminer Phyllonorycter populifoliella (Treitschke, 1833) was found in all the regions, where it infested all the above poplar species. The willow leafminer Phyllonorycter pastorella (Zeller, 1846) was present in Bryansk and Bryansk Province only on P. nigra and was recorded together with Ph. populifoliella. Our data are consistent with the previously published records of the occurrence of Ph. populifoliella and Ph. pastorella. We conclude that the occurrence and composition of the Phyllonorycter species complex are largely determined by the species composition of the poplar stands and, possibly, the history of its formation.

Testing for congruence between the oviposition behaviour of leaf-mining insects and the degree of phylogenetic relatedness among either mining species or hosts species: a case study within the mining moth genus Phyllonorycter (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

In leaf-mining insects, the oviposition behaviour is especially critical for the welfare of the future brood, the latter being usually doomed to develop entirely within the host-leaf selected for egg-laying by the ovipositing females. As, moreover, oviposition behaviour in leaf miners depends upon the taxonomic identities of both the mining-insect and the host, one can thus speculate that the patterns of oviposition behaviour of different leaf-mining species could be more or less congruent with either the degree of phylogenetic relatedness of the leaf-mining species themselves or the degree of phylogenetic relatedness of their respective host-species. Here, I test successively these two hypotheses – the “miners phylogenetic relatedness” hypothesis and the “hosts phylogenetic relatedness” hypothesis – by addressing a system insect-plant involving four mining moth species (all four belonging to the genus Phyllonorycter) and the three corresponding host-tree species, all included within the family Betulaceae. It turns out that, for this system at least, neither of the two previous hypotheses is actually supported. Possible reasons for this double rejection are discussed accordingly.

Testing for congruence between the oviposition behaviour of leaf-mining insects and the degree of phylogenetic relatedness among either mining species or hosts species: a case study within the mining moth genus Phyllonorycter (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

Testing for congruence between the oviposition behaviour of leaf-mining insects and the degree of phylogenetic relatedness among either mining species or hosts species: a case study within the mining moth genus Phyllonorycter (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

A revision of the Nipponicella complex of the genus Phyllonorycter, with description of a new species Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae

A revision of the Nipponicella complex of the genus Phyllonorycter, with description of a new species Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae

Taxonomic review of the genus Phyllonorycter Hübner (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in Korea

Abstract This study was conducted to review the genus Phyllonorycter in Korea. In this study, totally 19 species in the genus were recognized from Korea. Among them, four species, P. cretata (Kumata), P. japonica (Kumata), P. rostrispinosa (Kumata) and P. stephanandrae (Kumata) are reported for the first time from Korea. All the available species were briefly redescribed with illustrations of the adult and genital structures. A key to the species was also provided.

A review of the leaf blotch miners of the genus Phyllonorycter Hübn. (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) in the Middle Volga Area, with a key to the species using morphological characters of the female genitalia

Data on the fauna and bionomics of the leaf blotch miner genus Phyllonorycter Hbn. of the Middle Volga Area are given. Twenty-eight species have been reared from leaf mines on more than 20 species of hosts in the investigated area. The harmful species Phyllonorycter medicaginella (infesting herbaceous legumes), Ph. apparella (the larvae heavily infest poplar leaves), and Ph. issikii are new to the region. Details of the female genitalia of Phyllonorycter are reported, and their characters are used for species diagnostics for the first time. A key to 13 Phyllonorycter species is given, with data on their host plants.

Jihoevropské druhy rodu Phyllonorycter minující listy dubů s popisy dvou nových druhů (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

A review of 14 species of the genus Phyllonorycter Hübner, 1822, mining Quercus in southern Europe, is presented with descriptions of two new species, viz. Phyllonorycter graecus sp. n. developing on Quercus ithaburensis Decne. subsp. macrolepis (Kotschy) Hedge & Yalt. from Peloponnisos, Greece, and P. gerfriedi sp. n. mining Quercus coccifera L. from Crete. Six new synonyms have been established: Phyllonorycter joviella (Constant, 1890) and P. anatolica (Deschka, 1970) of P. belotella (Staudinger, 1859), P. arkadiella Derra, 1985 of P. olympica Deschka, 1983, P. neli Buvat, 1996 of P. barbarella (Rebel, 1901), P. glaserorum (Deschka, 1969) of P. rebimbasi (Mendes, 1910), and P. sardiniensis (Amsel, 1939) of P. sublautella (Stainton, 1869). The lectotype of Lithocolletis belotella Staudinger, 1859 has been designated. Diagnostic characters with figures of all species, brief data on their biology and distribution are given with several new country records. The record of Phyllonorycter obtusifoliella Deschka, 1974 in Europe has been mentioned.

Correction of the publication date of Lithocolletis helianthemella Herrich-Schäffer based on additional data of the taxonomic history of this species (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

Recently De Prins et al. (2013) published a description of the new genus Triberta and transferred to it two species, T. cistifoliella (Groschke) and T. helianthemella (Herrich-Schäffer), formerly assigned to the genus Phyllonorycter Hübner. In the upcoming studies related to this new genus the need arose to clarify whether the publication year of T. helianthemella is 1860 or 1861 (Buszko 1996, 2013; De Prins & De Prins 2005, 2013).

Systematics, phylogeny and biology of a new genus of Lithocolletinae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) associated with Cistaceae.

The gracillariid genus Triberta gen. nov. (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae: Lithocolletinae Stainton, 1854) is described to accommodate two species formerly assigned to the genus Phyllonorycter Hübner, 1822: Triberta helianthemella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1861) comb. nov. and T. cistifoliella (Groschke, 1944) comb. nov. Triberta cistifoliella bona sp. is restored from synonymy based on morphological characters. The new genus is biologically associated with the plant family Cistaceae of the order Malvales and is endemic to the Palaearctics. Our molecular analysis of eleven nuclear genes failed to unambiguously place Triberta in the lithocolletine phylogeny, but revealed that this genus is distinct from either clade Phyllonorycter + Cremastobombycia and Cameraria. The distinctiveness of Triberta is also supported by inferred traits in wing venation, micro morphology of the last instar larva, pupa, genital morphology of the adult and life history. A key to the species of Triberta is provided. The interspecific homogeneity in external morphology, coupled with minor differences in genital traits, an apparent narrow specialization on Cistaceae host plants, restricted geographical range and molecular evidence based on multi-nuclear genes jointly suggest that the generic diversification of Triberta is a relatively old phenomenon and driven strongly by host selection.

A review of the ecological grouping of species of the genus Phyllonorycter Hübner, [1822] (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae: Lithocolletinae), associated with fagaceae

A review of the species belonging to the genus Phyllonorycter Hubner, [1822] (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae), which are trophically associated with fagacean plants, is given, being provided with a new determination key and short diagnoses for 20 species recorded for the fauna of Russia. A contribution to the taxonomy of the genus Phyllonorycter is made based on the comparative morphology of the male genitalia of 54 Palaearctic species developing on Fagaceae, with 13 new taxonomic groups established within this ecological unit. Lectotype of Phyllonorycter suberifoliella (Zeller, 1850) is designated.

Phyllonorycter medicaginella (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) and its parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) in the Middle Volga River basin

Fifteen species of parasitoids, Chrysocharis idyia (Walker, 1983), Ch. laricinellae (Ratzeburg, 1848), Ch. submutica Graham, 1963, Ch. viridis (Nees, 1834), Hemiptarsenus ornatus (Nees, 1834), Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood, 1833), Pediobius cassidae Erdos, 1958, P. metallicus (Nees, 1834), Pnigalio nemati (West- wood, 1838), P. mediterraneus Ferriere & Delucchi, 1957, P. pectinicornis (Linnaeus, 1758), P. soemius (Walker, 1839), Rhicnopelte crassicornis (Nees, 1834), Sympiesis gordius (Walker, 1839), and Hyssopus sp. n., were reared from Phyllonorycter medicaginella on Melilotius offlcinalis for the first time. Hyssopus simbirskiensis sp. n. reared from Ph. medicaginella is described. Eight ectoparasitoid species (Hyssopus ornatus, H. simbirskiensis sp. n., Rh. crassicornis, P. mediterraneus, P. nemati, P. pectinicornis, P. soemius, and S. gordius) attack all the larval in- stars of Ph. medicaginella. Seven endoparasitoids (P. cassidae, P. metallicus, Ch. idyia, Ch. laricinellae, Ch. sub- mutica, Ch. viridis, and N. formosa) attack only the 4-5th-instar larvae. DOI: 10.1134/S0013873812080027 As a result of the long-term investigations in the Middle Volga River basin, 28 species of the genus Phyllonorycter were found (Mishchenko and Zolo- tukhin, 2003). One of the pests is the species Phyl- lonorycter medicaginella (Gerasimov, 1930), whose larvae mine grassy legumes. The western border of the range of Ph. medicaginella passes through the territory of Germany and the Netherlands (Kuchlein and Ku- chlein-Nijsten, 2002), and the eastern one coincides with the eastern frontiers of Kazakhstan and the Euro- pean part of Russia as far as the Urals (Kuznetzov, 1981). The Middle Volga River basin is within the distribution range of Ph. medicaginella and the 100%- infection of the melilot with this moth is observed there.

Eulophidae (hymenoptera) parasitoids of Phyllonorycter apparella and phyllonorycter populifoliella (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae), pests of Populus tremula and populus nigra in Ul’yanovsk province, Russia

Parasitoid complexes of two species of the genus Phyllonorycter (Ph. apparella and Ph. populifoliella) reared from 2 plants (Populus tremula and P. nigra) were studied in Ul’yanovsk Province, Russia. Twenty species of parasitoids are new for Ph. apparella and 12 are new for Ph. populifoliella. Minotetrastichus frontalis and Pnigalio agraules are the dominant species for both parasitoid complexes. The highest relative abundance was observed for Ph. apparella on Populus tremula (75%) and for Ph. populifoliella on P. nigra (61%). The parasitoid complexes of Ph. apparella and Ph. populifoliella show high similarity (the Jaccard coefficient is 0.65).

Systematics and biology of the new genus Macrosaccus with descriptions of two new species (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae)

The new genus Macrosaccus Davis & De Prins is proposed for three species formerly assigned to the genus Phyllonorycter: Macrosaccus robiniella (Clemens), Macrosaccus morrisella (Fitch), and Macrosaccus uhlerella (Fitch); two new, closely related species: Macrosaccus neomexicanus Davis and Macrosaccus gliricidius Davis, are also proposed. Descriptions of the adults, pupae, larvae, life histories, and distributions are supplemented with photographs, line drawings, and scanning electron micrographs. Larvae of all species are serpentine/blotch leaf miners on various genera of the plant family Fabaceae. The genus is endemic to the New World, with the invasive species Macrosaccus robiniella now widely established in Europe.

Three new species of Achrysocharoides Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) parasitoids of Phyllonorycter spp. (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) on Acer platanoides and Robinia pseudoacacia

Three new species of Achrysocharoides are described, one from northern Europe, A. platanoidae sp. nov., one from central Europe and the U.S.A., A. robiniae sp. nov., and one from the U.S.A., A. robinicolus sp. nov. The descriptions are based on material reared from microlepidopterans of the genus Phyllonorycter Hübner (Gracillariidae): A. platanoidae from P. platanoidella (Joannis) on Acer platanoides, and A. robiniae and A. robinicolus from P. robiniella (Clemens) on Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust). The new species are very similar to previously described species, A. platanoidae to A. acerianus (Askew), and A. robiniae and A. robinicolus to A. gahani (Miller), but they are shown here to differ from their sibling species both in biology and in external morphology. The host of A. robiniae and A. robinicolus, P. robiniella, is a serious pest on the black locust tree in Europe, and the descriptions with diagnoses of these two species, and their scientific names, introduced here will aid the biological control efforts of this pest.

Parasitoid complexes (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) of leafminers of the genus Phyllonorycter (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) in the Middle Volga Basin

The parasitoid complexes of 22 species of the genus Phyllonorycter reared from 20 host plants were studied in the Middle Volga Basin. From a total of 124 host-parasitoid associations analyzed, 88 had been previously unknown. Minotetrastichus frontalis, Sympiesis sericeicornis, Pnigalio soemius, Closterocerus formosus, and S. gordius were the most frequent species. The highest percentage of parasitoids reared was observed in Ph. ulmifoliella (58.6%) and Ph. sylvella (54%), and the lowest one, in Ph. salictella (15%). Ph. corylifoliella (95.7%), Ph. populifoiella (95.5%) and Ph. insignitella (95.5%) had the highest mortality due to parasitoids. The number of endoparasitoid species prevailed over that of ectoparasitoids in the parasitoid complexes of the genus Phyllonorycter, but the number of individuals reared was 4 times greater for ectoparasitoids. The parasitoid complexes were the most similar in Ph. harrisella and Ph. quercifoliella on Quercus robur. The gregarious ectoparasitoid M. frontalis predominated over parasitoids of Phyllonorycter.

New data on trophic relations between eulophid parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) and lepidopterans in Ul’yanovsk Province

Twenty seven species of the family Eulophidae were reared from 20 new lepidopteran hosts in Ul’yanovsk Province. Among newly revealed host-parasitoid associations, 27, 9, 3, and 3 are those with Phyllonorycter (Gracillariidae), Stigmella and single species of Ectoedemia (Nepticulidae), Yponomeuta (Yponomeutidae), and Tischeria (Tischeriidae), respectively. Ectoparasitoids prevailed among parasitoids of the genus Phyllonorycter, and endoparasitoids, among parasitoids of the genera Stigmella and Tischeria.