Observations of plume moths on North Andros Island, Bahamas, and notes on new records and species previously recorded from the Bahamas (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae)
Author
Matthews
Author
Miller, Jacqueline Y.
Author
Mark
Author
Goss, Gary
text
Insecta Mundi
2012
2012-06-15
2012
236
1
12
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.5174334
1942-1354
5174334
Stenoptilodes brevipennis
(Zeller, 1874)
Fig. 2b
Material Examined.
Bahamas
:
North Andros
, Captain Bill’s Blue Hole, 24.742046°, -77.862031°,
29.x.2011
D. Matthews, J. Miller, M. Simon, G. Goss (
1 female
) [
MGCL
].
Diagnosis.
Wingspan 11.0–17.0 mm. Adults of this genus as well as
Lantanophaga
Zimmerman
, and
Anstenoptilia
Zimmerman
, are recognized by a distinct termen on both lobes
Figure 1.
Lioptilodes albistriolatus
adult resting on larval and with fringe scales along the second lobe host plant,
Baccharis halimifolia
. termen forming a scalloped or tri-lobed margin. A faint triangular mark is present along the costa near the cleft base. The anal fringes of the hindwing third lobe also bear a distinct dark scale tuft. Males of this species are distinguishable from
Stenoptilodes taprobanes
(Felder and Rogenhoffer)
by genitalia only. The aedeagus and uncus are both slender and proportionally longer in
S. brevipennis
compared to
S. taprobanes
.
Females can be easily distinguished from
S. taprobanes
by external characters, in this case the presence of a pair of distinct dark scale tufts on the ventral surface, flanking the ostium.
Life History.
Larvae feed on the shoots and flower buds of certain genera of
Plantaginaceae
includ- ing
Mecardonia
Ruiz & Pav.
,
Scoparia
L.,
Bacopa
Aubl.
, and
Russelia
Jacq.
Nickrent et al. (1988)
list one of the host species,
Bacopa monnieri
(L.) Pennell as occurring on
Andros
and include
Mecardonia
and
Russelia
as other taxa occurring elsewhere in
the Bahamas
. Larvae and pupae are described and illustrated by
Matthews (2006)
.
Distribution.
This species is widespread in the Neotropical Region but previously unknown from
the Bahamas
. In the southeastern
United States
it has been recorded from
Florida
and
Mississippi
. In the West Indies, it is known from
Cuba
, Guadeloupe, Martinique,
Puerto Rico
, and
Trinidad
(
Bigot and Etienne 2009
,
Gielis 2006
).
Comments.
The female specimen from
North Andros
(
Fig. 2b
) is exceptionally worn but with the geni- tal scale tufts intact, allowing the identification.
Matthews and Watkins (2011)
illustrate the forewing of
S. brevipennis
in comparison with similar species. Illustrations of both male and female genitalia are included in
Gielis (2006)
. The specimen examined was spotted with a head lamp and netted while flying in low vegetation.