New species of Coleophoridae, with notes on other species (Lepidoptera)

Amencan Museum

ovitates

PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET, NEW YORK 24, N.Y.

NUMBER 1719 APRIL 22, 1955

New Species of Coleophoridae, with Notes
on Other Species (Lepidoptera)
By James H. McDuNNoucH!

Coleophora salicivorella McDunnough

Coleophora salicivorella McDunnoucu, 1945, Canadian Ent., vol. 77, p. 49,
figs. 1, 4 (genitalia).

Dr. Hackman has noted (1m litt.) that this species may be a synonym
of wminitella Zeller and has kindly sent a pair of specimens for study.
The two species are undoubtedly extremely close, but a comparison of
the genitalia of both sexes shows sufficient differences to warrant the con-
clusion that salicivorella is distinct from Zeller’s species. In the male
genitalia of viminitella the spined area of the aedeagus is confined to the
extreme apex and consists, in the specimen examined, of a small preapical
spine and three very minute spines distad of it. In our North American
species the spines are much more numerous and occur dorsally over the
whole distal half of the organ, as may be seen in the illustration given
with the original description (fig. 1). In the female genitalia of vimimtella
the initial chitinized portion of the ductus bursae is longer than the same
section in salicivorella and bends strongly to the left towards its distal
end; the following heavily spiculate section is shorter than the preceding
section, not equal in length to it as in salicivorella. The life history of
the larva of salicivorella shows also some differences. The larvae are
fully fed late in the fall, and no further feeding takes place in the spring
as noted in the original description. According to the European literature,
viminitella feeds again in the spring after hibernation. The cases of the

1 Research Associate, Nova Scotia Museum of Science, Halifax, and the Ameri-
can Museum of Natural History.

2 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 1719

two species (holster cases) and also the larval food plant (willow) are
similar.

Coleophora canadensisella, new species

Mate: Palpi thin, upturned, closely scaled, outwardly deep smoky,
inwardly whitish; second joint narrowly whitish ventrally in basal area
and with a terminal ventral scale tuft approximately half of the length of
the third joint which is thin and pointed. Head, thorax and basal antennal
joint deep smoky, the latter somewhat rough scaled but with little indica-
tion of a terminal ventral tuft. Remainder of antennae sharply annulate
with white and deep brown. Primaries and secondaries evenly deep
smoky, with concolorous fringes. Abdomen deep smoky dorsally, silvery
ventrally, with anal tuft slightly yellowish. lorelegs light smoky ; mid
legs and hind legs paler, slightly silvery; tarsi ringed with brown, more
distinctly so on mid tarsi. Hind tibiae rough haired. Expanse, 12-13 mm.

FEMALE: Much paler in color than the male, the dark color of head,
thorax, and primaries being replaced by a rather light yellow-brown.
Secondaries as in male. Expanse similar. .

MALE GENITALIA: Very similar to those of halmiclla McDunnough,
differing chiefly in the more compact nature of the whole organ, the
somewhat longer terminal tooth of the sacculus, and the much smaller
and more closely appressed cornuti of the vesica. Sacculus curving
strongly dorsad distally and terminating in a projecting tooth which
scarcely reaches the lower margin of the clasper ; its inner edge is some-
what irregular, forming a slight inward projection subapically. Clasper
rather narrow, projecting well beyond apex of sacculus. Valvula large,
semitriangular, clothed with numerous, scattered setae. Aedeagus cylin-
drical, the apical third armed dorsally with numerous spines, the proximal
ones short and stubby, the distal ones longer and more pointed and ter-
minating in a long apical spine. Vesica armed with a compact cluster of
thin cornuti. Gnathos small, upright, much as in kalimiella.

FEMALE GENITALIA: Scarcely distinguishable from the same organ in
kalmiella. The initial, chitinized portion of the ductus bursae is slightly
shorter but shows the same apical bend to the left ; the following, strongly
spiculate section is longer and thinner and fully equal in length to the
preceding section as a comparison of the present figure with that of
kalmiella (vide 1945, Canadian Ent., vol. 77, p. 149, fig. 4) shows. Other-
wise the parts are practically similar.

LarvaL History: Cases of the species in various states of develop-
ment were first observed on Cornus canadensis (bunchberry), during
the latter half of July, 1953, at White Point Beach, Queens County, Nova

1955 MCDUNNOUGH: COLEOPHORIDAE 3

Scotia, the large pale blotches on the leaves at once indicating the pre-
sence of the larvae. The pale whitish cases are of the holster type and
very long, having an average length of 13-15 mm. when mature. The
final section is cut from the leaf in late summer and is large, with a dorsal
tooth of varying size, somewhat as in viburniella. The larva feeds for a

Fic. 1. Larval cases of Coleophora canadensisella McDunnough.

short time after the mature case is formed, leaving the case entirely and
frequently eating the parenchyma of an entire section between the veins
before returning to the case. Later a period of aestivation is entered upon,
and feeding is not resumed until late fall. Such quiescent periods occur
frequently in other larvae with the holster type of case, notably kalmiella.

On my return to Halifax about mid August, search was instituted in
Point Pleasant Park, where bunchberry is very common. Traces of feed-
ing were found, but no cases could be discovered until early September
when they appeared in large numbers, the larvae continuing feeding until
the advent of frost in November, and then settling down on the sides of
the containers for hibernation. One female from the White Point Beach
collection emerged prematurely on October 8. No feeding occurred the
following spring, and the moths emerged in confinement from late April
through May.

Ho.otyre: Male, Halifax, Nova Scotia, April 30, 1954 (J. McDun-
nough) ; bred from Cornus canadensis.

ALLOTYPE: Female, same data, but April 26.

PaRATYPES: Four males, same data, but April 23, 26, May 3, 4; five
females, same data, May 4, 5, 6, 8; two females, White Point Beach,
Queens County, Nova Scotia, October 8, 1953, April 29, 1954 (all bred
from Cornus canadensis ).

The holotype will be deposited in the Canadian National Collection.
The allotype remains in the author’s collection for the present. Paratypes
will be deposited in the American Museum of Natural History.

4 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 1719

Coleophora vacciniivorella, new species

Mate: Palpi porrect, light smoky, paler inwardly; third joint longer
than second joint, rather smooth scaled; second joint with roughened
scales apically, forming a slight projecting tuft ventrally. Head, thorax,
and basal joint of antenna deep metallic greenish over an almost black
base. Balance of antenna rather feebly annulate with brown and whitish
except the terminal eight to 10 joints which are plain white. Primaries
unicolorous deep blackish, with a decided metallic green tinge; dark
fringes. Secondaries and their fringes blackish, non-metallic. Expanse,
9 mm.

MALE GENITALIA: Quite similar to those of the recently described
multicristatella McDunnough (1954, Amer. Mus. Novitates, no. 1686,
p- 7) bearing out a relationship already indicated by the type of an-
tenna and by the forewing coloration. Sacculus curving dorsad in its
apical section and terminating in a short blunt projection, well sepa-
rated from the clasper, which is rather narrow and quite short, pro-
jecting only slightly beyond the sacculus. Valvula fairly large, roughly
triangular, with a clothing of small scattered setae. Aedeagus rather short,
armed with lateral chitinous rods, the rod on the right side shorter and
narrower and with a sharply pointed apex. The rod on the left side is
broad, curving ventrad in its apical section and terminating bluntly ; its
dorsal edge towards base appears slightly roughened with what seems to
be (as far as can be determined) a few minute spicules. Vesica armed with
a comb-like cluster of about six short, stubby spines arising from a single
base. Gnathos small, upright.

TLARVAL History: The larvae apparently hibernate in their first year
when quite small, as immature cases have been found late in the fall.
Larger cases were collected on Vaccinium in the latter half of June and
early July, feeding taking place until late in the latter month, the cases
being definitely of the holster type. Following this a period of aestivation
occurs, and feeding is resumed only in early fall when the final addition
to the cases is made, their appearance being now very similar to that of
other holster cases (pruniella, cretaticostella). Feeding is continued
until the end of October, and at this time the cases are most readily dis-
covered as large, dark blotches form on the leaves. After the second
hibernation no further feeding occurs, the larvae evidently pupating in
spring and the adult emerging shortly after. Unfortunately, from about
a dozen cases collected, only a single male adult was secured, parasitism
and the usual mortality during hibernation in captivity taking a heavy
toll. As the species appears to be quite distinct from any known eastern
North American species and cannot be matched with any of the known

1955 MCDUNNOUGH: COLEOPHORIDAE 5

Iuropean Vaccinium feeders, according to the articles by Hackman and
Benander, description as a new species seems to be indicated.

Horotyre: Male, Halifax, Nova Scotia, April 23, 1954 (J. McDun-
nough) ; bred from Vaccinium. At present retained in the author’s col-
lection.

Coleophora contrariella, new species

Mate: Palpi dull whitish; second joint long and practically porrect ;
third joint upturned, short, less than half of the length of the second one ;
apicoventral tuft of second joint extending to half of the length of the
third joint. Antennae with the basal joint thin and rather short, rough
scaled, but with no indication of terminal ventral tuft; remainder of
antennal segments fairly distinctly annulate, with white and brown rings.
Head and thorax dull whitish. Primaries dull, pale grayish, the costal
region for two-thirds somewhat paler, almost white, veins faintly out-
lined in light brown. Fringes pale. Secondaries pale, smoky. Ventrally
both wings deep smoky. Expanse, 9 mm.

MALE GENITALIA: Sacculus with ventral edge long and almost
straight, only slightly curved at apex which forms a broad, blunt projec-
tion, well separated from the clasper; caudal margin curving cephalad
to join valvula near its apex. Clasper broad and fairly long, projecting
considerably beyond apex of sacculus. Valvula narrow, triangular, clothed
with scattered, fairly long setae. Aedeagus extremely long, furnished
with lateral chitinous rods which gradually bend ventrad and project as
far as the caudal margin of the clasper. The rod on the left side is fur-
nished with two subequal, apical teeth, arranged one behind the other.
The right-hand rod shows three similarly placed teeth, of which the most
apical one is the smallest. Vesica armed with a proximal, comb-like clus-
ter of five or six closely appressed cornuti, arising from a single base;
this is followed distad by three (possibly four) large, pointed spines,
well separated from one another. Gnathos fairly large, globular.

Hototyre: Male, Mount Uniacke, Nova Scotia, June 10, 1953 (D.
Ferguson). In the author’s collection for the present.

REMARKS: Until the female is known, the exact relationship of this
species is doubtful. The male genitalia show little relationship to those of
other maritime species.

Coleophora caespititiella Zeller

Coleophora caespititiella ZELLER, 1839, Isis, p. 208. BENANDER, 1939, Opuscula
Ent., vol. 3, p. 82, pl. 3, fig. 51, pl. 7, fig. 93 (genitalia). HACKMAN, 1945, Notulae
Ent., vol. 25, p. 48.

6 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 1719

Eupista caespitiella (sic), PrercE, 1935, The genitalia of the tineid families
of the Lepidoptera of the British Islands, p. 65, pl. 39 (genitalia).

Following a misidentification by Walsingham (1882, Trans. Ent. Soc.
London, p. 429) of the species now known as glaucicolella Wood, the

Fic. 2. Genitalia. A. Paratype, male, of Coleophora canadensisella Mc-
Dunnough. B. Holotype, male, of C. contrartzella McDunnough. C. Holotype,
male, of C. vaccintivorella McDunnough. D. Paratype, female, of C. canaden-
sisella McDunnough.

1955 MCDUNNOUGH: COLEOPHORIDAE 7

name caespititiella was included in the list of North American Coleophori-
dae by Dyar (1903, Bull. U. S. Natl. Mus., vol. 52, p. 531) and also by
Heinrich (1924, in Forbes, Cornell Univ. Agr. Exp. Sta. Mem. 68, p.
214). The error was corrected in 1940 (McDunnough, Trans. Roy. Soc.
Canada, sect. 5, p. 54), and since then no authentic record of the occur-
rence of cacspititiella in North America has been known.

On June 24, 1953, Douglas Ferguson, while collecting in the Alpine
Garden, Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, captured a series of a small
coleophorid which he stated was flying around a low-growing species of
Juncus in large numbers. On his return to Halifax a study of the genitalic
characters of both sexes revealed that the specimens belonged undoubtedly
to the above species, and the name must therefore once again be added to
our North American lists.

Coleophora versurella Zeller

Coleophora versurella ZELLER, 1849, Linnaea entomologica, vol. 4, p. 352.
HERING, 1932, on Brohmer and others, Die Tierwelt Mitteleuropas, Schmetter-
linge, vol. 6, suppl., p. 97.

Coleophora pallorella BENANDER, 1939, Opuscula Ent., vol. 3, p. 94, pl. 5,
fig. 66, pl. 6, fig. 87 (genitalia). Hackman, 1945, Notulae Ent., vol. 25, p. 55,
pl. 13, fig. 125, pl. 17, fig. 159 (genitalia).

Coleophora thallasella McCDuNNouGH, 1940, Trans. Roy. Soc. Canada, sect. 5,
p. 63, pl. 2, figs. 2, 6 (genitalia). New synonymy.

Dr. Walter Hackman of Helsingfors, Finland, suggested to me the
above synonymy several years ago. He has recently sent me a pair of
specimens labeled as “pallorella = versurella,’ a synonymy that was
doubtfully suggested by both Benander and Hackman and that has ap-
parently been now accepted as correct. I have no means of verifying this,
but genitalic slides made from the above speciinens appear to confirm the
identity of thallasella with pallorella. At the present time there is only a
single topotypical female before me, but a genitalic slide of this specimen
matches very closely that of the Finland female. The only slight differ-
ences noted are the more prominent projections on the caudal margin on
each side of the ostium opening (probably a variable feature, as they do
not occur in the original drawing of the allotype genitalia) and the slightly
greater length of the strongly spiculate portion of the ductus bursae. Ac-
cording to Hering the larva feeds on both Atriplex and Chenopodium,
forming a striped cigar case (Ad0hrensack) with trilobed apex, evi-
dently very similar to the cases of the duplicis group to which the species
belongs on genitalic characters.