Musotiminae Meyrick, 1884 is one of the crambid subfamilies in the ‘CAMMSS’ clade sensuRegier et al. (2012). The group had long been confused with Acentropinae in terms of its morphology. However, it currently constitutes its own subfamily, Musotiminae (Spiedel, 1981). There were a few apomorphies suggested for the subfamily (e.g. Minet, 1982;Yoshiyasu, 1985) that later turned out to be ambiguous (Solis and Maes, 2002). Yen et al. (2004) notified a few larval and pupal characteristics as possible synapomorphies for musotimines. The monophyly of this group has been further substantiated by the most recent molecular phylogenetic study (Regier et al., 2012).
The adult moths of the Musotiminae and Acentropinae look similar to each other. The larvae of the former group, however, have been observed to exhibit a peculiar diet exclusively including ferns (Munroe, 1972). Due to their pteridophagy, certain musotimine species have been proposed as biological control agents for invasive weedy ferns. A notable example would be Lygomusotima feeing on the Old World climbing fern, Lygodium microphyllum in Southeast Asia (Solis et al., 2004).
Musotiminae currently comprises 24 genera and 162 species, the majority of which are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions (Regier et al., 2012). Musotima dryopterisivora Yoshiyasu, previously misidentified as Ambia acclaralis Walker, was the only member of the subfamily recorded from Korea (Lee and Pak, 1958). The aims of this article are to reconfirm the occurrence of Musotima dryopterisivora in Korea and to provide the first Korean record of Neomusotima fuscolinealisYoshiyasu, 1985.
Material and Methods
All voucher specimens have been deposited in the insect collection of the Department of Science Education, Gongju National University of Education, Gongju City, Republic of Korea. The abdomens of the specimens were dissected for genitalia, following Clarke (1941), except that Chlorazol black and Euparal resin were used for staining and permanent mounting, respectively. Terms for genitalia and hostplant names followed Klots (1970) and the “Plant List” database (www. theplantlist.org), respectively.
Systematic accounts
Subfamily Musotiminae Meyrick, 1884 고사리명나방아과
MusotimaMeyrick, 1884
MusotimaMeyrick, 1884: 123. Type species: Diathrausta aduncalis Felder et Rogenhofer, 1874
It is the type genus of Musotiminae. Many species of this genus have been confused with AmbiaWalker, 1859. Yoshiyasu (1985) suggested that the species associated with Ambia in Japan are in fact belonging to Musotima. This suggestion has been challenged by Spiedel and Stüning (2005) who found the ongoing uncertainty between Ambia and Musotima. Yoshiyasu’s (1985) treatment is tentatively followed in this study, until the uncertainty is cleared out. Musotima currently includes 16 species from Oriental and Australian Regions (Nuss et al., 2023).
Musotima dryopterisivoraYoshiyasu, 1985 애기고사리명나 방 (Figs. 1A, 2C)
Musotima acclaralis (nec Walker, 1859); Marumo, 1923: 187; Shibuya, 1928: 135; Inoue, 1954: 162. Misidentification.
Ambia acclaralis: Inoue, 1984: 373; Park, 1983: 337. Misidentification.
Musotima dryopterisivoraYoshiyasu, 1985: 129. Type locality: Japan, Yakushima Is., Miyanoura.
Redescription. Habitus (Fig. 1A) - Head: Vertex fuscous. Labial palpus white, mottled with dark brownish gray. Antenna with scape fuscous; flagellum dark brownish gray. Thorax: Patagium brownish fuscous; tegula and mesonotum fuscous, mottled with pale brownish gray. Forewing length 5.6 mm, dark brownish gray, with sinuous termen; subbasal area with two white bands diverging to costa; antemedian line white, very narrow; discal spot white, accompanying with yellow patch near costa; postmedian line white, narrowed posteriorly, curved; subterminal line white, narrowed posteriorly, sinuous along termen; cilia fuscous. Hindwing dark brownish gray; subbasal area with two nearly straight, white lines; postmedian line white, sinuous; subterminal line white, sinuous along termen; cilia fuscous. Female genitalia (Fig. 2C) - Papillae anales small, subtriangular, setose. Ostium bursae wide. Ductus bursae funnel-shaped, as long as corpus bursae. Corpus bursae obovate, slightly constricted at posterior 2/5, with spinulate apical portion.
Material examined. 1♀, Jeju Prov., Bugjeju-gun, Gujwaeup, Bijarim Park, 17 V 2000 (JC Sohn), genitalia slide no. SJC-926.
Distribution. Korea, Japan (Yoshiyasu, 1985).
Host plants.Dryopteris sp. (Nakamura, 1977).
Remarks. This species was misidentified as Musotima acclaralis (Walker, 1859) in Japan (Inoue, 1984). Yoshiyasu (1985) first recognized the misidentification and described it as a new species. Lee and Pak (1958) recorded Ambia acclaralis from Korea. However, they did not clearly mention the depository of the voucher specimen. No subsequent study (e.g. Bae et al., 2008) illustrated the voucher or provide any additional record. The valid Korean record of Musotima dryopterisivora is provided for the first time in the present study.
NeomusotimaYoshiyasu, 1985
NeomusotimaYoshiyasu, 1985: 131. Type species: Neomusotima fuscolinealisYoshiyasu, 1985.
This genus can be distinguished from Musotima in having the shorter terminal segment of the labial palpus; the forewing with incised termen, all line components obscure; the male genitalia with longer tegumen with X-shaped ridge dorsally; the well-developed coecum of the phallus; the apical portion of juxta without mid-ventral projection; and the female corpus bursae without a signum (Yoshiyasu, 1985). Neomusotima comprises two species from Japan, Indonesia and India (Solis et al., 2004).
Neomusotima fuscolinealisYoshiyasu, 1985 가무늬고사리 명나방(Figs. 1B, 2A-B)
Neomusotima fuscolinealisYoshiyasu, 1985: 133. Type locality: Japan, Amami-Oshima Is., Yuwan.
Redescription. Habitus (Fig. 1B) - Head: Vertex pale gray, mottled with dark brownish gray. Labial palpus with 1st segment white; 2nd segment white, mottled with dark brown; 3rd segment pale brownish gray, mottled with dark brownish gray. Antenna with scape pale brownish gray, mottled with dark brownish gray; flagellum dark brownish gray. Thorax: Patagium, tegula and mesonotum pale brownish gray, mottled with dark brownish gray. Forewing length 5.0 mm, dark purplish brown, with sinuous termen; subbasal line dark brown, curved; antemedian line dark brown, sinuous; discal bar dark brown; postmedian line dark brown, sinuous; subterminal line as rows of white patches, accompanied with sinuous, dark brown line; terminal area dark reddish brown; cilia dark fuscous. Hindwing dark purplish brown; subbasal line short, dark brown; antemedian line dark brown, nearly straight; postmedian line dark brown, sinuous; terminal area dark reddish brown, with dark brown spots between veins; cilia dark fuscous. Male genitalia (Figs. 2A-B) - Uncus elongate, flat apically, triangular in basal 1/3. Tegumen broadly-round laterally. Gnathos narrow, gradually narrowed to apex, as long as uncus. Valva obovate, setose on distal 3/4; costa nearly straight, relatively broad; sacculus swollen, with elongate, digitiform process distally and crescentiform fold basally. Vinculum semicircular. Phallus slightly curved at middle, slightly broadened distally, with spinulate cornutal zone.
Material examined. 1♂, Jeonnam Prov., Yeosu-si, Hwayangmyeon, Imok-ri (34°39'03.02''N 127°34'10.2''E, alt. 44 m), 6-7 October 2021 (JC Sohn), genitalia slide no. SJC-1419.
Distribution. Korea (new record), Japan, China (Yoshiyasu, 2013).
Host plants. Lygodiaceae - Lygodium japonicum (Thunb.) Sw. (Yoshiyasu, 2013).
Remarks. The hostplants, Japanese Climbing Ferns (Lygodium japonicum) are common in the southern parts of Korea (Korean Fern Society, 2005). However, Neomusotima fuscolinealis seems quite rare in the country.