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Falsovelleda congolensis
Classification
Diagnostic Features of Larvae
- Mature larva. Form elongate, very slender, subcylindrical. Length up to 10.05 mm; maximum breadth (at prothorax) 2.6 mm. Head slightly depressed, strongly elongate, with sides subparallel (maximum head-width 1.8 mm); frontal sutures indistinct; antennal foramen closed behind; mouthframe rather narrowly and feebly sclerotized; six epistomal setae present. Mandible slender, about twice as long as basal width, basal part micro-granulate and with two fine setae on outer face. Ocelli indiscernible. Hypostoma testaceous, glabrous; sutures pale, straight, subparallel. Gula indiscernible. Antenna minute, strongly retracted, 2-segmented, segment 2 bearing a stout, conical, hyaline process. Labrum strongly transverse, densely fringed with pale setae; ventral mouthparts feebly sclerotized. Maxilla with palpal segment 3 elongate, longer than segment 2. Mentum distinct from submentum. Prothorax with anterior part of pronotum finely rugose, micro-granulate, sparsely setose and testaceous; posterior area slightly raised, milky white, shining and longitudinally striate. Mesonotum and metanotum granulate, sparsely setose. Proeusternum slightly raised, milky white, shining and longitudinally striate. Abdomen with dorsal ampullae on segments 1-3 oval, with median furrow narrow; ampullae on segments 4-7 each comprising a pair of distinctly separated round, fleshy protuberances, the median furrow very broad; all ampullae glabrous, micro-granulate, shining. Tergite 9 bearing a minute spine which is inclined in a posterior direction. Anus trilobed, the dorsal lobe slightly protuberant. Epipleurum more strongly protuberant on last three segments. Pleural tubercle round, very strongly convex; sclerotized pits absent. Legs absent. Spiracles with peritreme round, pale and with marginal chambers.
Pupa. Length 9 mm; maximum breadth 2.2 mm. Head with vertex entirely visible from above, shallowly excavated and with about eight fine setae around inner margin of each antenna! base; front with a seta near inner margin of each eye and a group of four setae above clypeus. Clypeus with a shallow, transverse impression and bearing four setae. Antennae extending nearly to abdominal segment 3, where they are recurved ventrally to form a single almost complete coil which terminates near front coxae. Eyes flat, glabrous. Mandibles each with a pair of fine setae on outer face. Pronotum bluntly tuberculate laterally; disc with several scattered fine pale setae. Mesonotum and metanotum sparsely setose. Elytra and wings extending to abdominal segment 4. Abdomen with tergites 1-6 each densely micro-granulate and bearing two to three pairs of long fine setae only. Tergites 7 and 8 with numerous scattered similar setae. Tergite 9 with posterior margin bearing a Jong vertical median spine, below which on each side is a row of five to six slightly shorter, inwardly curved spines. Sternites each with two to three pairs of pale sublateral setae. Legs each with a transverse row of long fine setae near apex of each femur; tibiae each with a row of six to eight similar setae; tarsi each with a pair of setae on basal segment and also a pair on claws; middle and hind femora each with an acutely pointed, tuberculate process near base; all femora and tibiae placed at right angles to longitudinal axis of body. Functional spiracles present on abdominal segments 1-5; peritreme oval, pale and slightly raised above general level of cuticle. Adapted from Duffy (1957).
Biology and Economic Importance
- Members of this tribe are known from various host plant families. Species of this tribe are potentially invasive outside their native range.
Selected References to Larvae Specimens
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