The Stigmella nivea group (designated here) (species 30–35)

Diagnostics (Fig. 37): forewing speckled (sometimes dark scales form subapical or apical fascia). In male genitalia, phallus with large cornuti aggregated into a band; valva with two apical processes (occassionally one); uncus bilobed but lobes closely juxtaposed, sometimes lobes are not separated and uncus looks rounded; gnathos with one caudal process or two very closely juxtaposed processes; vinculum usually small with triangular lateral lobes. Currently the group comprises of seven very similar but still differing Andean species: one from Ecuador (undescribed, Stonis et al., in prep.) and six from Peru (reviewed below). Host-plant relationships: larvae of three trophically investigated species mine leaves of Acalypha ( Euphorbiaceae, Fabids, Rosidae), Sida ( Malvaceae, Malvids, Rosidae), and Ageratina ( Asteraceae, Campanulids, Asteridae).