Stigmella altimontana Remeikis & Stonis

Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius, Gerulaitis, Virginijus & Karsholt, Ole, 2016, Leaf-mining Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) from record high altitudes: documenting an entire new fauna in the Andean páramo and puna, Zootaxa 4181 (1), pp. 1-94 : 51

Stigmella altimontana Remeikis & Stonis , sp. nov.

( Figs 18 , 27 , 30 , 133–142 )

Type material. Holotype: Ƌ, PERU, Dept. Ancash, 50 km SE Huaraz, Rio Puma Pampa, Valley Ingenio , 9°53'53"S, 77° 15'40"W, elevation 4200–4350 m, 14–15.ii.1987, O. Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA539Ƌ ( ZMUC) . Paratypes: 1 ♀, same label data as holotype, genitalia slide no. RA 540♀ (ZMUC); 1 Ƌ, Dept. Ancash, 35 km SE Huaraz, Cerro Cahuish, Quabrada Pucavado , 9°40'50"S, 77°13'32"W, elevation 4100 m, 15–18.ii.1987, O. Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA538Ƌ ( ZMUC) .

Diagnosis. Externally closely similar to S. auriargentata sp. nov. The combination of: specific set of numerous very large cornuti, transtilla without sublateral processes, bilobed uncus, and golden grey forewing with silver shining apical area distinguishes S. altimontana sp. nov. from all other Stigmella species.

Male ( Fig. 133–135 ). Forewing length 2.8–3.2 mm; wingspan 6.1–6.9 mm. Head: palpi pale grey to cream; frontal tuft comprised of pale orange to grey-orange and fuscous piliform scales (or only fuscous piliform scales); collar golden grey; scape white to yellowish cream; antenna as long as half the length of forewing; flagellum with 32–33 segments, fuscous, glossy. Thorax and tegula dark grey with strong golden gloss. Forewing golden grey, glossy, in apical 1/3 silvery shining; fringe pale grey to dark grey; underside of forewing dark grey-brown. Hindwing grey cream to grey, without androconia; fringe pale grey. Legs brownish cream to pale brown with golden gloss, dark brown on upper side. Abdomen fuscous, without band of androconia on upper side, dark grey on underside; tufts short; genital segments brownish grey to brownish cream.

Female. Similar to male. Flagellum with 28 segments. Abdominal tip with ovipositor, not rounded.

Male genitalia ( Figs 136–141 ). Capsule longer (325 µm) than wide (205 µm). Uncus slightly narrowing distally, bilobed. Gnathos with two caudal processes and large anterior corners. Valva 225–230 µm long, 70–75 µm wide, with two slender apical processes and little sinous or straight inner lobe; transtilla without sublateral processes. Juxta membranous, triangularly widened caudally. Vinculum with lateral lobes and short ventral plate. Phallus ( Fig. 138 ) 230–240 µm long, 90–100 µm wide; vesica with about 8–9 large, horn-like cornuti and 2–3 smaller, spine-like cornuti.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 142 ). Total length 850–860 µm. Anterior and posterior apophyses almost equal in length. Corpus bursae with long, heavily folded distal part and small, oval-shaped, 300 µm long, 255 µm wide basal part with comb-like pectinations; signa absent. Accessory sac wide but very short; ductus spermathecae with small sinuous sclerite but without convolutions. Abdominal tip extended into an ovipositor.

Bionomics. Adults fly in February. Otherwise biology unknown.

Distribution ( Figs 18 , 27 ). This species occurs in the high Peruvian Andes ( Peru: Ancash Departamento) at altitudes about 4100–4350 m.

Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin altus (high) and montanus (mountainous) in reference to the species occurrence at very high altitudes.

Figures

FIGURE 27. Distribution map of the high-Andean Nepticulidae with height records.

FIGURES 18 – 19. Distribution of high altitude Nepticulidae and collecting in the Peruvian Andes. 18, distribution map; 19, collector and co-author Ole Karsholt in Polylepis forest during Polylepis Expedition organized by Prof. Dr. Jon Fjeldså (the leader of the Polylepis Expeditions, ZMUC) in 1987.

FIGURES 30 – 31. Morphology of genitalia of high-Andean Stigmella, Nepticulidae. 30, male genitalia of S. altimontana sp. n.; 31, female genitalia of S. clinopodiella sp. n.

FIGURES 133 – 138. Stigmella altimontana Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. 133 – 135, holotype, male adult; 136, paratype, male genitalia, slide no. RA 538, apical processes of valvae; 137, same, capsule without phallus; 138, holotype, genitalia slide no. RA 539, phallus (ZMUC).

FIGURES 139 – 142. Genitalia of Stigmella altimontana Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. 139, ventral view of capsule without phallus, holotype, genitalia slide no. RA 539; 140, same, paratype, genitalia slide no. RA 538; 141, dorsal view of capsule, holotype, genitalia slide no. RA 539; 142, female genitalia, paratype, genitalia slide no. RA 540 (ZMUC).