Stigmella calceolariae Diškus & Stonis, 2016

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 : 33-36

Stigmella calceolariae Diškus & Stonis , sp. nov.

( Figs 1–5 , 17 , 27 , 77 –87)

Type material. Holotype: Ƌ, ECUADOR, Chimborazo Province, 25 km NW Riobamba , 1°31'20"S, 78°50'27"W, elevation 3980 m, mining larvae on Calceolaria graminifolia Kunth 22.ii.2007, ex pupa 15.iii.2007, field card no. 4882, A. Diškus & J. R. Stonis, genitalia slide no. AD655Ƌ ( ZMUC) . Paratypes: 4 Ƌ, 2 ♀, same label data as holotype, genitalia slide nos AD632Ƌ, AD657Ƌ, AD660Ƌ, AD634♀, AD658♀ (ZMUC).

Diagnosis. The combination of a triangular valva, short vinculum with triangular lobes, distally four-lobed uncus, set of large curved cornuti and speckled forewing distinguishes S. calceolariae sp. nov. from all other Stigmella species possessing two apical processes of valva and numerous large cornuti on the vesica; the host-plant Calceolaria graminifolia (Calceolariaceae) also makes this species distinctive.

Male ( Fig. 77 ). Forewing length 3.4–3.7 mm; wingspan 7.4–8.0 mm. Head: palpi cream; frontal tuft ochre cream; collar and scape yellowish cream; antenna distinctly longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 38 segments, grey-brown.Thorax and tegula dark grey-brown with some golden gloss. Forewing: grey cream to grey background densily speckled with grey-brown scales with weak golden gloss; fascia absent; fringe pale brown-grey; underside of forewing dark grey-brown with no spots or androconia. Hindwing pale grey-brown with ochre gloss on upper side, grey-brown on underside, no spots or androconia; its fringe pale grey-brown. Legs ochre cream to pale grey, darkened with fuscous on upper side.

Female ( Fig. 78 ). Darker and larger than male. Forewing length 4.0– 4.1 mm; wingspan 8.7–8.8 mm. Flagellum with 33 segments, fuscous grey on upper side, grey cream on underside. Forewing densely speckled with dark grey-brown scales with golden gloss and weak purple iridescence; usually apical area of forewing fuscous with purple iridescence or with tornal spot of fuscous scales with purple iridescence. Otherwise as in males.

Male genitalia ( Figs 79–81 ). Capsule longer (326 µm) than wide (180 µm). Vinculum with long triangular lateral lobes and long ventral plate. Uncus with four small lobes distally. Gnathos with two slender caudal processes and small central plate. Valva triangular, 160–165 µm long, 50–60 µm wide, with two distinctive apical processes; inner lobe straight (not bulged); transtilla without sublateral processes. Juxta membranous, indistinctive. Phallus ( Fig. 81 ) 225–230 µm long, 80–90 µm wide; vesica with numerous (about 10) large cornuti; most cornuti curved.

Female genitalia (Fig. 87). Total length 1085–1090 µm. Anterior and posterior apophyses almost equal in length. Vestibulum narrow, without sclerites. Corpus bursae with a long, folded distal part and oval-shaped, 450– 455 µm long, 315–325 µm wide basal part with comb-like pectinations; signa absent. Accessory sac wide but short; ductus spermathecae without convolutions but with small sclerite (Fig. 87). Abdominal apex distinctly narrowed.

Bionomics. ( Figs 4 , 82–86). Larva mines in leaves. Host-plant: Calceolaria graminifolia Kunth (Calceolariaceae) (Figs 82, 84). Larva pale greenish yellow or pale yellow, with indistintive intestine and ochrebrown head; mine in February. Leaf-mine starts as a slender sinuous gallery filled with dark brown to black-brown frass; later it develops into a blotch (Figs 83, 85, 86). Adults emerged in March.

Distribution ( Figs 17 , 27 ). This species occurs high in the equatorial Andes ( Ecuador: Chimborazo Province) at altitudes about 3980 m, in grass páramo habitats ( Figs 1–5 ), predominantly in sheltered damp ravines ( Fig. 4 ). Etymology. The species is named after the host-plant genus Calceolaria .

Figures

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

FIGURES 1 – 5. Habitats: grass páramo near volcano Chimborazo (Ecuador: Chimborazo Province) at altitudes about 3980 – 4000 m. 1, 2, habitat of Stigmella gynoxyphaga sp. n. and S. tripartita Diškus & Stonis, 1 ° 31 ' 20 " S, 78 ° 50 ' 27 " W; 3 – 5, habitat of S. lachemillae sp. n. and S. calceolariae sp. n., 1 ° 45 ' 41 " S, 78 ° 48 ' 51 " W.

FIGURES 16 – 17. Distribution of high altitude Stigmella species in the Ecuadorian Andes. 16, habitat of Stigmella paramica sp. nov. and S. confertae Diškus & Stonis, 3700 – 3800 m, 0 ° 21 ' 45 " S, 78 ° 11 ' 35 " W; 17, distribution map.

FIGURES 77 – 81. Stigmella calceolariae Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. 77, adult, male holotype; 78, same, female paratype; 79, male genitalia, holotype, genitalia slide no. AD 655, capsule without phallus, ventral view; 80, same, dorsal view; 81, same, phallus (ZMUC).