Stigmella schoorli Puplesis & Robinson, 2000

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 : 46

Stigmella schoorli Puplesis & Robinson, 2000

( Figs 18 , 28 , 118–122 )

Stigmella schoorli Puplesis & Robinson, 2000: 29 –30: Figs 24 , 106, 107 , 213, 214 .

Material examined. 1 Ƌ (holotype), PERU, Dept. Ancash, 35 km SE of Huaraz, Cerro Cahuish, Quabrada Pucavado , 9°40'19"S, 77°12'21"W, elevation 3870 m, 18.iii.1987, O. Karsholt, genitalia slide no. Diškus 200 ( ZMUC) ; 3 Ƌ, 5 ♀ (paratypes), label data as holotype, genitalia slide nos Diškus201, Diškus202, Diškus203, Diškus204, Diškus206 (ZMUC); 1 Ƌ (not type series), same label data as holotype, genitalia slide no. RA554Ƌ (ZMUC).

Diagnosis. Because of the external similarities between S. schoorli and some other Andean Stigmella , these species may not be reliably separated except by dissection of the genitalia. The most distinctive feature of S. schoorli —the presence of only two very large cornuti—is shared with a few Stigmella species. However, the combination of a uniformly colored forewing, large processes of transtilla, bulged, angular inner lobe of valva, and deeply devided wide lobes of uncus distinguishes S. schoorli from all other Stigmella species possessing two cornuti on the vesica. The ratio 1:1.25 between two cornuti of S. schoorli also makes this species distinctive.

Male ( Figs 118, 119 ). Forewing length: 2.5–2.7 mm; wingspan: 5.8–6.0 mm. Head: palpi cream; frontal tuft comprised of dark brown and ochre cream piliform scales; collar forming pair of wide, clearly separated tufts of cream or golden cream lamellar scales; scape whitish to golden cream; antenna sligthly longer than half length of forewing; flagellum with 35–36 segments, dark grey to blackish grey, with golden gloss. Thorax, tegula and forewing uniformly dark grey with strong bronzey and golden gloss; a few scales just before forewing fringe may appear glossy white at a certain angles; fringe grey to dark grey; underside of forewing dark brown with light purple iridencence, without spots. Hindwing and its cilia grey, with no spots or androconia. Legs cream to grey cream, darkened with blackish grey on upper side. Abdomen fuscous.

Female. Forewing length: 2.7–2.8 mm; wingspan: 5.8–6.5 mm. Flagellum with 26–27 segments. Otherwise as in male.

Male genitalia ( Figs 120–122 ). Capsule longer (320–360 µm) than wide (205 µm). Uncus long, wellsclerotized, with two relatively long parallel quadrate lobes, each with a few indistinct papillae; caudal emargination of uncus U-shaped. Gnathos with two long parallel caudal processes, narrow but well-sclerotized central plate, and two short, not always distinct anterior processes; lateral arms narrow and relatively short. Valva 205–230 µm long, 55–95 µm wide, with bulged and angular inner lobe and large apical process; inner lobe of valva forming wide triangular subapical extension (second process); transtilla with strong transverse bar and very large lobe-like sublateral processes. Juxta triangular, membranous, indistinct. Vinculum with short widely rounded lateral lobes; ventral plate of less than half length of valva, with very shallow and wide anterior emargination. Phallus ( Fig. 122 ) 195–250 µm long, 90–105 µm wide; vesica with very distinctive pair of very large parallel cornuti; one about 110–125 µm long, the other 130–155 µm long (ratio: about 1:1.25).

Female genitalia (illustrated in Puplesis & Robinson 2000: Figs 213, 214 ). Total length about 750 µm. Abdominal tip almost truncated. Apophyses anteriores a little shorter than apophyses posteriores. Vestibulum narrow, without sclerites. Corpus bursae with wide and folded distal part and comparatively small basal; pectinations indisctinct; signa absent. Accessory sac large, elongate and folded; ductus spermathecae slender, without convolutions but with an irregularly shaped sclerite.

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 3870 m.

Etymology. The species was named after Dutch entomologist J. W. (Pim) Schoorl.

Figures

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

FIGURE 28. Details of adult morphology of high-Andean Stigmella, Nepticulidae.

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 118 – 122. Stigmella schoorli Puplesis & Robinson. 118, 119, male adult; 120, male genitalia, capsule without phallus, paratype, genitalia slide no. Diškus 201; 121, same, holotype, genitalia slide no. Diškus 200 (after Puplesis & Robinson 2000); 122, phallus, paratype, genitalia slide no. Diškus 201 (ZMUC).

FIGURES 22 – 26. The Altiplano, Bolivia; 22 – 24, habitats; 25, 26, habitats of Stigmella ageratinae sp. nov., S. clinopodiella sp. nov., and S. calceolarifoliae sp. nov., southern shore of Lake Titicaca, Copacabana, 16 ° 09 ' 42 " S, 69 ° 05 ' 19 " W, elevation 3930 m.

FIGURES 103 – 107. Stigmella robusta Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. 103, male adult, holotype; 104, male genitalia, holotype, genitalia slide no. RA 566, phallus; 105, same, capsule without phallus; 106, same, dorsal view of capsule; 107, female genitalia, paratype, genitalia slide no. RA 580 (ZMUC).

FIGURES 213 – 217. Stigmella ageratinae Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. 213, 214, holotype, female adult; 215, paratype, male genitalia, slide no. AD 595, capsule with phallus removed; 216, same, focused from ventral to more dorsal view; 217, same, phallus (ZMUC).