Astrotischeria papilloma Diškus & Stonis, 2020

Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius & Lewis, Owen T., 2020, Exceptional diversity of Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera) from a single tropical forest site in Belize, Central America, European Journal of Taxonomy 723, pp. 33-76 : 39-43

Astrotischeria papilloma Diškus & Stonis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F7267C6A-3070-4E84-BB64-F980B76C3457

Figs 6–8, 35–52

Tischeria sp. 7 – Lewis et al. 2002: 872.

Diagnosis

External characters are not sufficient for the identification of this species. In the male genitalia, the unique, highly specific, finger-like dorsal lobe of the valva ( Fig. 42), the bifurcated dorsal lobe of the uncus ( Fig. 35) and the angular apex of the valva ( Fig. 40) distinguish Astrotischeria papilloma sp. nov. from other congeneric species. In the female genitalia, the slender band of long chetae ( Fig. 49) is hypothesized to be unique to this species.This character may not remain valid for species differentiation because females of many other species of Astrotischeria remain to be discovered. The host plant, Lasianthaea fruticosa (L.) K.M.Becker ( Asteraceae Bercht. & J.Presl ), coincides with the host plant of another new species, Paratischeria tubifex sp. nov., described below.

Etymology

The species name is derived from the Latin ʻ papilla ʼ with the prefix ʻ oma ʼ, i.e., the widely used medical term papilloma (an outward finger-like frond), in reference to the unique, finger-like dorsal lobe of the valva in the male genitalia.

Type material

Holotype

BELIZE • ♂; Cayo District, Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Las Cuevas ; 16°43′53″ N, 88°59′11″ W; alt. 550 m; 3–16 Apr. 1998; R. Puplesis and S. R. Hill leg.; at light; genitalia slide no. 010316182 ♂; NHMUK 010289201 .

Paratypes

BELIZE • 9 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same locality as for holotype; 21 Sep.–4 Nov. 1997 and 13Apr.–20 Jul. 1998; O. T. Lewis leg.; mining larva on Lasianthaea fruticosa (L.) K.M.Becker ( Asteraceae ); field card nos 18.008- 13/ 4♂, 16.020-2/ 10♂, 29.046-1/ 10♂, 16.005-21/ 9♂, 16.013-21/ 9♂, 16.097-20/ 7♂, 16.014-2/ 10♂, 18.025-13/ 4♂, 84-20/ 7♂, 1364-4/ 11♀, 83-20/ 7♀, 16.098-20/ 7♀; genitalia slide nos 010316181 ♂, 010316183 ♂, 010316184 ♂, 010316185 ♂, 010316186 ♀; NHMUK 010289202 to 010289213 .

HONDURAS • 6 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Copán Department, Copán Archaeological Site Ruinas ; 14°50′13″ N, 89°08′37″ W; alt. 620 m; 15 Feb. 2012; A. Diškus leg.; from feeding larvae ( Asteraceae host plant, species unidentified); field card no. 5088; genitalia slide nos AD 911♂, AD1007 ♂, AD1008 ♂, AD 916♀; ZIN .

Description

Male

EXTERNAL CHARACTERS ( Figs 6–8). Forewing length 2.3–2.5 mm; wingspan 5.2–5.5 mm (n = 6). Head: palpus, pecten and frons cream; frontal tuft comprised of lamellar scales, from yellowish ochre or ochre cream to pale grey, often with pale grey, cream-tipped or cream, brown-tipped scales medially; collar comprised of lamellar, yellowish cream scales; antenna exceeding ½ of forewing; flagellum cream, brown-annulated to entirely grey-brown. Thorax glossy, pale grey-brown medially, yellowish cream to ochre laterally; tegula pale grey-brown. Forewing variable, usually silver glossy to cream, irregularly speckled with grey-brown and some ochre scales, sometimes with a wide band of bright ochre scales along fold; fringe ochre cream to golden ochre; fringe line often irregular, indistinctive, comprised of dark brown scales; forewing underside dark grey, without spots or androconia. Hindwing and fringe grey on upper side and underside, without androconia. Legs cream, glossy to grey or dark grey; forelegs and midlegs with blackish brown scales on upper side. Abdomen grey-brown with some purple iridescence on upper side and underside, but distally ochre cream on underside; genital plates pale grey to greyish cream; anal tufts large, grey.

MALE GENITALIA ( Figs 35–46). Capsule about 750 µm long, 310–360 µm wide. Uncus with long, bifid dorsal lobes ( Figs 35, 38), very short, rounded ventral lobes ( Figs 36–37) and wide, thickened medial excavation. Valva about 470 µm long; ventral (main) lobe slender and straight, apically angular ( Figs 40–41); dorsal lobe finger-like, distinctly connected with anellus ( Figs 39, 42, 44); anellus with triangular lobes apically ( Fig. 43); transtilla and juxta absent. Ventral lobe of vinculum large, triangular, distally rounded ( Fig. 39). Phallus 580–650 µm long, apically divided ( Fig. 45), basally widened ( Fig. 46).

Female

EXTERNAL CHARACTERS. Forewing length 2.3–2.9 mm; wingspan 5.0– 6.2 mm (n = 3). Forewing predominantly ochre with small brown scales. Abdomen mostly ochre cream on underside, without anal tufts. Otherwise, similar to male.

FEMALE GENITALIA ( Figs 47–52). Abdominal wall with a slender band of long chetae ( Fig. 49); abdominal apex wide, with triangular lobes laterally. Genitalia ( Fig. 48) about 2170 µm long. Ovipositor lobes large ( Fig. 49), clothed with short, modified setae (‘peg setae’); area between ovipositor lobes widely rounded ( Fig. 50), with tiny papillae and two very long setae. Second pair of lobes lateral and anterior to ovipositor lobes, much smaller than ovipositor lobes, triangular and bearing long slender setae, without stout, modified ‘peg setae’. Posterior and anterior apophyses almost equal in length ( Figs 48, 52); prela comprised of three pairs of rod-like projections ( Fig. 49). Corpus bursae long and narrow, distally oval-shaped ( Fig. 48), with numerous, indistinctive pectinations. Accessory sac inconspicuous; ductus spermathecae very slender, with numerous large coils ( Figs 47, 51).

Biology

Host plant: Lasianthaea fruticosa (L.) K.M.Becker ( Asteraceae ). Larvae were recorded mining leaves throughout the year (i.e., during all months of fieldwork), with 810 records in total. The leaf mine is a pale, transluscent blotch on the upper leaf surface, located along the leaf margin. It causes the leaf margin to curl and roll upwards and inwards in a characteristic manner reminiscent of the mines of the European species Coptotriche gauacella (Duponchel, 1843) . This species was listed as ‘ Tischeria sp. 7’ by Lewis et al. (2002), a morphospecies grouping which incorrectly grouped this species with A. basilobata sp. nov., which shares the host plant. Retrospectively, records of these two species can now be distinguished on the basis of characteristics of the leaf mine.

Flight period

Based on a single specimen collected at light, adults fly in April; based on rearing data, adults are likely to occur year-round. Adults eclose for up to 33 days after the collection of mines.

Distribution

So far this species is known from a single locality in Belize, Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Las Cuevas, at an elevation of about 550 m.