Stigmella arequipica Remeikis & Stonis

Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius, Karsholt, Ole & Torres, Nixon Cumbicus, 2017, Illustrated review of the leaf-mining Nepticulidae of the central Andes (Peru and Bolivia), Zootaxa 4257 (1), pp. 1-70 : 36

27. Stigmella arequipica Remeikis & Stonis , sp. nov.

( Figs 2 , 9 , 33 , 37 , 77–81 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, PERU, Dept. Arequipa, 8 km E Arequipa, Rio Andamayo Valley , elevation about 2920 m, 7.iv.1987, O. Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA 551♂ ( ZMUC) .

Diagnosis. Belongs to the S. marmorea group. The combination of two very short apical processes of valva, widely bilobed uncus, large lateral lobes of vinculum, transtilla without sublateral processes, specific set of slightly curved spine-like cornuti, and distinctly speckled forewing with cream white fascia distinguishes S. arequipica sp. nov. from all other Andean Stigmella species.

Male ( Fig. 33 ). Forewing length about 2.2 mm; wingspan 4.8 mm. Head: palpi grey; frontal tuft brown-grey (severely rubbed in holotype); scape grey; collor of scape unknown (rubbed in holotype); antenna slightly longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 30 segments, slightly glossy, grey on upper side, greyish cream on underside. Thorax and tegula dark grey, distally almost white, sparsely speckled with fuscous scales. Forewing: grey cream background distintively (contrasting) speckled with grey-black scales; fascia postmedian, wide, cream white, slightly glossy but not metallic shiny; fringe pale grey to grey; underside of forewing grey-brown, without spots or androconia. Hindwing grey on upper side and underside, without spots or androconia; its fringe pale grey to grey. Legs glossy, pale grey to grey. Abdomen dark grey with some cream scales on upper side, grey cream on underside; genital plates greyish cream; anal tufts short, grey cream.

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 77–81 ). Capsule longer (275 µm) than wide (155 µm). Vinculum with large lateral lobes. Uncus with two wide and papillated lobes. Gnathos with two slender caudal processes. Valva 140–145 µm long, 50–55 µm wide, with two very short apical processes and bulged inner lobe; transtilla without sublateral processes. Juxta membranous, indistinctive. Phallus ( Figs 79, 80 ) 190 µm long, 70 µm wide; vesica with six large spine-like cornuti, four of them slightly curved.

Bionomics. Adults fly in April. Otherwise biology unknown.

Distribution ( Fig. 9 ). This species occurs in the Peruvian Andes ( Peru: Arequipa Departamento) at altitudes about 2920 m.

Etymology. The species is named after the region where it was collected (Arequipa Departamento in Peru).

Figures

FIGURE 33. Adults of the central Andean Nepticulidae.

FIGURE 37. Diagnostics of the central Andean Stigmella.

FIGURES 1 – 8. Distribution of the central Andean Nepticulidae. 1, high-Andean species recorded at altitudes above 3700 m (after Stonis et al. 2016 d); 2, species recorded at altitudes below 3700 m; 3 – 8, some collecting areas in the Peruvian Andes.

FIGURES 9 – 11. Distribution of the central Andean Nepticulidae. 9, species recorded at altitudes below 3700 m; 10, 11, some collecting areas in Peru. * — Stigmella epicosma Meyrick is also known from Arica Province, northern Chile (Vargas 2011); ** – S. inca sp. nov. is also discovered in southern Ecuador.

FIGURES 77 – 81. Male genitalia of Stigmella arequipica Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. RA 551 (ZMUC); 77, valvae and gnathos; 78, capsule; 79, 80, phallus; 81, capsule.