Stigmella lepida Diškus & Stonis, 2017

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 : 26

11. Stigmella lepida Diškus & Stonis , sp. nov.

( Figs 2 , 9 , 14–16 , 35 , 55–60 , 111–115 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, PERU: Calca Province , Písac, 13°25'02˝S, 71°50'23˝W, elevation about 3020 m, mining larvae on Acalypha aronioides 22.x.2008, ex pupa xi.2008, field card no. 4950, A. Diškus, genitalia slide no. AD 724♂ ( ZMUC) .

Diagnosis. Belongs to the Stigmella expressa group. The combination of long vinculum with large lateral lobes, gnathos with two sleder processes, two large apical processes of valva, transtilla with long sublateral processes, and two large cornuti in the male genitalia distinguishes S. lepida sp. nov. from all other Stigmella . The host-plant Acalypha aronioides also make this species distinctive.

Male ( Fig. 35 ). Forewing length about 2.6 mm; wingspan 5.7–5.8 mm. Head: palpi grey cream; frontal tuft fuscous brown to beige on frons; collor yellowish cream; scape yellowish cream with some pale brown and brown scales; antenna slightly longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 29–30 segments, grey-brown with some purple iridescence on upper side, greyish cream on underside. Thorax, tegula and forewing golden cream irregularly speckled with brown to black-brown scales; fringe greyish cream to grey; underside of forewing dark grey-brown, without spots or androconia. Hindwing pale grey-brown to grey with light purple iridescence on upper side and underside, without spots or androconia; its fringe pale grey-brown to grey. Legs grey to dark grey on upper side, brownish cream on underside. Abdomen fuscous with strong purple iridescence on upper side, greyish cream to cream on underside; genital plates greyish cream to cream; anal tufts very short, indistinctive, greyish cream.

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 55–60 ). Capsule much longer (260 µm) than wide (150 µm). Vinculum with long ventral plate and large lateral lobes. Uncus with four small lobes. Gnathos with two caudal processes and angular plate. Valva 130–135 µm long, 50–60 µm wide, with two very large apical processes and slightly bulged inner lobe; transtilla with very long sublateral processes. Juxta membranous, indistinctive. Phallus ( Figs 55, 56 ) 265 µm long, 55–70 µm wide; vesica with two large cornuti.

Bionomics. Host-plant: Acalypha aronioides Pax & K. Hoffm. ( Figs 111, 112 ). Larvae mine leaves in October (together with other species— S. acalyphae Diškus & Stonis , sp. nov.). Leaf-mines of these two species are similar and, therefore, were mixed up during the fieldwork ( Figs 113–115 ). Adults emerged in November. Otherwise biology unknown.

Distribution ( Figs 9 , 14–16 ). This species occurs in the Peruvian Andes ( Peru: Calca Departamento) at altitudes about 3020 m.

Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin lepidus (nice, pretty) in reference to the bright, golden cream forewings irregularly speckled black-brown scales.

Figures

FIGURE 35. Adults of the central Andean Nepticulidae.

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 12 – 18. Distribution of some central Andean Nepticulidae. 12 – 14, 17, 18, habitats, Peru; 15, 16, distribution maps.

FIGURES 55 – 60. Male genitalia of Stigmella lepida Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. AD 724 (ZMUC); 55, 56, phallus; 57 – 59, capsule with phallus removed; 60, valva.

FIGURES 111 – 115. Leaf-mines of Stigmella acalyphae Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., and S. lepida Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. on Acalypha L. 111, 112, host-plant, Acalypha aronioides Pax & K. Hoffm.; 113 – 115, leaf-mines (Note: leaf-mines of these two species are similar and were mixed up during fieldwork).