Astrotischeria neotropicana Diškus & Stonis, 2015

Diškus, Arūnas & Stonis, Jonas R., 2015, Astrotischeria neotropicana sp. nov. — a leaf-miner on Sida, Malvaceae, currently with the broadest distribution range in the Neotropics (Lepidoptera, Tischeriidae), Zootaxa 4039 (3), pp. 456-466 : 457-465

Astrotischeria neotropicana Diškus & Stonis , sp. nov.

Type material. Holotype: ♂ PERU: Tambopata Province, Puerto Maldonado, 12°35'33˝S, 69°10'29˝W, elevation 195 m a.s.l., mining larva on Sida rhombifolia L. 16.x.2008, ex pupa 5–11.xi.2008, field card no. 4937, leg. A. Diškus, genitalia slide no. AD 711 ♂ ( ZMUC). Paratypes (12 ♂, 14 ♀): 3 ♂, 2 ♀, same label data as holotype, genitalia slides nos AD 710 ♂, AD714 ♀. 3 ♂, 4 ♀, ECUADOR: Napo Province, ca. 24 km SE Tena (Puerto Misahuallí), 1°2'06"S, 77°40'09"W, elevation 400 m a.s.l., mining larva on Sida rhombifolia L. 6.ii.2007, ex pupae 12–14.ii.2008, field card no. 4840, leg. A. Diškus, genitalia slide no. AD 715 ♂. 1♂ (from pupa), 4 ♀, same locality, 1°2'03"S, 77°39'54"W, elevation 395 m a.s.l., mining larva on Sida rhombifolia L. 7.xi.2007, ex pupae 20– 25.xi.2007, field card no. 4909, leg. A. Diškus, genitalia slides nos AD 712 ♂, AD713 ♀, AD719 ♀. 2 ♂, 1 ♀, GUATEMALA: Petén Dept., El Remate, Tikal (Gran Plaza), 17°13'22"N, 89°37'24"W, elevation ca. 320 m a.s.l., lowland tropical forest, mining larvae on Sida rhombifolia L. 06.ii.2012, ex pupae ii.2012, field card no. 5072, LT- GT Scientific Expedition, genitalia slide no. AD 716 ♂. 1 ♂, 1 ♀, BELIZE: Orange Walk Distr., Orange Walk, 18°04'40"N, 88°33'28"W, elevation ca. 4 m a.s.l., mining larvae on Sida rhombifolia L. 9.ii.2012, ex pupae ii.2012, field card no. 5083, LT-GT Scientific Expedition. 2 ♂, 2 ♀, Caribbean Archipelago, Ambergris Cay, 17°56'12"N, 87°57'05"W, elevation ca. 5 m a.s.l., coastal bush, mining larvae on Sida rhombifolia L. 10.ii.2012, ex pupae ii.2012, field card no. 5084, LT-GT Scientific Expedition, genitalia slide no. AD 718 ♂ ( ZMUC).

Diagnosis. Differs from all other known Astrotischeria and other Tischeriidae in the combination of a simple narrow valva without a dorsal lobe or any other extension ( Fig. 14 ), a long and slender uncus ( Fig. 19 ) and bilobed anellus ( Fig. 20 ); the host-plant ( Sida ) also makes this species distinctive (so far unknown for other Tischeriidae species).

Male ( Fig. 12 ). Forewing length: 2.7–3.1 mm. Wingspan: 6.2–6.7 mm. Head: face and palpi unicolorous, creamy ochreous; frontal tuft creamy ochreous, sometimes with golden shine; antenna with about 37 segments, slightly longer than 2/3 of forewing; flagellum creamy ochreous in basal half, darker in distal half: creamy grey on upper side, brownish to pale grey on underside; sensillae very fine, weakly visible (indistinct). Thorax creamy ochreous, paler than forewing, without darkenings. Forewing golden creamy with irregular patches of ochreous and fuscous scales; fringe creamy ochreus to creamy yellowish; fringe line indistinct, formed by fuscous scales. Hindwing brownish cream on upper side and underside, very narrow, with no androconia; fringe ochreous grey. Legs ochreous creamy to creamy, with dark brown to blackish darkenings on upper side. Abdomen: on upper side pale beige to pale grey, glossy; on underside creamy ochreous to creamy yellowish, with grey-brown darkenings on some segments; a pair of anal tufts creamy-colored, distinct and long (as long as abdomen's width at caudal end); anal plates golden creamy, large.

Female ( Fig. 13 ). Antenna with about 30–32 segments. Flagellum without sensillae. Otherwise as male.

Male genitalia ( Figs 14–21 ). Capsule 350–415 µm long, 200–230 µm broad. Uncus comprises two simple (not divided) slender and long lateral lobes ( Figs 14 , 17 , 19 ). Valva simple and slender, about 360–410 µm long (including basal process), 30–35 µm broad; dorsal lobe absent ( Figs 14 , 21 ); transtilla absent; basal (sublateral) process of valva long ( Fig. 21 ). Anellus long and membranous, with 3–4 pairs of spines laterally ( Figs 14 , 17 , 20 ) and two almost rounded apical lobes ( Figs 17 , 20 ). Phallus 265–275 µm, distally deeply bifurcated ( Fig. 15 ), without spines.

Female genitalia ( Figs 22–27 ). Total length 1505–1510 mm. Ovipositor clothed with short, stout and darker, modified setae which we refer to as ‘peg setae’ ( Figs 23 , 26 ); area in between ovipositor lobes triangularly shaped, with tiny papillae and some setae. Second pair of lobes, lateral and anterior to the ovipositor lobes, are significantly smaller, bearing very long slender setae. Anterior and posterior apophyses very long and stout, particularly the anterior ones ( Figs 22 , 26, 27 ); remaining three apophyses pairs ( Figs 26, 27 ) represent slender rod-like and broad rod-like projections (of possibly modified 8th and 9th sternites); these apophyses were collectively referred to as the prela and the morphology was described by Braun (1972). Ventral anterior margin of 8th segment divided into two broad rod-like arms, the tip of each arm articulating with an anterior apophysis in a groove 1/2 way of its length ( Fig. 26 ). Vestibulum without antrum which is characrteristic for Tischeria only; however vestibulum may look thickened laterally because the prela ( Figs 26, 27 ). Ductus bursae considerably narrower than corpus bursae, without spines but slightly wrinkled. Corpus bursae membranous, relatively very small (355 mm long, 190 mm broad), distinctly oval ( Fig. 23 ), without spines or signa. Ductus spermathaecae very narrow, with 5 coils ( Figs 23– 25 ), utriculus absent (or missing in the genitalia slides).

Bionomics ( Figs 7–11 ). Host-plant: Sida rhombifolia L. ( Malvaceae ) ( Figs 7, 8 ). Larvae mine in late January– February and October–November. Blotch mine (at early stage triangular, latter irregular), either without frass or with very little black loose frass irregularly deposited in the narrow corner of the mine or anywhere else ( Figs 9– 11 ); old leaf-mines usually look paler, particularly around a silk-lined nidus inside of the mine. Larva greenish in early (first) instars to brownish grey latter (including the final instar), with dark brown intestine ( Figs 9, 10 ). Pupation inside of leaf-mine without cocoon; pupa beige-brown. Exit slit on upper side of the leaf. Adults know from February and November.

After the ‘Formula of evaluation of abundance and occurrence of leaf-miners’ (see Diškus & Stonis 2012: 52– 54), A. neotropicana is common: limited in distribution, but abundant mining in all localities where it has been recorded.

Distribution ( Figs. 1–6 ). Known from lowland tropical disturbed habitats (roadsides, gardens, footpaths and open woodlands) of Central America ( Guatemala and Belize including the Caribbean Archipelago) and the Amazon Basin ( Ecuador and Peru) at the elevation of about 4–400 m a.s.l. ( Fig. 4 ).

Etymology. The species is named after the region (the Neotropics) where it occurs.

Figures

FIGURES 12 – 15. Astrotischeria neotropicana sp. nov. 12, adult, male, holotype; 13, same, female, paratype; 14, male genitalia, slide no. AD 711, holotype, capsule; 15, same, phallus.

FIGURES 19 – 21. Male genitalia of Astrotischeria neotropicana sp. nov., paratype, slide no. AD 718.

FIGURES 16 – 18. Male genitalia of Astrotischeria neotropicana sp. nov. 16, 17, paratype, slide no. AD 712; 18, same, phallus, slide no. AD 716.

FIGURES 22, 23. Female genitalia of Astrotischeria neotropicana sp. nov., paratype, slide no. AD 719.

FIGURES 24 – 27. Female genitalia of Astrotischeria neotropicana sp. nov. 24, paratype, slide no. AD 719; 25, same, coils of ductus spermathecae; 26, 27, paratype, apophyses, slide no. AD 714.

FIGURES 7 – 11. Bionomics of Astrotischeria neotropicana sp. nov. 7, 8, host-plant Sida rhombifolia L., Malvaceae; 9 – 11, leaf-mines with feeding larvae (9, 10) and pupa (11).

FIGURES 1 – 6. Distribution of Astrotischeria neotropicana sp. nov. 1, 6, habitat, Puerto Misahuallí, Ecuador; 2, same, Puerto Maldonado, Peru; 3, 5, same, El Remate & Tikal, Guatemala; 4, map of currently known distribution.