Coptotrichoides Diškus & Stonis, 2023

Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius, Orlovskytė, Svetlana, Solis, Alma, Paulavičiūtė, Brigita, Xu, Jiasheng & Dai, Xiaohua, 2023, Genera of Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera): a review of the global fauna, with descriptions of new taxa, Zootaxa 5333 (1), pp. 1-131 : 40-41

2. Genus Coptotrichoides Diškus & Stonis , gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DB703D5A-F968-4D5F-907A-97444CA4F223

( Figs 143–182 )

Type species: Coptotrichoides sapindoidum Diškus & Stonis , sp. nov. (described below).

Diagnosis. Externally, species of this new genus can be confused with other speckled Tischeriidae , including Coptotriche . The forewing of Coptotrichoides is usually irregularly speckled with dark scales, ocassionally with bright yellow-ochre patches. In the male genitalia, Coptotrichoides species resemble those of Coptotriche , however, Coptotrichoides is characterized by absence of the transtilla and anellus, an apically taperred valva, a slender uncus, a longer tegumen, a rod-like phallus with two slender lateral lobes and a median process apically, and unspined or scantly spined diaphragm of the tegumen. In the female genitalia, in contrast to Coptotriche , the new genus is characterized by a slender ductus spermathecae and a heavily folded and thickened accessory sac.

In contrast to the majority of other Tischeriidae , except Coptotriche ,fully developed leaf mines of Coptotrichoides are sometimes characterized by a folded margin of the mined leaf (i.e., a folded leaf mine); a round nidus inside the leaf mine is inconspicuous.

See Tabs 2 , 3 for occurrence of these diagnostic characters in other genera of Tischeriidae .

Notes. Although based on only one sequence, Coptotrichoides is always close to, but distinctly separate, from Coptotriche , and appears as a sister taxon to Dishkeya ( Figs 62–64 ).

Adult. Head: frontal tuft overlapping the frons, comprised of long, relatively wide lamellar scales; pecten distinctly long; collar weakly paired or unpaired, comprised of very slender (almost piliform) lamellar scales. Forewing often irregularly speckled with dark scales especially abundant in apical half; sometimes forewing with two bright yellow-ochre antemedian and postemdian patches. Hindwing slender, androconia unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 148–152 ). Uncus with two long, slender (except basal part) lateral lobes. Socii medium large to distinctly large, membranous, weakly paired or unpaired, with numerous tiny spines. Tegumen moderately long, without spines on the diaphragm; only one species, C. singularis , is known with a little spinose diaphragm; pseudognathos absent. In lateral and ventral view, valva tapering towands apex, basally wide; occasionally, valva with a small, pointed, inwardly directed apical process; basal process of the valva short. Transtilla always absent. Anellus absent or indistinctive; juxta absent. Vinculum always short or very short, with a medium long or extremely long ( C. braziliensis ) anterior process medially. Phallus long or very long, rod-like, with two slender lateral lobes and a distinctive median process apically; large or small lateral spines absent; occasionally there are tiny spines in the median area of the phallus apex.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 147 ). Ovipositor lobes large; the gap between ovipositor lobes relatively slender; second pair of ovipositor lobes by 1/3 smaller in comparison to main ovipositor lobes. Lateral lobes distinctly long and proximally wide. Anterior and posterior apophyses usually similar in their length or anterior slightly shorter than posterior apophyses (or opposite). Prela usually with three pairs of rod-like projections; inner pair moderately or significantly long. Caudal sclerite strongly thickened distally, inverted V-shaped, pointed caudally. Antrum absent. Accessory sac slender, strongly folded and thickened; ductus spermathecae without a wide and folded proximal part but slender, usually with 14–19 large coils; vesicle indistinctive, irregularly-shaped, small. Corpus bursae short or with slender “neck”; usually slender part (“neck”) is of the same length as the wider part; pectinations of corpus bursae absent or indistinctive.

Bionomics. The genus is trophically associated with Sapindaceae host plants: Coptotrichoides sapindoidum Diškus & Stonis , sp. nov., feed on Serjania Mill. (or Paullinia L.); C. singularis (Stonis & Diškus, 2008) comb. nov. on Cardiospermum grandiflorum Sw. ( Stonis et al. 2020a) , C. suprafasciata (Diškus & Stonis, 2020) comb. nov. on Allophylus edulis (A.St.-Hil., A.Juss. & Cambess.) Hieron. ex Niederl. ( Fig. 143 ) ( Stonis et al. 2020b); and C. serjaniphaga (Remeikis & Stonis, 2021) comb. nov. on Serjania Mill. , possibly S. squarrosa Radlk. ( Figs 144, 145 ) ( Stonis et al. 2021b). Unfortunately, the host plants of the South American C. deliquescens ( Meyrick, 1915a) comb. nov. and C. braziliensis (Diškus & Stonis, 2020) comb. nov. remain unknown. The leaf mines on Serjania Mill. , possibly S. grandis Seem. , documented from Peru by Stonis et al. (2021b) are expected to be a new Coptotrichoides species ( Fig. 146 ).

Larvae mine leaves and produce irregular or elongated blotch-like leaf mines; often initial part of the mine is slender, trumpet-like. Frass absent in leaf mines. Usually leaf mines are close to the leaf margin and the mining larva folds a margin of the mined leaf before pupation. Nidus is invisible through the epidermis, so dissection of the mine is necessary to study the nidus.

Species diversity and geographical distribution. The genus is currently known only from Central America ( Belize) and South America ( Guyana, Peru, Brazil, and tropical northern Argentina). The genus is comprised of six species: the Central American Coptotrichoides sapindoidum Diškus & Stonis , sp. nov., the type species described below; C. singularis (Stonis & Diškus, 2008) comb. nov. ( Figs 148, 150–152 ), described from Belize (Stonis & Diškus 2008; Stonis et al. 2020a); C. deliquescens (Meyrick, 1915) comb. nov., a species described from Guyana ( Meyrick 1915a), now trasferred to Coptrichiodes and illustrated for the first time here ( Figs 178–182 ); C. suprafasciata (Diškus & Stonis, 2020) comb. nov. ( Figs 143, 147 ), a species recently discovered in tropical northern Argentina near Iguazú ( Stonis et al. 2020b); C. braziliensis (Diškus & Stonis, 2020) comb. nov. ( Fig. 149 ), a species described from southern Brazil ( Stonis et al. 2020b); and C. serjaniphaga (Remeikis & Stonis, 2021) comb. nov. ( Figs 144, 145 ), an Andean Peruvian species recently incorrectly described in the genus Coptotriche ( Stonis et al. 2021b) .

Etymology. The genus is named after the genus it most resembles, Coptotriche , but with a different ending.

Figures

FIGURE 62. The Maximum Likelihood tree of 11 randomly selected sequences of species representing 11 genera of Tischeriidae (Table 1 + downloaded Paratischeria ferruginea HM244395, Neotischeria neotropicana HM244391, Dishkeya bifurcata LNAUT3265-15, Coptotrichoides serjaniphaga OK017167) based on the 608 bp long mtDNA CO1-5’ sequences). The Kimura 2-parameter model (1.000 replicates) was used to calculate divergence. The best supported and resolved dichotomies are highlighted. The morphological differences of genitalia are shown to the right of the tree

FIGURES 63, 64. The Maximum Likelihood trees of Tischeriidae based on the 608 bp long mtDNA CO1-5’ sequences. The Kimura 2-parameter model (1.000 replicates) was used to calculate divergence. The best supported and resolved dichotomies are highlighted. 63, using the same (as in the Fig. 62) 11 randomly selected sequences of species representing 11 genera of Tischeriidae; the families of host plants are shown to the right of the tree; 64, same, but omitting Rytietia uncinata sp. nov.; the distribution of species is shown to the right of the tree

FIGURES 143–152. Coptotrichoides gen. nov. 143, leaf mine, C. suprafasciata (Diškus & Stonis) comb. nov. on Allophylus edulis (Stonis et al. 2020b); 144, 145, same, C. serjaniphaga (Remeikis & Stonis) comb. nov. on Serjania (Stonis et al. 2021b); 146, leaf mine of a possibly undescribed Coptotrichoides species on Serjania from Peru (Stonis et al. 2021b); 147, female genitalia, ovipositor lobes, C. suprafasciata (Diškus & Stonis) (Stonis et al. 2020b); 148, phallus, C. singularis (Stonis & Diškus) comb. nov. (Stonis & Diškus 2008); 149, phallus, C. braziliensis (Diškus & Stonis) comb. nov. (Stonis et al. 2020b); 150–152, valvae, C. singularis (Stonis & Diškus 2008)

FIGURES 153–158. Adults of Coptotrichoides sapindoidum Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., Honduras. 153, general view without abdomen, male holotype; 154, same, female paratype; 155, details of head, male holotype; 156–158, same, female paratype (MfN)

FIGURES 159–164. Male genitalia of Coptotrichoides sapindoidum Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., Honduras. 159, 160, capsule with phallus removed, holotype, genitalia slide no. AD537, ventral view; 161, same, paratype, genitalia slide no.AD528, lateral view; 162, same, valva; 163, phallus, paratype, genitalia slide no. AD528; 164, same, holotype, genitalia slide no. AD537 (MfN)

FIGURES 165–169. Female genitalia of Coptotrichoides sapindoidum Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., Honduras, paratype, genitalia slide no. AD1091 (MfN). 165, general view; 166, 167, ductus spermathecae; 168, coils of ductus spermathecae; 169, ovipositor lobes and apophyses

FIGURES 170–177. Bionomics of Coptotrichoides sapindoidum Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., Honduras. 170–172, unidentified host plant (probably Serjania Mill., but also possibly Paullinia L.), Copán, elevation 620 m; 173–177, leaf mines

FIGURES 178–182. First documentation of the lectotype and paralectotype of Coptotrichoides deliquescens (Meyrick, 1915), comb. nov., Guyana (NHMUK). 178, general view of adult (combined of lectotype and paralectotype); 179, male genitalia, capsule with phallus removed, lateral view, lectotype [designated here], genitalia slide no. 28675BMNH; 180, same, valva; 181, same, phallus, ventral view; 182, female genitalia, paralectotype, genitalia slide no. 28676BMNH