14. Acalyptris hyacinthum Stonis & Vargas, sp. nov. (Figs 78–83)

Diagnosis. Externally, adults of the new species are distinguishable from all other Neotropical Nepticulidae, including the congeneric Acalyptris, by a strong blue iridescence of the forewing, also thorax and scape. In the female genitalia, the unique vaginal sclerites, including two rows of large spines are hypothesized to be unique to this species.

Description. Male. Unknown.

Female (Figs 79, 80). Forewing length about 1.7 mm; wingspan about 3.8 mm (n = 1).

Head: Frontal tuft orangish ochre; collar comprised of piliform, cream scales; scape golden glossy, laterally with blue and purple iridescence; antenna shorter than the length of forewing; flagellum golden glossy.

Thorax: Tegula golden glossy; thorax golden glossy with blue iridenscence, distally densely covered with dark brown scales; forewing with strong blue iridescence, speckled with blackish brown scales, entirely golden glossy basally; fringe brownish cream, without a fringe line; on underside, forewing pale grey-brown with purple and blue iridescence. Hindwing glossy, greyish cream, with blue iridescence. Legs brownish cream.

Abdomen: Ochre-brown with strong golden gloss on upper side, golden cream on underside; no anal tufts, genital segments golden cream. Genitalia (Figs 78–83) total length about 1290 μm. Vestibulum with vaginal sclerites (Figs 78, 82) and numerous large spines (Fig. 81). Signa spined (Fig. 83). Abdominal apex widely rounded.

Bionomics. Host plant is unknown. Adults fly in late February (single female was attracted to a light trap). Otherwise, biology is unknown.

Distribution (Fig. 1). This species occurs at altitude about 550 m on the western slopes of the Andes (western Colombia), bordering with the lowland Choco province: Valle del Cauca, El Naranjo (Figs 10, 11).

DNA barcode. We barcoded the female holotype of the new species; the sequence is available at GenBank under voucher/sample ID MN982364.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin hyacinthum (blue), in reference to the particularly strong blue iridescence of the adult.

Type material. Holotype: ♀, COLOMBIA, Departamento de Valle del Cauca, Municipio de Dagua, El Nara- njo, 550 m, at light, 3°47’2”N, 76°43’14”W, 21–23.ii.2019, leg. J. R. Stonis & S. A. Vargas, genitalia slide no. RA1023 (MPUJ).