Simplimorpha Scoble, 1983

Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius & Solis, M. Alma, 2018, A Gondwanan concept of Simplimorpha Scoble (sensu lato): a step toward clarity in the generic diagnostics of global Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera), Zootaxa 4521 (2), pp. 151-182 : 153-158

Subgenus Simplimorpha Scoble, 1983

( Figs. 1, 2, 7, 8, 13, 14, 20, 21, 26–28, 38–40, 52–55 , 59, 60, 62–64 )

Type species: Stigmella lanceifoliella Vári, 1955: 331 , 332.

Diagnosis. From s.g. Roscidotoga Hoare , s.g. Simplimorpha differs by the lack of shiny markings on forewing, the presence of two distal veins on forewing (three in Roscidotoga ), valva with a ventral lobe (without a lobe in Roscidotoga ), and the slender anterior apophyses in the female genitalia (anterior apophyses very wide in Roscidotoga ). The feeding preference on Anacardiaceae , Sapindales (Malvids / Eurosids II), and the South African-Mediterranean distribution make Simplimorpha distinctive compared with s.g. Roscidotoga that occurs in Australia and feeds on Cunoniaceae and Elaeocarpaceae , Oxalidales (Eurosids I / Fabids).

From Myrtinepticula subgen. nov., s.g. Simplimorpha differs by the absence of strong purple or blue iridescence of adult scaling, the presence of two distal veins (four in Myrtinepticula ), the absence of anal loop of forewing, presence of two distal veins of hindwing (three in Myrtinepticula ), presence of transverse bar of transtilla (usually absent in Myrtinepticula ), wide phallus (slender in Myrtinepticula ), small corpus bursae (greatly reduced in Myrtinepticula ), and the slender anterior apophyses (very broad in Myrtinepticula ). Simplimorpha is distinctive because it feeds on Anacardiaceae (Sapindales) and is distributed in Africa and the Mediterranean in contrast to Myrtinepticula subgen. nov. that feeds on Myrtaceae (Myrtales) and is distributed in South America.

Description. Adults with collar comprised of piliform or lamellar scales. Forewing with distinctive pale scales ( Figs. 63, 64 ). Forewing venation ( Figs. 52–54 ) with four veins on Rs+M stem, or two veins distally. Male genitalia: tegumen wide, truncate, laterally setosae ( Figs. 1, 2); vinculum large, rounded ( Figs. 7, 8); valva slender, with a basal part little or greatly extended in the shape of ventral lobe ( Figs. 13, 14); transtilla with a transverse bar (1) weakly chitinized uncus is preserved in S. nielseni , see further for Figs. 97–99

* Character states hypothesized as apomorphic indicated by an asterisk

Note: the morphological structures are drawn in different scales

* approximate, without details, distribution area of S. promissa

( Figs. 20, 21); phallus with a juxta-like ventral process ( Figs. 26, 28), and cathrema with or without spines ( Fig. 27). Female genitalia: anterior apophyses slender ( Figs. 38, 40, 40); ductus spermathecae with many distinctive coils ( Fig. 39); corpus bursae small ( Fig. 38), sometimes not preserved during slide preparation.

Larvae are leaf miners on Anacardiaceae ( Sapindales, Malvids or =Eurosids II).

Currently the subgenus comprises species, occurring either in Africa or Mediterranean ( Fig. 62 ).

Figures

FIGURES 50–57. Wing venation of Simplimorpha Scoble, 1983 (sensu lato). 50, S. nielseni, forewing, Hua-Hum, Argentina, slide RA619; 51, same, hindwing; 52, 53, S. promissa, forewing, Crimea, Europe, temporary slide, LEU; 54, lanceifoliella, forewing (modified after Scoble 1983); 55, same, hindwing; 56, S. eucryphiae, forewing (modified after Hoare 2000); 57, same, hindwing Remarks: yet although the wing venation in general is valuable it is not without its limitations: independent losses are likely; being extreme tiny moths, the venation can be rather easily got reduced even in cases of related species (Figs. 53, 54) or, occassionally, within same species (Puplesis & Robinson 2000). Note that the morphological structures are drawn in different scales.

FIGURES 58–64. Simplimorpha Scoble, 1983 (sensu lato). 58–61, examples of leaf mines: 58, S. nielseni, Hua-Hum, Argentina, ZMUC; 59, S. lanceifoliella (modified after Vári 1955); 60, S. promissa, Crimea, Europe, LEU; 61, S. sapphiripes, S. callicomae and S. eucryphiae (modified after Hoare 2000); 62, distribution map; 63, 64, adult of S. promissa (Staudinger, 1870), currently the only Simplimorpha species known from the Northern Hemisphere (courtesy of Peter Buchner, Schwarzau am Steinfeld, Austria). Note: the plant taxa names follow APG IV (2016) and Stevens (2017)

FIGURES 96–102. Male genitalia of Simplimorpha (Myrtinepticula) nielseni Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. 96, capsule with phallus removed, holotype, genitalia slide RA620; 97–99, uncus (partially reduced), paratype, slide RA621; 100, phallus, holotype, genitalia slide RA620; 101, 102, same, paratype, genitalia slide RA621 (ZMUC)