Stigmella quadrata Remeikis & Stonis, 2014

Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius & Davis, Donald R., 2014, Ten new species from the Patagonian Andes (Argentina and Chile), mostly belonging to a newly designated Stigmella purpurimaculae group (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae), Zootaxa 3887 (3), pp. 321-353 : 329-330

7. Stigmella quadrata Remeikis & Stonis , sp. nov.

( Figs 25, 26 , 69–74 )

Diagnosis. Externally adults of this species resemble a few other species of the S. purpurimaculae group, especially S. concreta , S. pseudoconcreta , and some specimens of S.cana . However, the broad angular lobes of the uncus, quadrate inner lobes of the valva, and the minute (almost invisible) cornuti in the male genitalia are unique, and which facilitate identification.

Male ( Figs 25, 26 ). Forewing length 2.5–2.6 mm; wingspan 5.5–5.8 mm. Head: palpi grey; frontal tuft pale greyish brown (rubbed in the holotype and paratype); collar and scape whitish; antenna considerably longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 32 segments, greyish brown on upper side and underside. Thorax, tegulae and forewing uniform, pale brownish grey, with golden gloss, without spots; terminal cilia pale grey, tornal cilia cream-grey; underside of forewing fuscous grey, sometimes with very weak blues and purplish iridescence, without spots or androconia. Hindwings and cilia grey to pale grey, without androconia. Legs brownish grey to cream-grey on upper side and underside, glossy. Abdomen shiny, dark grey to grey on upper side, grey on underside; anal tufts short, greyish cream; anal plates greyish cream to cream.

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 69–74 ). Capsule longer (290–295 µm) than wide (195–200 µm). Vinculum with two short, triangular, lateral (anterior) lobes; ventral plate of viculum short. Uncus with short but broad (quadrate) caudal lobes ( Figs 69, 70, 72 ). Gnathos with two robust (sturdy) caudal processes and without anterior ones ( Figs 69, 70, 72 ), central plate of gnathos broader than usualy in the species group. Valva ( Figs 69, 72 ) 155–160 µm long, very broad (75–80 µm), with very large chitinized, curved and pointed apical process; inner lobe short and very broad (almost quadrate); transtilla with short slender and pointed sublateral processes ( Figs 69, 71 ). Phallus ( Figs 72–74 ) 180–185 µm long, 80–85 µm broad; chitinization of phallus tube is slightly reduced in distal 1/10; cornuti (in total, ca. 100) very small, almost invisible, mostly dentate ( Fig. 74 ), some small and spine-like. Manica absent.

Bionomics. Adults collected in November. Otherwise unknown.

Distribution. This species occurs in the southern Andes ( Argentina) at an altitude ca. 750 m (see Material).

Type material. Holotype: ♂, ARGENTINA, Neuquén, Lágo Lacar, Pucar , elevation ca. 750 m, 10.xi.1978, Mision Cientifica Danesa, slide no. RA 380♂ ( ZMUC) . Paratypes: 1 ♂, same label data as holotype, genitalia slide no. RA 381♂ ( ZMUC) .

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin quadratus (squared/square) in reference to the quadrate, short but broad caudal lobes of the uncus, also the quadrate inner lobe of the valva in the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 23–30. Adults of new Stigmella spp. 23, S. pseudoconcreta Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype; 24, same; 25, S. quadrata Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype; 26, same; 27, S. semilactea, Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype; 28, same, paratype; 29, S. brutea Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype; 30, S. pseudodigitata Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype.

FIGURES 69–74. Male genitalia of Stigmella quadrata Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. 69, holotype, genitalia slide no. RA380; 70, same, uncus and gnathos; 71, same, tegumen and transtilla; 72, paratype, genitalia slide no. RA481; 73, holotype, phallus, genitalia slide no. RA380; 74, same, artistic reconstruction with cornuti enlarged.