Neotischeria antigua Diškus & Remeikis, 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 : 86-87

Neotischeria antigua Diškus & Remeikis , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:375B7E51-4D1A-41A0-9FE9-81C47047792B

( Figs 372–376 , 384–396 )

Type material. Holotype: Ô, GUATEMALA: Antigua Guatemala, San Juan del Obispo , 14°31’7”N, 90°43’50”W, elevation 1680 m, feeding larva 25.ii.2012, ex pupa iii. 2012, field card no. 5116, leg. A. Diškus, genitalia slide no. AD1110 ( MfN) . Paratypes: 13 Ô, 13 ♀, same label data as holotype, genitalia slides nos AD869Ô, AD1075Ô, AD1073 ♀, AD1074 ♀ ( MfN) .

Diagnosis. Externally, this new species can be confused with N. subantigua sp. nov. (described below), but the latter is larger and, in contrast to N. antigua sp. nov., does not possesses a bright oblique median stripe of the forewing. The male genitalia differ from those of the similar N. subantigua in having a unique phallus with numerous, weakly chitinized slender apical spines. The female genitalia of N. antigua differ in the significantly smaller ovipositor lobes and more elaborate caudal plate of prela (compare Figs 391, 392 and 403, 407 ).

DNA barcode. We barcoded two specimens of the type series, but not the holotype; the sequences are available in the GenBank database under the accession numbers OQ413557 and OQ413558.

Description. Male ( Figs 372, 374, 376 ). Forewing length 3.0– 3.5 mm; wingspan 6.6–7.7 mm (n = 9). Head: palpi ochre cream; frons pale yellow-ochre; frontal tuft pale yellowish ochre with some pale brown scales; collar yellow-ochre; antenna distinctly longer than one half the length of forewing; flagellum pale grey, 3 rd enlarged segment yellow-ochre. Tegula predominantly pale ochre-brown, ochreous cream distally; thorax covered with pale yellowish ochre and pale brown scales. Forewing densely irrorated with ochre, ochre-brown, and blackish brown scales, and with an indistinctive oblique subbasal stripe and a large, cream, postmedian stripe; the latter with sparsely irrorated black scales medially; fringe pale yellow ochre apically, pale grey on tornus; fringe line comprised of small black scales; forewing underside pale dark grey-brown, without spots or androconia, except for blackish brown special scales along costal margin at the forewing base. Hindwing pale grey to grey on upper side and underside, without androconia; fringe pale grey. Legs pale ochreous cream, densely covered with dark grey-brown scales on upper side. Abdomen glossy pale ochreous grey on upper side, yellow-ochre densely irrorated with dark brown scales on underside; genital plates predominantly yellow-ochre with some pale grey scales; anal tufts long, ochreous cream.

Female ( Figs 373, 375 ). Forewing length 3.2–3.4 mm; wingspan 7.0– 7.3 mm (n = 2). Similar to male, but pale median stripe of the forewing usually wider and more distinctive.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 384 ) with capsule 440–450 µm long, 255 µm wide. Uncus comprised of two relatively short, elongated lateral lobes and two very short, rounded median lobes ( Figs 384, 385 ). Socii medium large, weakly paired, membranous. Valva 335–380 µm long, simply-shaped, without a dorsal lobe but with strong chetae in apical half. Anellus mostly membranous, strongly thickened laterally. Vinculum very small, widely triangular or rounded distally. Phallus ca. 310 µm long, apically bifid, with numerous, weakly chitinized slender apical spines.

Female genitalia ( Figs 390–396 ) 1380–1690 µm long. Ovipositor lobes small, rounded, relatively sparsely covered with weakly chitinized peg-like setae; second pair of ovipositor lobes slightly smaller with numerous long setae. Anterior and posterior apophyses almost equal in length; prela comprised of three pairs of slender rod-like projections; inner prela relatively very long; caudal plate elaborated and comprised of two elements. Corpus bursae with a very long and extremely slender proximal part, and a small oval-shaped main body without distinctive pectination. Ductus spermathecae short, sinuous, with 5–6 large coils, and a indistinctive vesicle.

Bionomics. Host plant is unknown (an unidentified species of Asteraceae ). Larvae mine leaves in February. The leaf mine is blotch-like, irregularly shaped, without frass. Adults occur in March. Otherwise, biology is unknown.

Distribution. This species is known from a single locality in Guatemala, Antigua Guatemala, San Juan del Obispo, at elevation of 1680 m.

Etymology. The species is named after Antigua Guatemala, the locality where it was found.

Figures

FIGURES 372–383. Adults of new Neotischeria species. 372–376, N. antigua Diškus & Remeikis, sp. nov. (MfN); 377–383, N. subantigua Diškus & Remeikis, sp. nov. (MfN)

FIGURES 384–389. Male genitalia of Neotischeria antigua Diškus & Remeikis, sp. nov. 384–386, details of holotype, genitalia slide AD1110, ventral view; 387, paratype, genitalia slide no. AD1075, lateral view; 388, 389, general view of capsule, focused on phallus, holotype, genitalia slide AD1110, ventral view; (MfN)

FIGURES 390–396. Female genitalia of Neotischeria antigua Diškus & Remeikis, sp. nov. 390, 392, 394, 395, general view and details, paratype, genitalia slide no. AD1073; 391, 393, 396, another paratype, genitalia slide no. AD1074 (MfN)

FIGURES 403–410. Female genitalia of Neotischeria subantigua Diškus & Remeikis, sp. nov., paratype, genitalia slide no. AD1112 (MfN). 403, ovipositor lobes; 404, spines on “neck” of corpus bursae; 405, general view; 406–410, details