Stigmella auriargentata Remeikis & Stonis

Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius, Gerulaitis, Virginijus & Karsholt, Ole, 2016, Leaf-mining Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) from record high altitudes: documenting an entire new fauna in the Andean páramo and puna, Zootaxa 4181 (1), pp. 1-94 : 44

Stigmella auriargentata Remeikis & Stonis , sp. nov.

( Figs 18 , 27 , 113–117 )

Type material. Holotype: Ƌ, PERU, Dept. Ancash, 35 km SE Huaraz, Cerro Cahuish, Quabrada Puvadvado , 9°40'19"S, 77°12'21"W, elevation ca. 3870 m, 18.ii.1987, O. Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA537Ƌ ( ZMUC) . Paratypes: 2 Ƌ, 1 ♀, same label data as holotype, genitalia slide nos RA541Ƌ, RA542♀ (ZMUC).

Diagnosis. Externally closely similar to S. altimontana sp. nov. The combination of a set of numerous very large cornuti, rounded, lobe-like processes of transtilla, and golden grey forewing with silver shining apical area distinguishes S. auriargentata sp. nov. from all other Stigmella species.

Male ( Fig. 113 ). Forewing length 2.9–3.0 mm; wingspan 6.4–6.5 mm. Head: palpi fuscous or dark greybrown; frontal tuft comprised of pale orange to grey-orange and fuscous piliform scales (or only fuscous piliform scales); collar golden grey; scape white to yellowish cream; antenna sligthly longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 32 segments, fuscous, glossy on upper side and underside. Thorax, tegula dark grey with strong golden gloss. Forewing golden grey, glossy, in apical third silvery shining; fringe pale grey to dark grey; underside of forewing dark grey-brown, without spots or androconia. Hindwing grey cream to dark grey on upper side and underside, with no spots or androconia; its fringe pale grey. Legs grey to dark brown, darkened with fuscous on upper side. Abdomen fuscous, with wide band of pale (ash grey) androconia on upper side, dark grey on underside; tufts short; genital segments brownish grey to brownish cream.

Female. Forewing length about 2.6 mm; wingspan about 5.7 mm. Collar cream. Flagellum with 24 segments. Abdomen fuscous, glossy, without ash grey band on upper side, cream grey, glossy on underside; tufts short; genital segments cream; abominal tip rounded.

Male genitalia ( Figs 114–116 ). Capsule longer (350 µm) than wide (225 µm). Vinculum with wide short lateral lobes and long ventral plate. Uncus slightly narrowing distally, with four lobes. Gnathos with two caudal processes and large central plate. Valva 230–235 µm long, 80–85 µm wide, with two large apical processes and slightly bulged, round (with no pointing corners) inner lobe; transtilla with round, lobe-like sublateral processes. Juxta membranous, widened and thickened caudally. Phallus ( Fig. 114 ) 215–225 µm long, 95 µm wide; vesica with numerous (about 10–11) very large cornuti distributed into two longitudinal bands.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 117 ). Total length 655–670 µm. Posterior apophyses slightly longer than anterior ones. Corpus bursae with heavily folded distal part and oval-shaped, 340 µm long, 225 µm wide basal part with comblike pectinations; signa absent. Accessory sac wide but very short; ductus spermathecae with small sinuous sclerite, without convolutions. Abdominal tip widely rounded.

Bionomics. Adults fly in February. Otherwise biology unknown.

Distribution ( Figs 18 , 27 ). This species occurs in the high Peruvian Andes ( Peru: Ancash Departamento) at altitudes about 3870 m.

Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin aurum (gold) and argentata (silvery) in reference to the golden and silvery gloss of the forewing.

Figures

FIGURE 27. Distribution map of the high-Andean Nepticulidae with height records.

FIGURES 18 – 19. Distribution of high altitude Nepticulidae and collecting in the Peruvian Andes. 18, distribution map; 19, collector and co-author Ole Karsholt in Polylepis forest during Polylepis Expedition organized by Prof. Dr. Jon Fjeldså (the leader of the Polylepis Expeditions, ZMUC) in 1987.

FIGURES 113 – 117. Stigmella auriargentata Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. 113, male adult, holotype; 114, male genitalia, holotype, genitalia slide no. RA 537, phallus; 115, 116, same, capsule without phallus; 117, female genitalia, paratype, genitalia slide no. RA 542 (ZMUC).