Stigmella pyramidata Diškus & Navickaitė, sp. nov.

(Figs 5, 11–13, 109–112)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 673A3FBA-3438-4EA7-9DB6-A29D9E17B680

Type material. Holotype: ♂, India, Uttarakhand, Dehradun Distr., Mussoorie, 30°27’33”N, 78°01’43”E, elevation ca. 1980 m, larva on Ototropis sp., 16.viii.2010, A. Diškus and A. Navickaitė, genitalia slide no. AD494 (ZIN).

Diagnosis. In the male genitalia, the unique, pyramid-like gnathos (Figs 111, 112) and unique phallus with a large, lobe-like cornutus and a compact cluster of contorted cornuti (Fig. 109) distinguish S. pyramidata sp. nov. from all known Stigmella species.

Male. Known from adult in pupal exuvia; only genitalia are preserved and desribed.

Genitalia (Figs 109–112) with capsule 230 µm long, 155 µm wide. Vinculum with large lateral lobes (Fig. 109). Uncus large, undivided, distally rounded or truncated (Fig. 111). Gnathos pyramid-shaped (Figs 109, 112), with two caudal processes and transverse bar (Fig. 111). Valva (Fig. 110) 120 µm long, contricted in apical half. Transtilla with wide, triangular sublateral processes (Fig. 112). Phallus (Figs 109, 112) 150–170 µm long, pointed apically, with a large, lobe-like carina (Figs 109, 110); vesica with a compact cluster of large cornuti (Figs 109, 112).

Female. Unknown.

Bionomics (Figs 5, 11–13). Host plant is Ototropis Nees, Fabaceae (Fig. 5). Larvae mine in leaves in August and, judging from observed old (empty) leaf mines, in July. Larva pale green, with a bright green intestine and pale brown head (Fig. 13). The mine is a sinuous gallery, with a thin line of black frass (Figs 11, 12). Cocoon yellowish beige, oval-shaped, 2.0 mm long, 1.0 mm wide. Adults occur in August.

Distribution. Known from a single locality in the western Himalaya (Uttarakhand: Mussoorie), at the elevation of about 2000 m (Fig. 1: wHi).

Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin pyramidatus (pyramid-like), in reference to the unique, pyramid-like gnathos in the male genitalia.