Stigmella cana 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 : 324-325

2. Stigmella cana Remeikis & Stonis , sp. nov.

( Figs 11–13 , 41–44 , 94–96 )

Diagnosis. Externally S. cana is most similar to the uniformly colored S. concreta and S. pseudoconcreta but differs in the long antenna (flagellum consists up to 41 segments) and more greyish colour of the forewing. These adults which posses the purple spot on the forewing resemble a few other species of the S. purpurimaculae group, especially S. truncata , S. sceptra and S. purpurimaculae , which, in contrast to S. cana , usually are smaller and often with an orange or partially orange frontal tuft. In the male genitalia, the combination of the enlarged inner lobe of the valva, very short phallus and long (not truncate) lobes of uncus, separate the species from S. truncata , S. sceptra and S. purpurimaculae . From S. concreta it differs in the simple shape of the gnathos and in the absence of lobes of the transtilla and in the absence of the rod-like chitization of the phallus; from S. pseudoconcreta it differs in the gnathos lacking anterior processes and in the simple chitization of the phallus, as well the dark brown (not orange) frontal tuft externally.

Male ( Figs 11–13 ). Forewing length 2.3–2.6 mm; wingspan 5.1–5.7 mm. Head: palpi grey, glossy; frontal tuft dark greyish brown; collar white to greyish white; scape white; antenna longer than half length of forewing; flagellum with 35–41 segments, dark grey on upper side and underside. Thorax, tegulae and forewing uniform, dark grey with golden gloss, usually (but not always) with purplish -brown or brown apical spot; terminal and tornal cilia grey or dark grey; underside of forewing fuscous grey, without purple iridescence, spots or androconia. Hindwings and cilia grey to dark grey, with no androconia. Legs shiny, grey to dark grey on upper side and underside. Abdomen shiny, dark grey on upper side, grey to dark grey on underside; anal tufts short, greyish; anal plates grey.

Female. Forewing length 2.7 mm; wingspan 5.9 mm. Flagellum with 28–29 segments.

Male genitalia ( Figs 41–44 ). Capsule longer (340–360 µm) than wide (235–250 µm). Vinculum with two large lateral (anterior) lobes; ventral plate of viculum short. Uncus with long caudal lobes ( Figs 41, 42 ). Gnathos with two very narrow caudal processes with broadened basal parts ( Fig. 41 ), central plate of gnathos forming a a narrow transverse bar. Valva ( Figs 41, 42 ) 170–200 µm long, very broad (90–95 µm), with large chitinized and pointed apical process; inner lobe broadly rounded; transtilla without sublateral processes, rounded or angular at corners. Phallus ( Figs 43, 44 ) 335–340 µm long, 140–145 µm broad; chitinization of phallus tube is partially reduced on distal 1/2–1/3; vesica with numerous small dentate ( Figs 43, 44 ) and some small, spine-like cornuti (the latter in fewer number). Manica absent.

Female genitalia ( Figs 94–96 ). Total length about 850 µm. Anterior apophyses very short (about 40 µm long), posterior much longer (about 175 µm) and very narrow. Vestibulum broad, without sclerites. Corpus bursae with folded distal part and broad, round basal half, without signa, sparsely covered with pectinations only on proximal part, and with 8–9 short thickened spines ( Figs 95, 96 ) in the area where the folded part of corpus bursae extends into accessory sac. Accessory sac broad, short but not prominent (barely distinct); ductus spermathecae short, with about 2.5–3 convolutions, extended into very long (480–500 µm) and broad (about 175 µm) utriculus ( Fig. 94 ). Abdominal tip very broad, blunt.

Bionomics. Some specimens were collected around Nothofagus pumilio ; however there is insufficient evidence that this plant is the host-plant of S. cana . Adults fly in October–November. Otherwise unknown.

Distribution. This species occurs in the southern Andes ( Argentina) at altitudes ca. 640–1300 m (see Material).

Type material. Holotype: ♂, ARGENTINA, Río Negro, S. C. de Bariloche, Cerro López , elevation ca. 1300 m, 13.x.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA 495♂ ( ZMUC).

Paratypes: 4 ♂, 1 ♀, ARGENTINA, Río Negro, S. C. de Bariloche, Cerro López , elevation ca. 1300 m, 13.x.–10.xi.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide nos. RA 417♂, RA 424♂, RA 445♂, RA 461♀, RA 499♂ ( ZMUC) ; 3 ♂, 1 ♀, S. C. de Bariloche, Cerro Otto , elevation ca. 930 m, 12.x.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide nos. RA 414♂, RA 427♂, RA 428♂, RA 507♀ ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, CHILE, Osorno, Parque Nacional Puyehue, Antillanca , elevation ca. 1100–1300 m, 14.xi.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA 336♂ ( ZMUC) .

Other material examined (not type-series). 2 ♂, ARGENTINA, Río Negro, S. C. de Bariloche, Cerro López , elevation ca. 1300 m, 10.xi.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA 423♂ ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, Pampa del Toro , elevation ca. 900 m, 30.x.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA 501♂ ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♀, Neuquén, S. M. de los Andes , elevation ca. 640 m, 17–31.x.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, S. M. de los Andes, Piedra Trampul , elevation ca. 1000 m, 15.x.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA 438♂ ( ZMUC) (see Remarks).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin canus (grey) in reference to the distinctly greyish tinge of the forewings.

Remarks. The specimens which exibit some variation of genitalia or external characters were excluded from the type-series.

Figures

FIGURES 7–14. Adults of new Stigmella spp. 7, S. purpurimaculae Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype; 8, same, paratype; 9, same, other image of the holotype; 10, same, other paratype specimen; 11, S. cana Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype; 12, same, paratype; 13, same, other paratype specimen; 14 S. truncata Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., paratype.

FIGURES 41–44. Male genitalia of Stigmella cana Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. 41, genital capsule, paratype, genitalia slide no. RA414; 42, same, holotype, genitalia slide no. RA495; 43, phallus, holotype, genitalia slide no. RA495; 44, same, artistic reconstruction with cornuti enlarged.

FIGURES 91–96. Female genitalia of paratypes of new Stigmella species. 91, S. purpurimaculae Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., genitalia slide no. RA463; 92, same, thickened spines in bursae; 93, same, artistic reconstruction; 94, S. cana Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., genitalia slide no. RA461; 95, same, thickened spines in bursae; 96, same, artistic reconstruction.