Paratischeria guarani Diskus & Stonis, 2020

Stonis, Jonas R., Diskus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius, Solis, M. Alma & Katinas, Liliana, 2020, Exotic-looking Neotropical Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera) and their host plants, ZooKeys 970, pp. 117-158 : 117

Paratischeria guarani Diskus & Stonis sp. nov. Figs 22-31 , 44 , 45 , 92-96

Holotype.

male, pinned, with genitalia slide no. AD988. Labels: Paraguay, Departamento de Itapúa, Hohenau, 27°5'6"S, 55°40'22"W, elevation 115 m, mining larva on Elephantopus mollis Kunth, Asteraceae , 14 Feb 2019, field card no. 5293, A. Diškus (ZIN).

Diagnosis.

Externally, this new species can be confused with some other brightly colored species, including A. cornuata sp. nov. (described above) or Central American A. guatemalica Diškus & Stonis, and Ecuadorian A. bachariphaga Diškus & Stonis (see Stonis et al. 2019). However, these externally similar Astrotischeria species possess a well-developed dorsal lobe of valva, but all Paratischeria species have no dorsal lobe. In the male genitalia, the combination of very long and slender uncus and a laterally strongly thickened anellus distinguish Paratischeria guarani sp. nov. from all known congeneric species. The characters of the female genitalia are not informative, and, therefore, are of very limited use for species differentiation. This species is also distinctive because no other tischeriid species is known to feed on Elephantopus mollis Kunth, Asteraceae .

Description.

Male (Fig. 44 ). Forewing length 2.8-3.1 mm; wingspan 6.1-6.8 mm (n = 4). Head: frons ochre-grey, pecten pale ochre; frontal tuft glossy grey proximally, pale ochre distally; collar ochre-grey; antenna slightly longer than one half length of forewing; flagellum greyish cream, irregularly annulated with dark grey scales. Tegula and thorax grey-ochre. Forewing variable, pale ochre irregularly speckled with dark grey, apically with black scales; fringe dark grey, with fringe indistinctive or absent; forewing underside brown-black, without spots or androconia. Hindwing grey on upper side and underside, without androconia; fringe grey. Legs grey on upper side, ochre cream on underside. Abdomen black on upper side, glossy ochre with some dark brown scales on underside; genital plates pale ochre to pale grey; anal tufts grey-ochre.

Male genitalia (Figs 92-94 ) with capsule 760 µm long, 315 µm wide. Uncus (Fig. 93 ) with two very long and slender lateral lobes. Socii small, paired, membranous. Valva (Fig. 92 ) ca. 615 µm long. Anellus strongly thickened laterally, constricted at the middle (Fig. 92 ). Vinculum small, rounded distally (Fig. 92 ). Phallus ca. 670 µm long, apically bifid (Fig. 94 ).

Female (Fig. 45 ). Forewing length 3.0-3.3 mm; wingspan 6.5-7.1 mm (n = 2). Similar to male, but sometimes darker, with bright ochre thorax and forewing more intensively speckled with black scales. Abdomen black, ochre only distally; ovipositor very short, but protruding. Otherwise, identical with male.

Female genitalia (Figs 95-97 ) 680 µm long. Ovipositor lobes oval-shaped, covered with peg-like setae; second pair of ovipositor lobes small, with long setae (Fig. 96 ). Anterior and posterior apophyses equal in length (Fig. 96 ); prela comprised of three pairs of rod-like projections (Fig. 96 ). Corpus bursae very slender, with long proximal part and small main body without pectination (Fig. 95 ). Ductus spermathecae with 7-8 large coils (Fig. 97 ).

Bionomics

(Figs 22-31 ). Host plant is Elephantopus mollis Kunth, Asteraceae (Figs 23-27 ). Larvae mine leaves in February. Larva greenish white, with dark green intestine and brown head. The blotch-like mine (Figs 28-31 ) is irregular, but often elongated, pale brown or pale green, without frass. Pupation in a round nidus. Adults occur in March.

Distribution.

This species is known from a single locality in Paraguay, Departamento de Itapúa, Hohenau (Fig. 22 ), at the elevation of 115 m, but the host plant has a much wider distribution (see Discussion).

Etymology.

This species is named after the Guaraní, indigenous people of South America, living in present-day Paraguay between the Uruguay River and lower Paraguay River.

Other material examined.

5 ♂, 2 ♀, paratypes: Paraquay, Departamento de Itapúa, Hohenau, 27°5'6"S, 55°40'22"W, elevation 115 m, mining larvae on Elephantopus mollis Kunth, Asteraceae , 14 Feb 2019, field card no. 5293, A. Diškus, genitalia slide nos AD986♂ (from adult in pupal skin, no pinned moth preserved), AD998♂, AD987♀ (ZIN).

Figures

Figures 22 - 31. Bionomics of Paratischeria guarani sp. nov. 22 habitat, elevation 115 m, Hohenau, Departamento de Itapua, Paraguay 23 - 27 host plant Elephantopus mollis Kunth, Asteraceae 28 - 30 leaf mines with a feeding larva 31 leaf mine with a pupa.

Figures 44 - 49. Adults of Paratischeria spp. 44 P. guarani sp. nov., male, holotype (ZIN) 45 same, female, paratype (ZIN) 46 P. mesoamericana sp. nov., male, holotype (ZIN) 47 P. suprafasciata sp. nov., female, holotype (ZIN) 48 P. mesoamericana sp. nov., female, paratype (ZIN) 49 P. braziliensis sp. nov., male, holotype (USNM).

Figures 92 - 97. Genitalia of Paratischeria guarani sp. nov. 92 holotype, slide no. AD 988, male genitalia, general view of capsule with phallus removed 93 same, uncus and socii 94 same, phallus 95 paratype, slide no. AD 987, female genitalia, general view 96 same, ovipositor lobes and apophyses 97 same, coils of ductus spermathecae (ZIN).