The Ando-Patagonian Stigmella magnispinella group (Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae) with description of new species from Ecuador, Peru and Argentina
Author
Stonis, Jonas R.
Author
Remeikis, Andrius
Author
Diškus, Arūnas
Author
Gerulaitis, Virginijus
text
Zootaxa
2016
4200
4
561
579
journal article
37706
10.11646/zootaxa.4200.4.7
c207b55d-3ec0-4787-8c81-74e315d14eb5
1175-5326
191703
1F2DA504-24BD-49C6-A7F3-A26B2132D6EE
Stigmella patagonica
Remeikis & Stonis
,
sp. nov.
(
Figs 2
,
4
,
5
,
25–28
,
41
)
Type
material.
Holotype
:
♂
,
ARGENTINA
,
Neuquen
,
San Martin
de los
Andes
,
40°09'36"S
,
71°21'44"W
, elevation about
640 m
, caught
on
Discaria serratifolia
(Vent.) Benth. & Hook.
f. ex Mast. (
Rhamnaceae
),
28.ix.1981
, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA
348♂
(
ZMUC
)
. Paratypes: 2 ♂, same label data as holotype, genitalia slide nos RA419♂, RA420♂ (ZMUC);
1 ♂
, same locality,
7–15.xi.1981
, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA
592♂
(
ZMUC
)
.
Diagnosis.
The combination of a deeply divided uncus with tapered lateral lobes, angular (with no processes) transtilla, long lateral lobes of vinculum, and a specific set of cornuti distinguishes
S. patagonica
sp. nov.
from all other
Stigmella
including the species of the
S. magnispiella
group (also see the pictorial key to the
S. magnispinella
group provided in figs 4, 5).
Male
(
Fig. 41
). Forewing length 2.2–2.5 mm; wingspan 5.2–5.6 mm. Head: palpi whitish cream to pale grey; frontal tuft dark grey-brown to beige or pale brown; collar white cream or grey cream to dark grey (concolorous with forewing); scape whitish cream to whitish grey, glossy; antenna distinctly longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 36–37 segments, grey with light golden gloss. Thorax, tegula and forewing concolorous, grey to dark grey with strong golden gloss; apex of forewing with some whitish grey scales with silvery gloss forming ill-defined or incomplete subapical fascia; some scales between fascia and fringe often darker (dark brown, with golden gloss and light purple iridescence); fringe grey to brown-grey; underside of forewing greybrown, without spots or androconia. Hindwing pale grey to brownish grey on upper side and underside, without androconia or spots; fringe pale grey to ochreous grey. Legs glossy, pale brown to golden grey; forelegs dark brown. Abdomen dark grey on upper side and underside; anal tufts short, grey or brown to cream; genital plates pale cream to brown or grey.
Female
. Unknown.
Male genitalia
(
Figs 25–28
). Capsule longer (290–310 µm) than wide (190–200µ m). Uncus with two distally tapered lateral lobes (
Fig. 27
). Gnathos with two stout caudal processes. Valva (
Figs 25, 27
) 175–190 µm long, with bulged inner lobe and two large apical processes; transtilla without sublateral processes (
Fig. 27
). Juxta membranous, except rod-like thickenings (
Fig. 25
). Ventral plate of vinculum with very large lateral lobes. Phallus (
Fig. 28
) 300–310 µm long, 85–115 µm wide; vesica with a specific set of cornuti comprised of numerous small and two large spine-like cornuti, and one very large horn-like cornutus (
Figs 26, 28
).
Bionomics
. Adults fly in late September–November.
Discaria serratifolia
(Vent.) Benth. & Hook.
f. ex Mast. (
Rhamnaceae
) is expected to be a host-plant of
S. patagonica
sp. nov.
(most of the available specimens were collected on
Discaria serratifolia
). Otherwise biology unknown.
Distribution
. Known from single locality in the southern Andes (
Argentina
:
Neuquén Province
) at elevation about
640 m
(
Fig. 2
).
Etymology.
The species is named after the region (Patagonia or the Ando-Patagonian biogeographical region) in reference to the species distribution.