Tischeria gouaniae, (Stonis & Diskus, 2007)

Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius & Lewis, Owen T., 2020, Exceptional diversity of Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera) from a single tropical forest site in Belize, Central America, European Journal of Taxonomy 723, pp. 33-76 : 68-69

Dishkeya gouaniae ( Stonis & Diškus, 2007)

Figs 29 , 130–131

Tischeria gouaniae Stonis & Diškus, 2007: 1287–1291 , figs 2, 3a–c, 4a–b.

Tischeria sp. 12 – Lewis et al. 2002: 872.

Diagnosis

External characters are not sufficient for the identification of this species. In the male genitalia, Dishkeya gouaniae resembles the Nearctic D. bifurcata (Braun, 1915); however, D. gouaniae is distinguishable from the latter by its widely rounded vinculum, spiny juxta and slender apical processes of the phallus. The host plant, Gouania polygama (Jacq.) Urb. ( Rhamnaceae Juss. ), makes D. gouaniae exceptional among all other Tischeriidae (the related D. bifurcata feeds on Ceanothus, another genus of Rhamnaceae ).

Material examined

Holotype

BELIZE • ♂; Cayo District, Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Las Cuevas ; 16°43′53″ N, 88°59′11″ W; alt. 550 m; 19 Mar. 1998; O.T. Lewis leg.; mining larvae on Gouania polygama (Jacq.) Urb. (Rhamnaceae); field card no. 2529; genitalia slide no. 31442♂; NHMUK 010289317 .

Paratypes

BELIZE • 3 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; 25 Sep. 1997 and 6 Apr.–3 Jul. 1998; field card nos 2966, 4213, 321; genitalia slide nos 31443♂, 010316202♂; NHMUK 010289318 to 010289320 .

Description

This species was described and illustrated by Stonis & Diškus (2007: 1287–1291, figs 2, 3a–c, 4a–b).

Biology

Host plant: Gouania polygama (Jacq.) Urb. (Rhamnaceae) . Larvae mine leaves in March–July and September. The leaf mine has a linear or corridor shape (not preserved by the collector with the reared specimens, and therefore not studied in detail). This species was listed as ‘ Tischeria sp. 12’ by Lewis et al. (2002). Of 25 living mines reared successfully, 14 (56%) were parasitised.

Flight period

Based on reared specimens, adults occur during March–September.

Distribution

Currently known only from a single locality in Belize (Las Cuevas), at an elevation of about 550 m.

Figures

Figs 21–34. Tischeriidae collected in Las Cuevas, Belize. 21. Paratischeria tubifex sp. nov., holotype (NHMUK 010289272). 22. Same, paratype (010289282). 23. Same, paratype (010289276). 24–25. P. belizensis sp. nov., holotype (010289283). 26–28. P. neotropicana (010289285). 29. Dishkeya gouaniae, paratype (010289320). 30. Coptotriche pulverea (010289324). 31. Same (010289322). 32–34. C. forsteroniae, paratype (010289330).

Figs 128–131. Male genitalia of Tischeriidae from Las Cuevas, Belize (NHMUK). 128. Paratischeria neotropicana (Diškus & Stonis, 2015), capsule with phallus removed (genitalia slide no. 010316205). 129. Same, phallus. 130–131. Dishkeya gouaniae (Diškus & Stonis, 2007), paratype (genitalia slide no. 010316202).