Paratischeria neotropicana ( Diškus & Stonis, 2015 )

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 : 66-68

Paratischeria neotropicana ( Diškus & Stonis, 2015)

Figs 26–28 , 128–129

Astrotischeria neotropicana Diškus & Stonis, 2015: 457–465 , figs 9–27.

Diagnosis

External characters are not sufficient for the identification of this species. In the male genitalia, the combination of a slender valva, a long, simple uncus, a unique, distally bilobed anellus ( Fig. 128 ) and an apically deeply divided phallus ( Fig. 129 ) distinguish Paratischeria neotropicana from other congeneric species. The host plant genus, Sida L. ( Malvaceae ), coincides with the host plant of only two other species, Astrotischeria scutifera sp. nov., described above, and the Nearctic A. omissa (Braun, 1927) ; however, A. scutifera sp. nov. and A. omissa belong to the genus Astrotischeria and are chracterized by a very different genitalic morphology.

Material examined

BELIZE • 18 ♂♂, 15 ♀♀; Cayo District, Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Las Cuevas ; 16°43′53″ N, 88°59′11″ W; alt. 550 m; 17 Sep.–17 Nov. 1997 and 6 Feb.–13 Jun. 1998; O.T. Lewis leg.; mining larvae on Sida sp.; field card nos 31-17/9♂, 2131-19/2♂, 1274-3/11♂, 2077-19/2♂, 1311-4/11♂, 1270- 3/11♂, 2210-24 /2♂, 1897-8/2♂, 2211-24 /2♂, 1280-3/11♂, 319-25/9♂, 3683-13/6♂, 1302-4/11♂, 320- 25/9♂, 681-13/10♂, 1309-17 /11♂, 2078-19/2♂, 1787-6/2♂, 1312-4/11♀, 1277-27/10♀, 1282-3/11♀, 1276-27/10♀, 346-25/9♀, 1275-3/11♀, 1279-3/11♀, 342-25/9♀, 1271-3/11♀, 2848-2/4♀, 2185-24/2♀, 1785-6/2♀, 2209-24 /2♀, 1300-4/11♀, 1313-4/11♀; genitalia slide nos 010316205♂, 010316206♂, 010316207♂, 010316208♂, 010316209♂, 010316210♂, 010316211♀; NHMUK 010289284 to 010289316 .

Description

This species was described and illustrated by Diškus & Stonis (2015: 457–465, figs 9–27). Here, on the basis of the studied material, we provide the first photographic documentation of the male genitalia of this species from Las Cuevas ( Figs 128–129 ).

Biology

Host plants: various species of Sida L. ( Malvaceae ), including S. rhombifolia L. At Las Cuevas , larvae mine throughout the year. The leaf mine was ilustrated by Diškus & Stonis (2015: figs 9–11). Of 117 living mines collected and reared successfully, 37 (31.6%) were parasitised.

Flight period

Based on the rearing data from Belize, adults are likely to occur throughout the year.

Distribution

Paratischeria neotropicana is the tischeriid species with the broadest distribution range yet documented in the Neotropics, having been recorded from various localities in Belize, Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia ( Stonis & Solis 2020).

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).