Coptotriche singularis Stonis & Diškus, 2008

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 : 73

Coptotriche singularis Stonis & Diškus, 2008

Coptotriche singularis Stonis & Diškus, 2008: 104 , figs 2, 3a–e.

Diagnosis

External characters are not sufficient for the identification of this species. In the male genitalia, the apically narrowing valva, absence of transtilla and highly specific, apically gradually widening phallus distinguish Coptotriche singularis from other congeneric species.

Material examined

Holotype

BELIZE • ♂; Cayo District, Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Las Cuevas ; 16°43′53″ N, 88°59′11″ W; alt. 550 m; 17 Sep. 1997; O.T. Lewis leg.; mining larva on Cardiospermum grandiflorum Sw. (Sapindaceae); field card no. 39-17/9; genitalia slide no. 31444♂; NHMUK 010289340 .

Description

The species was described and illustrated by Stonis & Diškus (2008: 104, figs 2 (male adult), 3a–e (male genitalia)).

Biology

The larvae are leaf miners, creating a blotch-type mine, and the host plant is recorded as Cardiospermum grandiflorum Sw. (Sapindaceae) . Only a single mine was reared successfully.

Flight period

Based on the single reared specimen, adults also occur in September or early October.

Distribution

So far this species is known from a single locality in Belize, Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Las Cuevas, at an elevation of about 550 m.