Astrotischeria scutifera Diškus & Stonis, 2020

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 : 43-48

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2020.723.1143
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A10E8F27-8E1F-42F8-B2A3-C441B237C859
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4332302
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6E446B8C-E5BC-4FAF-8CA0-F92DF9A8733E
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:6E446B8C-E5BC-4FAF-8CA0-F92DF9A8733E
treatment provided by	Valdenar
scientific name	Astrotischeria scutifera Diškus & Stonis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Astrotischeria scutifera Diškus & Stonis View in CoL sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6E446B8C-E5BC-4FAF-8CA0-F92DF9A8733E

Figs 9–11 View Figs 6–20 , 53–69 View Figs 53–59 View Figs 60–64 View Figs 65–69

Tischeria View in CoL sp. 6 – Lewis et al. 2002: 872.

Diagnosis

External characters are not sufficient for the identification of this species. In the male genitalia, the presence of a unique pseudotranstilla ( Figs 61, 63–64 View Figs 60–64 ), a shield-like lobe on the valva ( Figs 57 View Figs 53–59 , 60 View Figs 60–64 ), a bifid dorsal lobe of the uncus ( Fig. 54 View Figs 53–59 ) and the unique phallus ( Fig. 59 View Figs 53–59 ) distinguish Astrotischeria scutifera sp. nov. from other congeneric species. In the female genitalia, the strongly reduced ovipositor lobes make this species similar to the other Malvaceae-feeding species of Astrotischeria (which make up a minority of the genus); however, unlike A. omissa (Braun, 1927) or A. heliopsisella (Chambers, 1875) , females of A. scutifera sp. nov. do not possess thickened tooth-like projections or curved hooks distally on the ovipositor.

Etymology

The species name is derived from the Latin ʻ scutum ʼ (a ʻshieldʼ) and ʻ fero ʼ (ʻto bearʼ, ʻto carryʼ) in reference to the valva possessing a shield-like lobe in the male genitalia.

Type material

Holotype

BELIZE • ♂; Cayo District, Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Las Cuevas ; 16°43′53″ N, 88°59′11″ W; alt. 550 m; 22 Sep. 1997; O.T. Lewis leg.; mining larva on Sida glabra Mill. ( Malvaceae ); field card no. 115-22/9; genitalia slide no. 010316175♂; NHMUK 010289214 View Materials .

GoogleMaps

Paratypes

BELIZE • 4 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; 22 Sep.–21 Nov. 1997 and 3–14 Jul. 1998; O.T. Lewis leg.; field card nos 202-2/10♂, 4236-3/7♂, 205-23/9♂, 188-23/9♂, 113-22/9♀, 196-23/9♀, 233-24/9♀, 519-9/10♀, 29.002-1/10♀, 23.080-14/7♀, 31.009-21/11♀; genitalia slide nos 010316174♂, 010316176♂, 010316177♂, 010316178♀, 010316179♀, 010316180♀; NHMUK 010289215 View Materials to 010289225 View Materials GoogleMaps .

Description

Male

EXTERNAL CHARACTERS ( Figs 9–10 View Figs 6–20 ). Forewing length 2.5–3.0 mm; wingspan 5.4–6.5 mm (n = 5). Head: palpus cream, frons ochre cream; frontal tuft comprised of lamellar, golden cream scales; collar pale brown, comprised of lamellar, cream-tipped scales; antenna approximately ½ of forewing; flagellum pale grey. Thorax pale brownish grey, laterally sometimes ochre; tegula pale brownish grey. Forewing variable, densely speckled with dark grey scales and irregular, pale ochre to bright ochre spots or a band along fold; sometimes, instead a band or spots, ochre scales form only a line along fold; fringe grey; fringe line often irregular, indistinctive, comprised of a few dark brown scales; forewing underside with some purple iridescence, entirely covered with dark grey scales, without spots or androconia. Hindwing and fringe grey-brown on upper side and underside, without androconia. Legs glossy, with purple iridescence, pale grey or grey to yellowish cream. Abdomen dark brown on upper side and underside, with purple and blue iridescence on upper side; genital plates greyish cream to pale grey; anal tufts large, grey to yellowish grey.

MALE GENITALIA ( Figs 53–64 View Figs 53–59 View Figs 60–64 ). Capsule 780–830 µm long, 340–445 µm wide. Uncus with long, bifid dorsal lobes ( Figs 54 View Figs 53–59 , 63 View Figs 60–64 ) and very short, rounded ventral lobes ( Fig. 55 View Figs 53–59 ); medial excavation of uncus shallow. Valva 500–620 µm long; basally with a shield-like lobe ( Figs 57 View Figs 53–59 , 60 View Figs 60–64 ) and a distinctive, basally wide, apically pointed dorsal lobe ( Fig. 64 View Figs 60–64 ). Anellus replaced with a unique structure which we name here a pseudotranstilla ( Figs 61, 63–64 View Figs 60–64 ). Ventral lobe of vinculum large, distally rounded ( Figs 63–64 View Figs 60–64 ) or almost triangular ( Figs 56–57 View Figs 53–59 ). Phallus 580 µm long, apically with two bifid lobes ( Fig. 59 View Figs 53–59 ), basally widened ( Figs 56–57, 59 View Figs 53–59 ).

Female

EXTERNAL CHARACTERS ( Fig. 11 View Figs 6–20 ). Forewing length 3.0– 3.1 mm; wingspan 6.6–6.8 mm (n = 3). Similar to male but ochre scales of forewing prevail and form large ochre spots. On underside, abdomen covered with ochre cream medially and distally, without anal tufts. Otherwise, similar to male.

FEMALE GENITALIA ( Figs 65–69 View Figs 65–69 ). Abdominal apex slender, with two caudal papillae ( Fig. 65 View Figs 65–69 ). Genitalia 1570 µm long. Ovipositor lobes reduced (absent) ( Fig. 66 View Figs 65–69 ). Posterior and anterior apophyses almost equal in length ( Figs 66, 68 View Figs 65–69 ); prela comprised of three pairs of rod-like projections ( Figs 66–68 View Figs 65–69 ). Corpus bursae very long and narrow, distally oval-shaped ( Fig. 69 View Figs 65–69 ), pectinations indistinctive. Accessory sac inconspicuous; ductus spermathecae very slender, with numerous large coils ( Fig. 69 View Figs 65–69 ).

Biology

Host plant: Sida glabra Mill. ( Malvaceae Juss. ). Larvae mine leaves in September to November. The leaf mine is a white, opaque blotch; as the larva matures it causes the leaf to distort or curl. This species was listed as ‘ Tischeria sp. 6’ by Lewis et al. (2002). Of 353 mines successfully reared, 189 produced parasitoids (53.5% parasitism).

Flight period

Based on reared specimens, adults occur throughout the year.

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.