Stigmella patula Remeikis & Stonis

Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Diškus, Arūnas & Megoran, Nick, 2017, New species of leaf-mining Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) from the Neotropical and Ando-Patagonian regions, with new data on host plants, Zootaxa 4272 (1), pp. 1-39 : 17-19

Stigmella patula Remeikis & Stonis , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 , 60–67 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, ARGENTINA, Neuquen Province, S. M. de los Andes Cerro Chapelco , elevation ca. 1400–1600 m, 20–25.xii.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA 282♂ ( ZMUC) .

Diagnosis. The combination of an unique set of cornuti in the phallus (see fig. 65), angular transtilla without sublateral processes, gnathos with two rather short caudal processes, wide and short lateral lobes of uncus, very short vinculum, golden brown collar & scape, and a wide silvery glossy postmedian fascia distinguishes S. patula sp. nov. from all other Stigmella species.

Male ( Figs 60–62 ). Forewing length about 3.2 mm; wingspan about 7.0 mm. Head: palpi brownish cream; frontal tuft grey-brown; collar and scape golden brown; antenna longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 44–45 segments, dark grey-brown on upper side and underside. Thorax and tegula golden brown. Forewing: golden brown on basal half (before fascia), dark brown with golden gloss and light purple iridescence on apical third (beyond fascia); fascia postmedian, wide, silvery shiny; fringe brown, pale brown to brownish white distally; underside of forewing grey-brown, without spots. Hindwing grey-brown to pale brown on upper side and underside, without spots or androconia; its fringe grey-brown. Legs brownish cream on upper side, dark greybrown on underside. Abdomen dark grey on upper side, grey on underside.

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 63–67 ). Capsule longer (355 µm) than wide (240 µm). Uncus with two wide but short lobes. Gnathos with two rather short caudal processes. Valva 230 µm long, 90–95 µm wide, with two apical processes; transtilla without sublateral processes. Vinculum with small lateral lobes and short ventral plate. Phallus with apical spines ( Fig. 65 ), 265 µm long, 115 µm wide; vesica with two small clusters of slender spine-like cornuti.

Bionomics. Adults fly in December. Otherwise biology unknown.

Distribution ( Figs 1 ). This species occurs in the southern Andes ( Argentina: Neuquen Province) at altitudes around 1400–1600 m.

Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin patulus (open, spreading, gaping, broad) in reference to the wide phallus and fascia of the forewing, and the gaping clusters of cornuti in the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution map to the species treated in the current paper.

FIGURES 60 – 67. Stigmella patula Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype. 60 – 62, male adult; 63, 64, genitalia slide no. RA 282, uncus and gnathos; 65, same, phallus; 66 – 67, same, capsule with phallus removed (ZMUC).