taxonID	type	description	language	source
9760F26EFFC4FFC61EB5FD0D9B10F8E8.taxon	description	http: // zoobank. org / urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 7 A 147 DB 9 - F 309 - 4 BA 3 - 89 E 4 - DEFBD 697 FD 64 (Figs. 1 – 18)	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC4FFC61EB5FD0D9B10F8E8.taxon	vernacular_names	“ Acalyptris AcaciaKenya ”; informal name by Doorenweerd et al. 2016: Figure S 1, Table S 1. [also temporary name in BOLD Systems and Genbank]	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC4FFC61EB5FD0D9B10F8E8.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype. KENYA • ♂; Rift Valley, Lake Bogoria; alt. 1000 m; 0 ° 15 ' N 36 ° 05 ' E; 11 Nov. 2004; D. J. L. Agassiz leg.; em [erged] 22 Nov. 2004; l. on Acacia mellifera; B. M. ♂ Genitalia slide No. 34304, RMNH Microlepidoptera Genitalia slide E. J. van Nieukerken 3628 ♂; DNA voucher sample id: RMNH. INS. 23628, BOLD: NEPTA 001 – 13, BIN: BOLD: ACG 8699; NHMUK 013702421. Paratypes (3 ♂, 1 ♀). KENYA • 1 ♂; same label data as Holotype; em [erged] 21 Nov. 2004; Genitalia slide EvN 4059; DNA voucher sample id: RMNH. INS. 24059, BOLD: NEPTA 1537 – 15, BIN: BOLD: ACY 4492; RMNH. INS. 24059. • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same label data as Holotype; Genitalia slides EvN 5613 ♂, EvN 5054 ♀; RMNH. INS. 25613; RMNH. INS. 25054. • 1 ♂; same label data as Holotype; B. M. ♂ Genitalia slide No. 34305 (EvN 4060); DNA voucher sample id: RMNH. INS. 24060; NHMUK 013702422. Other material. KENYA • 2 adults, without abdomen; same locality data as Holotype; RMNH. INS. 1557481, RMNH. INS. 1557482. • 17 leafmines; same locality data as Holotype; RMNH. INS. 1557205.	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC4FFC61EB5FD0D9B10F8E8.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Very small pale moth without conspicuous external characters. Male genitalia diagnostic by the simple valva without any inner projection and the presence of lateral support rods. The genitalia of A. combretella (Vári, 1955) and A. zeyheriae (Scoble, 1980) somewhat resemble it, but have the valvae more narrowing towards apex and lack lateral support rods.	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC4FFC61EB5FD0D9B10F8E8.taxon	description	Description. Male (Figs. 1 – 3). Forewing length 1.4 – 1.53 mm, wingspan ca 3 – 3.1 mm. Head: frontal tuft variable, from completely ochreous to mixed ochreous and fuscous, collar ochreous white. Scape relatively large, ochreous. Antenna pale brown, with 21 – 25 articles, including scape. Thorax and forewing ochreous, with dispersed brown tipped scales. Hindwing pale; costal bristles absent. Abdomen dark ochreous, including vestiture on genitalia; anal tufts inconspicuous. Special scaling absent. Female (Fig. 3). Forewing length 1.54 mm, wingspan not measured. Antenna with 18 articles, including scape. Otherwise as male. Male genitalia (Figs 5 – 10). Capsule length 205 – 210 µm. Vinculum anteriorly concave, ventral plate not large. Tegumen rounded, forming obtuse pseuduncus; uncus an inverted V, with pointed central process, in lateral view split distally; gnathos with long narrow central element, almost touching uncus. A pair of lateral support rods from gnathos, run along vinculum lateral arms (Fig. 7). Valva narrow, simple, hardly narrowing towards apex; length 160 – 180 µm. Transtilla without transverse bar, sublateral process distinct. Phallus 225 – 255 µm long, with bifurcate ventral carinae, tightly fused to V-shaped ventral process; a pair of straight, narrow, dorsal carinae present; vesica with numerous small cornuti and one large curved cornutus (Fig. 10). Female genitalia (Figs 11 – 13). T 8 narrow, two small lateral groups of scales and setae. Anal papillae with ca 15 setae on either side. Apophyses straight, slender, anteriores and posteriores almost equal in length. Vestibulum with elaborate sclerotisations, with flaplike extensions laterally. Corpus bursae in single slide compact, probably unripe, without pectinations; with wide, up to 7 – 8 cells wide reticulate signa, margins crenate, length ca. 190 µm. Ductus spermathecae probably lost in preparation.	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC4FFC61EB5FD0D9B10F8E8.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. Hostplant. Senegalia mellifera (Vahl) Seigler & Ebinger (Fabaceae). Egg: under- or upperside of leaflet. Leafmine (Figs 15 – 18) starts as narrow (often greenish) gallery, gradually widening, later frass black and more distinct; mine suddenly enlarging in elongate blotch with frass heaped at base. Larval exit on upperside.	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC4FFC61EB5FD0D9B10F8E8.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Kenya: Rift valley.	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC4FFC61EB5FD0D9B10F8E8.taxon	biology_ecology	DNA barcodes. We successfully barcoded the holotype and one paratype. Although we do not see any morphological differences, these barcodes differ 8.97 %, but are still each other’s nearest neighbours (BIN’s resp. BOLD: ACG 8699, holotype, BOLD: ACY 4492 PT RMNH. INS. 24059). For the Holotype also a sequence of Elongation Factor 1 α is available (Genbank KX 281563). In Fig. 14 we show a Neighbor Joining tree of African Acalyptris barcodes plus some European and one Arabian species. Acalyptris melliferae groups with the Acalyptris from Aldabra, A. gielisi van Nieukerken, 2010 from the Emirates and a closely related South African species with BIN: BOLD: ADV 3068. The identity of this species is unknown, but it is possible that it concerns A. lanneivora (Vári, 1955) that was shown to be very similar in morphology to A. gielisi (van Nieukerken 2010). This cluster is in this tree sister to European members of the A. platani group and A. fuscofascia, described from South Africa and here recorded as new for Kenya (RMCA. Ent. 03171, Arabuka Sokoko Forest, 20 km W Gede, 25. iii. 2004, J. & W. de Prins).	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC4FFC61EB5FD0D9B10F8E8.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific name, melliferae, a noun in genitive case, refers to the hostplant of the species.	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC4FFC61EB5FD0D9B10F8E8.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Acalyptris melliferae belongs to the Acalyptris platani group, the group to which all known Afrotropical species and most European species belong (van Nieukerken 2007; van Nieukerken et al. 2016 b). Male genitalia in this group are characterized by absence of the transverse bar of transtilla, valva usually with elaborate inner processes, vinculum with posterior ventral plate, joining to phallus carinae. Female genitalia have elaborate vaginal sclerites, and conspicuous elongate reticulate signa. It shares the presence of lateral support rods with A. lanneivora and A. gielisi (Scoble 1980; van Nieukerken 2010) and many North American species (Wilkinson 1979). In the phylogeny by Doorenweerd et al. (2016) it also groups in the A. platani group, as sister to A. gielisi. The large difference in the DNA barcode is unusual and difficult to explain based on single specimens only. It is possible that one of these is either caused by a pseudogene or by a technical error. The sequence of the paratype was obtained by genome skimming and assembled by subsequent Bioinformatics, and although it seems that differences occur over the full length of the barcode, a chimaera sequence cannot be excluded a priori. Still, we prefer to present these barcodes, as a natural cause is also possible. Variation within a population has been noted in DNA barcodes of other Lepidoptera species, e. g. Acalyptris janzeni van Nieukerken, 2016 (van Nieukerken et al. 2016 a) and especially in the gelechiid moth Megacraspedus lanceolellus (Zeller, 1850) (Huemer & Karsholt 2018). So far obtaining barcodes of other specimens failed. With its size, A. melliferae ranks amongst the ten smallest Nepticulidae globally (Stonis et al. 2021).	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC1FFC81EB5F96C9C58FBAD.taxon	description	http: // zoobank. org / urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 07 E 2 F 990 - 1 B 7 A- 425 B-A 482 - E 25582046 BC 9 (Figs. 19 – 35)	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC1FFC81EB5F96C9C58FBAD.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype. KENYA • ♂; Rift Valley, L [ake] Bogoria; alt. 1000 m; 0 ° 15 ' N 36 ° 5 ' E; D. J. L. Agassiz leg.; em [erged] 22. viii. 2007; e. l. Acacia mellifera; B. M. ♂ Genitalia slide No. 34306, RMNH Microlepidoptera Genitalia slide E. J. van Nieukerken 5055 ♂; DNA voucher, sample id: RMNH. INS. 25055, BOLD: LRMNH 085 – 18; NHMUK 013702412. Paratypes (8 ♂, 4 ♀). KENYA • 1 ♂; same label data as Holotype; RMNH. INS. 1557484. • 1 ♀; same label data as Holotype; em [erged] 26. viii. 2007; Genitalia slide BM 34307 (EvN 5615) ♀; DNA voucher RMNH. INS. 25615; NHMUK 013702416. • 2 ♂ 1 ♀; same label data as Holotype; em [erged] 30 & 31. viii. 2007; NHMUK 013702413 (♂), NHMUK 013702414 (♂), NHMUK 013702415 (♀). • 2 ♂ 2 ♀; same label data as Holotype; em [erged] 22, 30. viii. 2007; Genitalia slides EvN 5614 ♂, EvN 5056 ♀; RMNH. INS. 25614 (♂), RMNH. INS. 1557485 (♂), RMNH. INS. 25056 (♀), RMNH. INS. 1557486 (♀). • 1 ♂; same label data as Holotype; em [erged] 30. viii. 2007; Wing slide EvN 5651; RMNH. INS. 25651. • 1 ♂; Rift Valley, Lake Bogoria E; alt. 1000 m; 0 ° 15 ' N 36 ° 7 ' E; D. J. L. Agassiz; em [erged] 21. xi. 2005; l. on Acacia mellifera; RMNH. INS. 1557483. • 1 ♂; same collection data as previous; em [erged] 25. xi. 2005; NHMUK 013702417. Other material. KENYA • 1 leafmine; 1 Nov. 2004; RMNH. INS. 1557206.	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC1FFC81EB5F96C9C58FBAD.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. This small species differs from most congeners by the distinctly orange pattern, whereas in most Leucoptera this pattern is yellow, and the shining lead grey ground colour. The very large bulbus ejaculatorius in the male is also characteristic.	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC1FFC81EB5F96C9C58FBAD.taxon	description	Description. Adult (Figs 21 – 24). Head smooth, no hairscales. Wingspan males 3.6 – 4.2 mm (n = 8), females 3.9 – 4.4 mm (n = 3). Forewing length males 1.5 – 2.0 mm (1.8 ± 0.2, n = 8), females 1.7 – 2.0 mm (n = 3). Head: Antenna lead grey, in males with 27 – 34 articles (n = 7), including scape, in females with 30 – 37 articles (n = 3). Scape enlarged, forming eyecap. Face smooth, shining silvery white, palpi not visible externally; vertex shining lead grey, smoothly covered with lamellar scales. Thorax, tegulae and forewing basis shining lead grey, similar to vertex; forewing with an oblique, orange-yellowish fascia from middle of costa running to about 3 / 5 of dorsum, not or slightly edged basally with darker grey scales, distally clearly edged, a second orange-yellow patch follows after a narrow, straight, grey fascia. This orange patch does not reach dorsum; along costa it is followed by three short black streaks; at tornus by darker shining grey scales and apically by a distinct black dot. Fringe line with dark tipped scales, fringe silvery white with two black lines forming a sharp to right angle. Hindwing very narrow, silvery white. Abdomen dorsally dark grey, vertically silvery white; abdominal terga II to VII with many spines (Fig. 31). Venation (Figs 25, 26). The venation is extremely reduced, in forewing with two main veins, Rs + M and probably Cu; from Rs two barely visible veins run to costa. Hindwing with one barely visible vein. Male genitalia (Figs 27 – 32). Vinculum or S 8 reduced to a pair of narrow anterior appendices; apically with two pairs of narrow valval like appendages, the inner pair representing the anellar lobes or the valvae (cf Mey 1994), with blunt apex; length ca. 120 – 130 µm long; the outer pair representing the pleural lobes (“ Lateralloben ” in Mey 1994) or T 8 in the terminology of Bradley and Carter (1982), heavily setose. Transtilla with a pair of very long and narrow anterior apophyses. Phallus with extremely large, slightly asymmetric, bulbus ejaculatorius and a short, narrow apical part (by Mey termed aedeagus), with central ductus ejaculatorius; wall of bulbus distinctly porous. Total length of phallus ca. 685 µm. Female genitalia (Figs 33, 34). Apophyses relatively short and straight, posteriores ca 205 – 220 µm long. Internal genitalia not well developed in examined specimens (not matured).	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC1FFC81EB5F96C9C58FBAD.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. Hostplant. Senegalia mellifera (Vahl) Seigler & Ebinger. Egg: on leaf upperside, in centre. Leafmine (Figs 19, 20, only one available) a typical Leucoptera mine, a more or less circular upperside blotch, using more than half leaflet, no trace of an initial gallery. Frass more or less in concentric circles, grey to black. Exit slit on leaf upperside.	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC1FFC81EB5F96C9C58FBAD.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Kenya: Rift valley.	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC1FFC81EB5F96C9C58FBAD.taxon	biology_ecology	DNA barcodes (Fig. 34). We have a full barcode of a paratype, and a partial barcode of the holotype (375 basepairs). The barcode belongs to BIN BOLD: AFX 7972. Its nearest neighbour is BOLD: AEY 4829 at 3.42 % with three Malaise trapped specimens from Tanzania, Serengeti. Two barcodes in BIN BOLD: ACX 1248 from Kenya, Mpala Research Centre & Olduvai at a distance of 3.9 – 4 % are probably also closely related, a single photo on BOLD (BIOUG 23694 - H 08) clearly shows a female Leucoptera. The cluster BOLD: ADU 3811, with a similarity of 94.77 %, from South Africa, Kruger NP, is another related Leucoptera species. Together these African taxa group with the European Leucoptera lotella (Stainton, 1859)	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC1FFC81EB5F96C9C58FBAD.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific name, aurantia, is the female form of the Latin adjective aurantius (orange), referring to the orange fasciae on the forewings.	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
9760F26EFFC1FFC81EB5F96C9C58FBAD.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Both on DNA barcodes and in the morphology, L. aurantia belongs to the lustratella-Gruppe of Mey (1994). It shares the large bulbus ejaculatorius with L. lotella and L. onobrychidella (Klimesch, 1937) and the setose appendices of the anellus with L. onobrychidella. Apart from L lustratella (that feeds on Hypericaceae), the members of this group feed on Fabaceae.	en	Van Nieukerken, Erik J., Agassiz, David J. L. (2026): New leafminers on Senegalia mellifera (formerly Acacia mellifera, Fabaceae) in Kenya (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae & Cemiostomidae) are some of Africa’s smallest moths. Zootaxa 5752 (3): 417-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5752.3.6
