Astrotischeria bacchariphaga Diškus & Stonis, 2019

Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius, Katinas, Liliana, Torres, Nixon Cumbicus, Schuster, Jack & Puplesyte-Chambers, Julia, 2019, Diagnostics of new species of Neotropical Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera), with the first record of Coptotriche Walshingham from South America, Zootaxa 4691 (1), pp. 1-32 : 9-11

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4691.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:14CC7B3E-ACBB-4770-A9D2-3AD35A1A2532
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/16C9CB09-B2A6-4F71-A506-90DCB2C58878
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:16C9CB09-B2A6-4F71-A506-90DCB2C58878
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Astrotischeria bacchariphaga Diškus & Stonis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Astrotischeria bacchariphaga Diškus & Stonis View in CoL , sp. nov.

( Figs 6–9 View FIGURES 6–9 , 38, 39 View FIGURES 38–41 , 71–79 View FIGURES 71–75 View FIGURES 76–79 , 121–124 View FIGURES 121–124 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, ECUADOR: Tungurahua Province, Baños de Agua Santa, 1 ° 24ꞌ3ꞌꞌS, 78 ° 25ꞌ45ꞌꞌW, el- evation 1940 m, mining larvae on Baccharis latifolia ( Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. ( Asteraceae) , 9.ii.2007, ex pupa iii.2007, field card no. 4848, A. Diškus and J. R. Stonis, genitalia slide no. AD 979♂ ( ZMUC) . Paratypes (11 ♂, 6 ♀): 2 ♂, 2 ♀, same label data as holotype; 6 ♂, 3 ♀, 1 ° 23ꞌ44ꞌS, 78 ° 26ꞌ14ꞌꞌW, 9.xi.2007, ex pupa xii.2007, field card no. 4910, A. Diškus, genitalia slides nos AD 980♂, AD 982♂, AD 983♀ ; 3 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 ° 23ꞌ44ꞌS, 78 ° 26ꞌ14ꞌꞌW, elevation 1855 m, mining larvae on Baccharis emarginata ( Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. ( Asteraceae) , 9.xi.2007, ex pupa xii.2007, field card no. 4911, A. Diškus, genitalia slides nos AD 984♂, AD 985♂ (from mature pupa, adult not preserved) ( ZMUC).

Diagnosis. Externally, this new species can be confused with some other speckled Astrotischeria species, including A. guatemalica . However, males and females of A. bacchariphaga possess a unique scaling of the face that is proximally grey-brown, and distally bright ochre. In the male genitalia, the combination of a distinct uncus ( Figs 71, 72 View FIGURES 71–75 ), large dorsal process of the valva ( Fig. 71 View FIGURES 71–75 ), distally thickened, round vinculum ( Fig. 73 View FIGURES 71–75 ), and unique phallus ( Figs 74, 75 View FIGURES 71–75 ) distinguishes A. bacchariphaga from all known congeneric species. This species is also distinctive because no other species in this genus is known to feed on Baccharis latifolia and B. emarginata .

Description. Male ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 38–41 ). Forewing length 3.1–4.2 mm; wingspan 6.8–8.8 mm (n = 7).

Head. Face triangular, pale grey, distally ochre cream to bright ochre; labial palpus ochre cream, contrasting with face; frontal tuft and collar dark, grey-brown, metallic shiny at base; antenna distinctly longer than one-half length of forewing; flagellum glossy, grey-brown, irregularly annulated with darker scales.

Thorax. Tegula, thorax, and forewing covered with grey-brown scales with metallic shiny bases and irregularly speckled with ochre scales ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 38–41 ); fringe pale grey-brown, with indistinct and incomplete fringe line, comprised of grey-black scales; forewing underside grey-brown, without spots or androconia. Hindwing and its fringe greybrown on upper side and underside, without androconia. Legs brownish grey.

Abdomen. Glossy, grey-brown on upper side and underside, grey cream on underside; anal tufts pale browngrey, shorter than protruding genital plates. Genitalia ( Figs 71–79 View FIGURES 71–75 View FIGURES 76–79 ) with capsule 920–995 µm long, 500–550 µm broad. Uncus ( Figs 71, 72 View FIGURES 71–75 , 76 View FIGURES 76–79 ) comprised of two wide and very short dorsal lobes ( Fig. 71 View FIGURES 71–75 ) and two slender and long ventral lobes ( Fig. 76 View FIGURES 76–79 ). Valva ( Figs 71, 72 View FIGURES 71–75 , 76 View FIGURES 76–79 ) about 685–690 µm long (excluding the basal process); dorsal lobe greatly developed, very long and broad (see Fig. 71 View FIGURES 71–75 ); second dorsal process of valva very small (see Fig. 79 View FIGURES 76–79 ); transtilla absent; basal process of valva long ( Fig. 73 View FIGURES 71–75 ). Anellus only slightly thickened, mostly membranous, with 2–3 setae laterally ( Fig. 73 View FIGURES 71–75 ). Vinculum rounded and strongly thickened distally ( Figs 73 View FIGURES 71–75 , 79 View FIGURES 76–79 ). Phallus about 1090–1100 µm long, distally deeply bifurcated, symmetrical ( Figs 74, 75 View FIGURES 71–75 ), with two small spines on each lobe ( Fig. 75 View FIGURES 71–75 ).

Female ( Fig. 39 View FIGURES 38–41 ). Forewing length 3.3–3.8 mm; wingspan 7.2–8.2 mm (n = 8).

Head. Similar to male.

Thorax. Tegula and thorax covered with grey-brown scales with metallic shiny bases and irregularly speckled with ochre scales; forewing usually with three (sometimes two or one) distinctive, large, ochre patches. Otherwise as in male.

Abdomen. Glossy, pale brownish cream on upper side, yellow cream to orange-ochre on underside, without anal tufts. Genitalia ( Figs 121–124 View FIGURES 121–124 ) about 1995–2180 µm long. Ovipositor lobes large ( Fig. 121 View FIGURES 121–124 ), clothed with short, modified peg setae; area between ovipositor lobes broad, with tiny papillae and some short setae. Second pair of lobes, lateral and anterior to ovipositor lobes, much smaller than ovipositor lobes, but bearing a few very long slen- der setae, without stout, modified peg setae. Posterior apophyses slightly shorter than anterior ones ( Figs 121, 123 View FIGURES 121–124 ); prela comprised of three pairs of unique projections ( Figs 121, 122 View FIGURES 121–124 ). Corpus bursae long and narrow ( Fig. 124 View FIGURES 121–124 ), without pectinations or signum. Accessory sac inconspicuous; ductus spermathaecae very slender, with 3–4 coils.

Bionomics ( Figs 6–9 View FIGURES 6–9 ). The host plants are Baccharis latifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 6–9 ). and Baccharis emarginata (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. (Asteraceae) ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 6–9 ). Larvae mine leaves in February and November. Larva is brownish yellow with a pale brown head and pale green intestine. The blotch mine ( Figs 8, 9 View FIGURES 6–9 ) is irregular, usually pale brownish, with no frass. Adults occur in March and December.

Distribution. This species is known from the single locality in Ecuador (Baños de Agua Santa), at an elevation of 1900–2000 m, but the host plants have a much broader distribution (see Discussion).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin name of the host plant Baccharis in combination with the Greek phago (an eater), in reference to the feeding habit of the new species.