Brachinepticula colombica Remeikis, Mey & Stonis, 2023

Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Dobrynina, Viktorija & Mey, Wolfram, 2023, Collecting in the Northern Andean Páramo revealed purple iridescent pygmy moths of the little known Andean endemic Brachinepticula (Nepticulidae), Zootaxa 5227 (3), pp. 328-340 : 334-338

Brachinepticula colombica Remeikis, Mey & Stonis , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1251DC4B-3B24-4481-A689-D356BB6A5958

( Figs 4, 5 , 23–29 , 48 )

Type material. Holotype: ♀, COLOMBIA, Cundinamarca, Fómeque, Finca La Laja (near Parque Ecológico Matarredonda , Páramo de Cruz Verde ), 04°34.181’N, 073°49.577’W, 29–31.i.2017, Wolfram Mey , genitalia slide no. RA1101 ( MfN / ICN).

Diagnosis. In the female genitalia, the shape of the modified anterior processes and presence of vaginal sclerites indicate the belonging of this species to Brachinepticula . From the congeneric species, B. colombica sp. nov. differs by a distinctive golden shiny fascia on a grey-brown forewing with purple iridescence. The unusual shape of vaginal sclerites in the female genitalia might also be highly diagnostic.

Male. Unknown.

Female ( Figs 23–25 ). Forewing length about 3.1 mm; wingspan about 6.8 mm. Head: palpi and frons greybrown to blackish brown; frontal ochreous orange; collar distinctive, comprised of rather slender lamellar scales, greyish brown, golden glossy; scape large, golden shiny; antenna slightly longer than half of the length of forewing; flagellum grey-brown, distal 1/5 (8–9 segments) cream. Thorax, tegula and forewing greyish brown, golden glossy, with purple iridescence. Fascia of forewing slightly postmedian, golden shiny; fringe greyish brown; underside of forewing greyish brown, slightly golden glossy, with strong purple iridescence, without spots or androconia. Hindwing relatively wide, grey-brown on upper side and underside, without spots or androconia; its fringe greyish brown. Legs greyish brown. Abdomen grey-brown, golden glossy, with purple iridescence; anal tufts absent (or rubbed).

Female genitalia ( Figs 26–29 ). Total length about 575 μm. Anterior apophyses lobe-like, significantly shorter than posterior apophyses. Genitalia with two short but rather complex vaginal sclerites ( Figs 26, 27 ). Corpus bursae small, oval-shaped; signum or pectinations absent. Accessory sac distinctly rounded, weakly folded; ductus spermathecae chitinized in proximal part, with about 2.5 coils. Abdominal tip very wide, rounded.

Bionomics. Adults fly in January. Otherwise, biology is unknown.

Distribution ( Figs 4, 5 , 48 ). This species occurs in Colombia in Northern Andean Páramo (Cundinamarca), at an elevation about 3,200 m.

Etymology. This species is named after the country, Colombia.

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. Collecting locality in Colombian páramo. 1–4, Brachinepticula melania sp. nov., habitat, Cundinamarca, Parque Ecológico Matarredonda, Páramo de Cruz Verde, 3300 m; 5—B. colombica sp. nov., habitat, Cundinamarca, Fómeque, Finca La Laja (near Parque Ecológico Matarredonda, Páramo de Cruz Verde), 3200 m

FIGURES 23–29. Brachinepticula colombica Remeikis, Mey & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype (MfN / ICN). 23–25, adult female; 26–29, female genitalia, slide no. RA1101

FIGURES 48, 49. Geographical distribution of the genus Brachinepticula Diškus & Stonis. 48, distribution map of all currently known species; 49, South American transition zone of the Neotropical Region (after Stonis et al. 2016 and Morrone 2014, 2015, modified)