Stigmella acalyphae Diškus & Stonis, 2017

Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius, Karsholt, Ole & Torres, Nixon Cumbicus, 2017, Illustrated review of the leaf-mining Nepticulidae of the central Andes (Peru and Bolivia), Zootaxa 4257 (1), pp. 1-70 : 24

10. Stigmella acalyphae Diškus & Stonis , sp. nov.

( Figs 2 , 9 , 14–16 , 35 , 37 , 49–54 , 104 , 111–115 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂ PERU: Calca Province , Písac, 13°25'02˝S, 71°50'23˝W, elevation 3020 m, mining larvae on Acalypha sp. 22.x.2008, ex pupa xi.2008, field card no. 4950, leg. A. Diškus, genitalia slide no. AD 758♂ ( ZMUC) . Paratype: 2 ♀, same label data as holotype, genitalia slide no. AD756♀, AD950♀ (ZMUC).

Diagnosis. Belongs to the Stigmella expressa group. The combination of very long vinculum without lateral lobes, gnathos with one stout processes, large apical processes of valva, transtilla with long sublateral processes, and two large cornuti in the male genitalia distinguishes S. acalyphae sp. nov. from all other Stigmella . The fact that it feeds on Acalypha aronioides also make this species distinctive.

Male ( Fig. 35 ). Forewing length 2.1–2.2 mm; wingspan about 4.8 mm. Head: palpi greyish cream; frontal tuft orangish beige; collor yellowish cream; scape greyish yellow cream; antenna slightly longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 26–27 segments, grey-brown with some purple iridescence on upper side, greyish cream on underside. Thorax, tegula and forewing greyish golden cream sparsely speckled with brown-black scales with purple iridescence; these dark scales most abundant on forewing apex and form a false apical fascia; fringe golden cream apically, blackish grey on tornus; underside of forewing dark grey-brown, without spots or androconia. Hindwing pale grey on upper side and underside, with some purple iridescence; without spots or androconia; its fringe pale grey. Legs dark grey to black-grey on upper side, brownish cream on underside. Abdomen dark grey with some purple iridescence on upper side, cream with golden gloss on underside; genital plates cream; anal tufts very short, indistinctive, greyish cream.

Female ( Fig. 35 ). Forewing length about 2.0 mm; wingspan 4.4–4.5 mm. Flagellum with 23 segments. Forewing tends to be darker, with more brown-black scales on forewing apex than in male.

Male genitalia ( Figs 49–54 ). Capsule much longer (275 µm) than wide (130 µm). Vinculum with very long ventral plate. Uncus with four small lobes. Gnathos with one caudal process and large angular plate. Valva 125–130 µm long, 45–50 µm wide, with two very large apical processes and slightly bulged inner lobe; transtilla with very long sublateral processes. Juxta membranous, indistinctive. Phallus ( Fig. 54 ) 215 µm long, 35–55 µm wide; vesica with two large cornuti.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 104 ). Total length about 450 µm. Anterior and posterior apophyses almost equal in lenght; anterior apophyses broad distally; posterior apophyses very slender. Vestibulum narrow, without sclerites. Corpus bursae without signa; pectinations invisible or absent. Abdominal apex gradually narrowing, with two small distal papillae.

Bionomics. Host-plant: Acalypha aronioides Pax & K. Hoffm. ( Figs 111, 112 ). Larvae mine leaves in October (together with other species— S. lepida Diškus & Stonis , sp. nov.). Leaf-mines of these two species are similar and, therefore, were mixed up during the fieldwork ( Figs 113–115 ). Adults emerged in November. Otherwise biology unknown.

Distribution ( Figs 9 , 14, 16 ). This species occurs in the Peruvian Andes ( Peru: Calca Departamento) at altitudes about 3020 m.

Etymology. The species is named after the host-plant Acalypha L., Euphorbiaceae .

Figures

FIGURE 35. Adults of the central Andean Nepticulidae.

FIGURE 37. Diagnostics of the central Andean Stigmella.

FIGURES 1 – 8. Distribution of the central Andean Nepticulidae. 1, high-Andean species recorded at altitudes above 3700 m (after Stonis et al. 2016 d); 2, species recorded at altitudes below 3700 m; 3 – 8, some collecting areas in the Peruvian Andes.

FIGURES 9 – 11. Distribution of the central Andean Nepticulidae. 9, species recorded at altitudes below 3700 m; 10, 11, some collecting areas in Peru. * — Stigmella epicosma Meyrick is also known from Arica Province, northern Chile (Vargas 2011); ** – S. inca sp. nov. is also discovered in southern Ecuador.

FIGURES 12 – 18. Distribution of some central Andean Nepticulidae. 12 – 14, 17, 18, habitats, Peru; 15, 16, distribution maps.

FIGURES 49 – 54. Male genitalia of Stigmella acalyphae Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. AD 758 (ZMUC); 49, valva; 50, apical processes of valva; 51 – 53, capsule with phallus removed; 54, phallus.

FIGURES 104 – 107. Female genitalia of new Stigmella species. 104, S. acalyphae Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., paratype, genitalia slide no. AD 756; 105, S. inca Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., paratype, genitalia slide no. AD 762; 106, S. coronaria Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., paratype, genitalia slide no. AD 769; 107, same, genitalia slide no. AD 771 (ZMUC).

FIGURES 111 – 115. Leaf-mines of Stigmella acalyphae Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., and S. lepida Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. on Acalypha L. 111, 112, host-plant, Acalypha aronioides Pax & K. Hoffm.; 113 – 115, leaf-mines (Note: leaf-mines of these two species are similar and were mixed up during fieldwork).