Stigmella monstrata 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 : 24-26

Stigmella monstrata Remeikis & Stonis , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 , 89–94 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, ARGENTINA, Neuquen Province, San Martin de los Andes, elevation ca. 640 m, 17–31.x.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA 284♂ ( ZMUC) . Paratypes: 5 ♂, 1 ♀, same locality as holotype, 8.x–26.x.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide RA 283♂, RA 285♂, RA 307♀, RA 644♂, RA 645♂, RA 646♂ ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Río Negro Province, San Carlos de Bariloche, Colonia Suiza, elevation 800–810 m, 29.xi.1978 and 23.xii.1981, Mision Cientifica Danesa, genitalia slide RA 308♂, RA 556♀ ( ZMUC) .

Diagnosis. The unique set of cornuti in the phallus (see fig. 91) distinguishes S. monstrata sp. nov. from all other Stigmella species, including the most similar S. hylomaga (Meyrick) and S. torosa sp. nov.

Male ( Fig. 89 ). Forewing length 2.4–2.5 mm; wingspan 5.3–5.6 mm. Head: palpi grey white; frontal tuft grey to yellowish beige; collar and scape grey cream to greyish white with silvery gloss; antenna longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 40–42 segments, brown-grey to pale grey on upper side and underside. Thorax and tegula grey, glossy. Forewing: basal part dark brown-grey to dark grey, with little purple iridescence; area before fascia and forewing apex may appear darker (fuscous brown with strong golden gloss and purple iridescence); fascia distinctly postmedian to subapical, golden glossy; fringe brown-grey, distally whitish grey; underside of forewing grey-brown, without spots. Hindwing dark grey to dark grey-brown on upper side and underside, without spots or androconia; its fringe grey-brown. Legs dark grey-brown on upper side, brownish cream on underside. Abdomen fuscous grey on upper side, grey cream to grey on underside.

Female. Similar to male. Forewing length about 2.2 mm; wingspan about 4.9 mm. Frontal tuft brown to brown orange. Flagellum with 33 segments. Forewing base with strong golden gloss; fascia silvery or golden shiny.

Male genitalia ( Figs 90–93 ). Capsule longer (320–355 µm) than wide (195–210 µm). Uncus with two small triangular lobes. Gnathos with two caudal processes. Valva 200–205 µm long, with two small apical processes; transtilla rather angular, with very weakly developed sublateral processes. Vinculum with large lateral lobes. Phallus ( Figs 91, 92 ) 230–320 µm long, 110–115 µm wide; vesica with 3 large and 2 very large curved cornuti.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 87 ). Total length about 955 µm. Anterior and posterior apophyses almost equal in length. Vestibulum without sclerites. Corpus bursae: long folded part strongly thickened along one margin; basal part 400 µm long, 455 µm wide, with indistinctive pectination; signa absent. Accessory sac small; ductus spermathecae with one sclerite. Abdominal apex rather wide, almost truncated distally.

Bionomics. Adults fly in November–early December. Otherwise biology unknown.

Distribution ( Figs 1 ). This species occurs in the southern Andes ( Argentina: Rio Negro Province) at altitudes about 800 m.

Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin monstrus (monster) in reference to the very large curved cornuti.

Figures

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

FIGURES 89 – 94. Stigmella monstrata Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. 89, male holotype; 90, male genitalia, capsule, slide no. RA 283, paratype; 91, phallus, slide no. RA 284, holotype; 92, same, slide no. RA 283, paratype; 93, capsule, slide no. RA 284, holotype; 94, female genitalia, slide no. RA 307 (ZMUC).

FIGURES 84 – 88. Stigmella torosa Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. 84, 85, male adult, holotype; 86, male genitalia, capsule with phallus removed, genitalia slide no. RA 291; 87, female genitalia, slide no. RA 303; 88, male genitalia, phallus, genitalia slide no. RA 291 (ZMUC).