Illustrated review of the leaf-mining Nepticulidae of the central Andes (Peru and Bolivia)
Author
Stonis, Jonas R.
Author
Diškus, Arūnas
Author
Remeikis, Andrius
Author
Karsholt, Ole
Author
Torres, Nixon Cumbicus
text
Zootaxa
2017
4257
1
1
70
journal article
33173
10.5281/zenodo.556874
90f99d44-c68c-4602-90f1-2802409db73d
1175-5326
556874
98E19676-EC03-4026-B4B6-39BEC10B5A05
38.
Stigmella azulella
Diškus & Stonis
,
sp. nov.
(
Figs 9
,
25–28
,
32
,
37
,
92–94
)
Type
material.
Holotype
:
♂
,
BOLIVIA
:
Nor Yungas Province
,
Coroico
, 16°11'49˝S, 67°43'07˝W,
elevation
2030 m
, mining larvae on leaves of an unidentified plant
25.iv.2014
, ex pupa
v.2014
, field card no. 5164,
A. Diškus
, genitalia slide no. AD
666♂
(
ZMUC
)
.
Diagnosis.
Belongs to the
S. pseudodigitata
species group. The combination of blue and purple scales on the forewing, closely juxtaposed caudal processes of gnathos, and specific set of cornuti distinguishes
S. azulella
sp. nov.
from all other
Stigmella
species, including the most similar and probably closely related
S
.
pseudodigitata
.
Male
(
Fig. 32
). Forewing length about
2.1 mm
; wingspan about
4.6 mm
. Head: palpi pale ochre cream; frontal tuft dark ferruginous; collar and scape golden cream to ochre cream; antenna slightly longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 24–26, dark brown to grey with some golden gloss and blue iridescence. Thorax, tegula, forewing and its fringe concolorous, pale brownish grey with strong blue and little purple iridescence (on certain angle of view forewing may look ferruginous with a fuscous apical spot); underside of forewing dark grey, without spots. Hindwing and its fringe pale brownish grey on upper side and underside, with golden gloss but without spots or blue iridescence. Legs dark grey-brown on upper side, grey on underside. Abdomen fuscous grey, metallic glossy on upper side, grey on underside; anal tufts grey cream to cream; genital plates yellowish cream.
Female
. Unknown.
Male genitalia
(
Figs 92–94
). Capsule longer (225 µm) than wide (155 µm). Uncus truncated (
Fig. 97
). Gnathos with two closely juxtaposed caudal processes. Valva (
Figs 97, 98
) 110–115 µm long, 45–50 µm wide, with very long apical process and slightly bulged inner lobe; transtilla with corners extended into very short sublateral processes (
Fig. 92
). Vinculum with short ventral plate and pointed lateral lobes. Phallus (
Fig. 94
) 230 µm long, 60– 75 µm wide; vesica with a specific set of cornuti comprised of one large, faceted cornutus, four wide spine-like cornuti and three long digitate cornuti.
Bionomics
. Host-plant unknown (remains unidentified). Larvae mine in leaves in April. Leaf-mine as a very long and narrow gallery along the leaf margin. Cocoon orangish beige, almost round; length about
2.5 mm
, width about
1.5 mm
. Adults fly in May.
Distribution
(
Figs 9
). This species occurs in the Bolivian Andes (
Bolivia
: Nor Yungas Departamento) at altitudes about
2030 m
(
Figs 25–28
).
Etymology.
The species name is derived from Spanish
azul
(blue) in reference to the numerous distinctive blue and purple scales on the male forewing.