Exploring species diversity and host plant associations of leaf-mining micromoths (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in the Russian Far East using DNA barcoding Author Kirichenko, Natalia Author Triberti, Paolo Author Akulov, Evgeniy Author Ponomarenko, Margarita Author Gorokhova, Svetlana Author Sheiko, Viktor Author Ohshima, Issei Author Lopez-Vaamonde, Carlos text Zootaxa 2019 2019-08-07 4652 1 1 55 journal article 26071 10.11646/zootaxa.4652.1.1 6a9d1e6c-413c-4d86-a0ed-25794f202b06 1175-5326 3363475 6A7D6858-A43D-4FD5-8B76-FE3C1EB8DAB3 Phyllonorycter sp. 4 Material examined. Russia : SO , Sakhalin Island , Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk , Gagarin Park , 46.96N , 142.75E , 69 m alt., Alnus hirsuta , 11.VII.2017 , 1 larva, NK618 , MK 403695 , deposited in INRA . Leaf mine. The mine is similar to Ph. strigulatella and was found on the same trees. Pupation in the mine. Trophic specialization. Monophagous on Alnus hirsuta (Betulaceae) . Distribution. Russia : RFE—PK . Remarks. BIN of unknown species—BOLD: ADM1303. In East Asia , eight Phyllonorycter species develop on Alnus , among which five species, besides other hosts, feed on Alnus hirsuta : Ph. hancola (Kumata) , Ph. kisoensis Kumata et Park , Ph. longispinata (Kumata) , Ph. maculata (Kumata) , Ph. strigulatella (Zeller) ( De Prins & De Prins 2018 ) . The three other species develop on other alder in East Asia : Ph. ermani (Kumata) (host plant: Alnus maximowiczii , however the main host is Betula ), Ph. fruticosella (Kuznetzov) ( A. viridis ), Ph. takagii (Kumata) ( A. japonica ). From this list of Alnus -feeding species, only Ph. strigulatella has been barcoded and it shows 3.9% genetic distance from Phyllonorycter sp. 4 ( Table 2 ). Our specimen could be one of these four species— Ph. hancola , Ph. kisoensis , Ph. longispinata , or Ph. maculata .