Do leaf-mining Nepticulidae occur in the natural but so threatened Andean Polylepis forests?

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2016
Authors:J. R. Stonis, Diškus, A., Remeikis, A., Karsholt, O.
Journal:Biologija
Volume:62
Issue:2
Pagination:83-97
Date Published:September-2016
ISSN:1392-0146
Keywords:Conservation, Ecuador, Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae, New species, Peru, Rosaceae, Stigmella polylepiella
Abstract:

Despite the  fact that Polylepis forests constitute the  natural but threatened vegetation in much of the  high Andes and are very important for their ecological functions, no leaf-mining Nepticulidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera, Nepticuloidea) associated with Polylepis Ruiz  &  Pav. as a  host-plant have been recorded previously. In this paper, for the first time, we report on four discoveries of Polylepis-feeding Nepticulidae species in Ecuador and Peru. From the high Andes of Peru, we describe a new species Stigmella polylepiella Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., whose larvae throughout all instars are leaf-miners in leaves of Polylepis racemosa Ruiz & Pav. and spin a unique shaped cocoon inside the leaf-mine. We also provide illustrations and short descriptions of male genitalia and leaf-mines of two other new Stigmella Schrank species, whose larvae are leaf-miners on Polylepis pauta Hieron. in Ecuador; these two taxa are documented but left unnamed because they are described from dissected developed pupae, not emerged adults. Additionally, we document leaf-mines of an unknown Nepticulidae taxon associated with Polylepis racemosa in the Peruvian Andes.

URL:http://lmaleidykla.lt/ojs/index.php/biologija/article/view/3334
DOI:10.6001/biologija.v62i2.3334
Short Title:biologija
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith