Stigmella sanmartini Remeikis & Stonis

Stigmella sanmartini Remeikis & Stonis , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 , 49–59 View FIGURES 49 – 54 View FIGURES 55 – 59 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, ARGENTINA, Neuquen Province, San Martin de los Andes , elevation ca. 640 m, 29.ix.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA 385♂ ( ZMUC) . Paratypes: 4 ♂, same locality, 20.ix–15. xi.1981, Nielsen & Karsholt , genitalia slide RA 329♂, RA 599♂, RA 637♂ ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, same locality, 14.x.1981, mine on Mutisia decurrens Cav. (Asteraceae), Nielsen & Karsholt, genitalia slide no. RA 387♂ ( ZMUC) .

Diagnosis. The combination of a phallus with two large cornuti, angular transtilla without sublateral processes, gnathos with two rather short caudal processes, wide and short lateral lobes of uncus, very short vinculum, and a golden glossy, grey-brown forewing with an ill-defined postmedian silvery fascia distinguishes S. sanmartini sp. nov. from all other Stigmella , including a few described and undescribed species which trophically are associated with Asteraceae plants and also possess only two cornuti in the male genitalia (also see Discussion).

Male ( Figs 49, 50 View FIGURES 49 – 54 ). Forewing length 3.0– 3.2 mm; wingspan 6.7–7.1 mm. Head: palpi grey cream to grey; frontal tuft brown-grey to grey; collar and scape brownish cream to golden cream; antenna longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 42–43 segments, dark brown-grey, glossy. Thorax and tegula dark grey-brown with strong golden gloss; forewing grey-brown with golden gloss (dark grey at a certain angle of view); fascia of forewing subapical, ill-defined (usually narrow, indistinctive, and therefore sometimes hardly visible, only occassionally wide), comprised of silvery shiny scales; fringe dark grey, sometimes with areas of greyish white; underside of forewing brown-grey, without spots. Hindwing brownish grey to pale grey on upper side and underside, without spots or androconia; fringe brownish grey. Legs pale grey, silvery glossy to dark brownish grey. Abdomen grey on upper side, shiny grey on underside; genital segments grey cream to cream; anal tufts short, grey cream to grey.

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 55–59 View FIGURES 55 – 59 ). Capsule longer (305 µm) than wide (170 µm). Uncus ( Fig. 57 View FIGURES 55 – 59 ) with two short but wide lobes. Gnathos with two rather short caudal process. Valva 185–190 µm long, 55–60 µm wide, with two small apical processes ( Fig. 56 View FIGURES 55 – 59 ); transtilla ( Fig. 55 View FIGURES 55 – 59 ) angular, without sublateral processes. Vinculum small triangular lateral lobes and very short ventral plate. Phallus ( Figs 58, 59 View FIGURES 55 – 59 ) 220–225 µm long, 80 µm wide; vesica with two cornuti: 50–75 µm long spine-like cornutus and 95–105 µm long horn-like cornutus.

Bionomics ( Figs 52–54 View FIGURES 49 – 54 ). Host-plant: Mutisia decurrens Cav. (Asteraceae) . Larva mines in leaves in October (and probably earlier). Leaf-mine ( Figs 52–54 View FIGURES 49 – 54 ) starts as a very slender sinuous gallery with interrupted very slender central line of black frass; further in the gallery widens; black frass fills ½ to 1/3 of the width of the widened gallery. Larval exit slit on upper side of the leaf. Adults fly from late September to November.

Distribution ( Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 ). This species occurs in the southern Andes ( Argentina: Neuquen Province) at altitudes about 650 m.

Etymology. Despite the name of the type locality of Stigmella sanmartini sp. nov. ( San Martin de los Andes), the species is named not after the locality, but in honor of Argentine general José de San Martín ( 1778–1850). A national hero of Argentina and Peru, he played a significant role in the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire.