Simplimorpha (Myrtinepticula) Stonis & Diškus & Remeikis & Solis 2018, subgen. nov.
Creators: name: Stonis, Jonas R.
name: Diškus, Arūnas
name: Remeikis, Andrius
name: Solis, M. Alma
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Nepticulidae
Simplimorpha

description: Subgenus Myrtinepticula Stonis & Diškus, subgen. nov.
(Figs. 5, 6, 11, 12, 18, 19, 24, 25, 34–37, 45–51, 58, 62, 65–129)
Type species: Simplimorpha (Myrtinepticula) cercaria Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov.
Diagnosis. From the subgenus Simplimorpha, s.g. Myrtinepticula differs by its usually strong purple or blue iridescence of adult scaling, the presence of four distal veins (two in Simplimorpha), the presence of semideveloped anal loop of the forewing (absent in Simplimorpha), three distal veins of hindwing (two in Simplimorpha), very elaborate basal part of the valva, the absence of transverse bar of transtilla with some exceptions (always present in Simplimorpha), slender phallus, greatly reduced corpus bursae, and the very wide anterior apophyses (slender in Simplimorpha). The feeding habit on Myrtaceae and its distribution in South America also make this new subgenus distinct compared to the subgenus Simplimorpha occurring in Africa and the Mediterranean and feeding on Anacardiaceae.
From subgenus Roscidotoga, Myrtinepticula differs by the presence of four distal veins (two in Roscidotoga), the presence of semi-developed anal loop of the forewing (absent in Roscidotoga), three distal veins of hindwing (two in Roscidotoga), very elaborate basal part of valva (see Figs. 18, 19), and the usual absence of transverse bar of transtilla (usually present in Roscidotoga). The host plants from Myrtales (i.e. Eurosids II / Malvids) and the distribution in South America also make new subgenus distinctive compared to the subgenus Roscidotoga that occurs in Australia and feeds Oxalidales (i.e. Eurosids I / Fabids).
Description. Adults with a collar comprised of piliform or lamellar scales. Head (Figs. 88–90) with a threesegmented labial palpus and five-segmented maxillary palpus. Forewing varying, from shiny without fascia (Figs. 65, 66, 69, 74) to dark with one shiny fascia (Fig. 70). Hindleg (Figs. 91, 92) with two pairs of spurs. Forewing venation with four terminal (apical) veins and half-presented/half-reduced anal loop (Figs. 50, 93, 94); hindwing venation with three terminal veins (Figs. 51, 95). Male genitalia: tegumen truncate or broadly rounded, setose (Figs. 5, 6); vinculum large, usually rounded or truncate (Fig. 12), sometimes with large lateral lobes (Fig. 11); valva slender, with a variously developed, elaborate basal part (Figs. 18, 19). Transtilla with a very weak, halfmembranous transverse bar (Fig. 24) or, usually, entirely without such (Fig. 25). Female genitalia: anterior apophyses very broad (Figs. 46–49); ductus spermathecae usually with many distinctive coils (Figs. 45, 47); corpus bursae greatly reduced (Figs. 46, 47), sometimes not preserved during slide preparations.
So far as known, larvae are leaf miners on Myrtaceae, Myrtales, Malvids (=Eurosids II) and produce a very long, contorted, linear leaf mine (Figs. 58, 109–116), with most of the gallery filled with frass. Cocoon round, with a broad, flat rim (Fig. 117).
Currently the genus comprises four species, all of which occur in South America: three species from Patagonian Andes and one from the Peruvian Amazon (Fig. 62).
Etymology. The subgenus name is derived from the plant family Myrtaceae combined with Nepticula (synonymous name for the genus Stigmella) in reference to the feeding on Myrtaceae.
description: Published as part of Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius & Solis, M. Alma, 2018, A Gondwanan concept of Simplimorpha Scoble (sensu lato): a step toward clarity in the generic diagnostics of global Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera), pp. 151-182 in Zootaxa 4521 (2) on pages 158-159, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4521.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/2609733