Stigmella varispinella Diskus & Stonis, sp. nov.

Stigmella varispinella Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov.

(Figs 2, 4–12, 37)

Type material. Holotype: ♂, ECUADOR, Chimborazo Province, about 30 km NE Pallatanga, 1°52'41"S, 78°54'11"W, elevation 3025 m, leaf-mining larva on Asteraceae plant 26.i.2005), field card no. 4832, A. Diškus & J. R. Stonis, genitalia slide no. AD 810♂ (ZMUC).

Diagnosis. The combination of a long, lobate vinculum, distinctive basal connection between valvae, and the blue-purple iridescence of the forewing distinguishes S. varispinella sp. nov. from the most similar S. olekarsholti sp. nov. (see also the pictorial key to the S. magnispinella group provided in figs 4, 5).

Male (Fig. 37). Forewing length about 2.0 mm; wingspan about 4.5 mm. Head: palpi glossy, brownish cream; frontal tuft pale ferruginous to ochreous cream (at certain angle of view concolorous with scape and collar); collar and scape ochreous cream; antenna distinctly longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 33–35 segments, dark grey-brown with golden gloss. Thorax and tegula very dark grey-brown with golden gloss. Forewing dark grey-brown with golden gloss and with two very slender, ill-defined, silvery shiny fasciae: postmedian and apical; most scales of forewing apex with strong blue and light purple iridescence while scales in forewing basal 2/3 with weak blue and purple iridescence; fringe grey-brown with some golden gloss; underside of forewing brown-black, without spots or androconia. Hindwing grey to dark grey on upper side and underside, without androconia or spots; its fringe pale grey to dark grey. Legs glossy, greyish cream; hindlegs with dark grey scales on upper side. Abdomen black-grey on upper side.

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia (Figs 4–12). Capsule longer (285–290 µm) than wide (140 µm). Uncus with two distally tapered lateral lobes (Fig. 9). Gnathos with two stout caudal processes. Valva (Figs 6–8) 150 µm long, with bulged inner lobe and one slender apical processes; transtilla with large sublateral processes (Figs 6, 7). Juxta indistintive or absent. Ventral plate of vinculum very long, with large lateral lobes. Phallus (Figs 11, 12) 175–180 µm long, 45– 50 µm wide; vesica with a specific set of cornuti comprised of two groups of small spine-like cornuti and one very large horn-like cornutus (Fig. 12).

Bionomics. Larvae mine leaves of in January (the host, an Asteraceae plant, has not been properly documented and identified and remains unknown. However, we consider that the host-plant may belong to the genus Gynoxys Cass., Asteraceae). Leaf-mine is combined: in the beginning, the gallery is very slender; further it widened to a large elongate blotch (the leaf-mine has not been properly recorded). Holotype adult emerged in February. Cocoon yellowish white. Otherwise biology unknown.

Distribution. Known from single locality in the Andes (Ecuador: Pichincha Province) at elevation of 3025 m (Fig. 2).

Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin varius (varied, diverse) and spina (a spine, thorn, bone) in reference to the combination of small and large cornuti in the male genitalia.