Global Nepticulidae, Opostegidae, and Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera): temporal dynamics of species descriptions and their authors

Unexpected mitotype diversity of Simplimorpha promissa (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae) in Ukraine and Armenia revealing a possible cryptic taxon

In this paper, the results of a recent molecular study of theCotinus-feeding, leaf-miningSimplimorpha promissa(Staudinger) (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae) are discussed for the first time on the basis of samples collected in Ukraine and Armenia. Newly obtained mtDNACO1-5'sequences from these countries were compared with previously known sequences from France, Italy, Croatia and Greece. A mitotype network and a Neighbor-Joining tree of twenty-two specimens ofS. promissaare provided.They show that the studied specimens from Ukraine and the rest of the European countries are genetically closer to each other than to the examined specimens from Armenia, thereby suggesting the Armenian specimens could represent a sister taxon to the EuropeanS. promissa. The study also revealed a significantly large genetic diversity ofS. promissain Ukraine.

Genera of Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera): a review of the global fauna, with descriptions of new taxa

For the first time, genera of leaf mining Tischeriidae of the global fauna are reviewed and four new genera are described: Coptotrichoides Dikus & Stonis, gen. nov., trophically associated with Sapindaceae from Central and South America; Rytietia Dikus, Xu & Dai, gen. nov., trophically associated with Annonaceae from East and South East Asia; Pafazaria Dikus & Stonis, gen. nov., trophically associated with Fabaceae and Malvaceae from East and South East Asia; and Gnathitischeria Dikus, gen. nov., trophically associated with Malvaceae and Asteraceae from Central America. In addition to the descriptions of new genera, all previously described genera (Coptotriche Walsingham, 1890; Dishkeya Stonis, 2020; Tischeria Zeller, 1839; Manitischeria Dikus & Stonis, 2021; Neotischeria Dikus & Stonis, 2021; Paratischeria Dikus & Stonis, 2017; and Astrotischeria Puplesis & Dikus, 2003) are characterized and a pictorial identification key for all 11 genera is provided. Morphological and biological characteristics of all genera are supplemented with some molecular data. We described 12 new species: South East Asian Coptotriche sapaensis Dikus & Stonis, sp. nov.; Central American Coptotrichoides sapindoidum Dikus & Stonis, sp. nov. and Tischeria neokristenseni Dikus & Stonis, sp. nov.; South East Asian Rytietia uncinata Dikus, Xu & Dai, sp. nov., East Asian R. chongyiensis Xu & Dai, sp. nov.; South East Asian Pafazaria capitata Dikus & Stonis, sp. nov. and P. faboidica Dikus & Stonis, sp. nov.; Central American Neotischeria antigua Dikus & Remeikis, sp. nov. and N. subantigua Dikus & Remeikis, sp. nov.; South American Astrotischeria incae Dikus & Stonis, sp. nov.; and Central American Gnathitischeria atitlani Dikus & Stonis, sp. nov. and G. arcana Dikus & Stonis, sp. nov. The taxonomic rank of the East Asian subspecies Tischeria decidua siorkionla Kozlov, 1986 is elevated to species rank: T. siorkionla Kozlov (stat. nov.). The male genitalia of holotypes, paratypes, lectotypes or paralectotypes, or non-type specimens of some little-known species are examined for the first time. We provide the first morphological documentation for the following: Tischeria ceanothi lectotype and paralectotype; T. immaculata (stat. restored) paratype; Coptotrichoides deliquescens (Meyrick) lectotype and paralectotype; lectotypes of Coptotriche aenea (Frey & Boll), Astrotischeria plagifera (Meyrick), A. helianthi (Frey & Boll), and A. ephaptis (Meyrick); Coptotriche berberella (De Prins) paratype; and the first photographic documentation of Tischeria lvoskyi Kozlov holotype. Some non-type specimens deposited at NHMUK, including a few previously neglected species, are also examined and documented, including the American Astrotischeria solidagonifoliella (Clemens) and A. omissa (Braun). Nine new combinations are provided: Coptotrichoides deliquescens (Meyrick, 1915), comb. nov.; C. singularis (Stonis & Dikus) comb. nov.; C. suprafasciata (Dikus & Stonis) comb. nov., C. serjaniphaga (Remeikis & Stonis) comb. nov.; C. braziliensis (Dikus & Stonis) comb. nov.; Pafazaria jingdongensis (Xu & Dai), comb. nov.; Neotischeria explosa (Braun) comb. nov.; N. pallidipennella (Braun) comb. nov.; and Astrotischeria heteroterae (Frey & Boll) comb. nov. The synonymization of Tischeria longeciliata Frey & Boll, 1878 with Astrotischeria helianthi (Frey & Boll, 1878) is confirmed. One new species group, the Tischeria ceanothi group, is established. We also report a new distribution record of T. dodonaea Stainton from the Caucasus, Armenia. Three tables and 569 figures of adult external morphology, male and female genitalia, leaf mines, and cladograms based on molecular characters are provided.