A global phylogeny of leafmining Ectoedemia moths (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae): exploring host plant family shifts and allopatry as drivers of speciation

A new North American species of Etainia (Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae), feeding on Arbutus and Arctostaphylos species (Ericaceae)

Etainiathoraceleuca van Nieukerken, Epstein & Davis, sp. nov. is the second native American species of Etainia Beirne, 1945, and the second known Etainia species feeding on Ericaceae. The species is known from light-collected adults in the USA (California, Arizona) and Canada (Ontario). These were linked via DNA barcodes to larvae that make short leafmines on Arbutus and Arctostaphylos species, then continue feeding in stems and branches, causing damage in nurseries and planted trees in Sonoma and Marin Counties, California. The holotype was accidentally reared from Arbutusarizonica, without observing the damage. Life history and damage are described in detail. Damage in Arctostaphylosuva-ursi found in Washington State probably belongs to E.thoraceleuca, which is a sister species to the European E.albibimaculella (Larsen, 1927).

SNPtotree-Resolving the Phylogeny of SNPs on Non-Recombining DNA

Genetic variants on non-recombining DNA and the hierarchical order in which they accumulate are commonly of interest. This variant hierarchy can be established and combined with information on the population and geographic origin of the individuals carrying the variants to find population structures and infer migration patterns. Further, individuals can be assigned to the characterized populations, which is relevant in forensic genetics, genetic genealogy, and epidemiologic studies. However, there is currently no straightforward method to obtain such a variant hierarchy. Here, we introduce the software SNPtotree v1.0, which uniquely determines the hierarchical order of variants on non-recombining DNA without error-prone manual sorting. The algorithm uses pairwise variant comparisons to infer their relationships and integrates the combined information into a phylogenetic tree. Variants that have contradictory pairwise relationships or ambiguous positions in the tree are removed by the software. When benchmarked using two human Y-chromosomal massively parallel sequencing datasets, SNPtotree outperforms traditional methods in the accuracy of phylogenetic trees for sequencing data with high amounts of missing information. The phylogenetic trees of variants created using SNPtotree can be used to establish and maintain publicly available phylogeny databases to further explore genetic epidemiology and genealogy, as well as population and forensic genetics.

Preliminary population studies of the grassland swallowtail butterfly Euryades corethrus (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae)

Euryades corethrus is a Troidini butterfly (Papilionidae, Papilioninae), endemic to grasslands in southern Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. Formerly abundant, nowadays it is in the Red list of endangered species for those areas. During its larval stage, it feeds on Aristolochia spp, commonly found in southern grasslands. These native grassland areas are diminishing, being converted to crops and pastures, causing habitat loss for Aristolochia and E. corethrus. This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity, population structure and demographic history of E. corethrus. We sampled eight populations from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and based on Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I (COI) molecular marker, our results suggest a low genetic variability between populations, presence of gene flow and, consequently, lack of population structure. A single maternally inherited-genetic marker is insufficient for population-level decisions, but barcoding is a useful tool during early stages of population investigation, bringing out genomic diversity patterns within the target species. Those populations likely faced a bottleneck followed by a rapid expansion during the last glaciation and subsequent stabilization in effective population size. Habitat loss is a threat, which might cause isolation, loss of genetic variability and, ultimately, extinction of E. corethrus if no habitat conservation policy is adopted.

The Biological Hierarchy, Time, and Temporal 'Omics in Evolutionary Biology: A Perspective

Sequencing data-genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics-have revolutionized biological research, enabling a more detailed study of processes, ranging from subcellular to evolutionary, that drive biological organization. These processes, collectively, are responsible for generating patterns of phenotypic variation and can operate over dramatically different timescales (milliseconds to billions of years). While researchers often study phenotypic variation at specific levels of biological organization to isolate processes operating at that particular scale, the varying types of sequence data, or 'omics, can also provide complementary inferences to link molecular and phenotypic variation to produce an integrated view of evolutionary biology, ranging from molecular pathways to speciation. We briefly describe how 'omics has been used across biological levels and then demonstrate the utility of integrating different types of sequencing data across multiple biological levels within the same study to better understand biological phenomena. However, single-time-point studies cannot evaluate the temporal dynamics of these biological processes. Therefore, we put forward temporal 'omics as a framework that can better enable researchers to study the temporal dynamics of target processes. Temporal 'omics is not infallible, as the temporal sampling regime directly impacts inferential ability. Thus, we also discuss the role the temporal sampling regime plays in deriving inferences about the environmental conditions driving biological processes and provide examples that demonstrate the impact of the sampling regime on biological inference. Finally, we forecast the future of temporal 'omics by highlighting current methodological advancements that will enable temporal 'omics to be extended across species and timescales. We extend this discussion to using temporal multi-omics to integrate across the biological hierarchy to evaluate and link the temporal dynamics of processes that generate phenotypic variation.

A checklist of gymnosperm-feeding leafminers (Arthopoda, Insecta) in North America and Europe

The leafminers on gymnosperms receive much less attention than those on either angiosperms or ferns. Given the distinctly different leaf shape and leaf venation found in gymnosperms, they would be expected to host significantly different leafminer groups. Very few comprehensive reports on gymnosperm-feeding leafminers have been presented. Based on the well-studied fauna in North America and Europe, we compiled a list of 133 species, 30 genera and 13 families of gymnosperm-feeding leafminers. The gymnosperm-mining families (in descending order of leafminer number) included Tortricidae, Gelechiidae, Argyresthiidae, Yponomeutidae, Batrachedridae, Pyralidae, Adelidae, Agromyzidae, Blastobasidae, Bucculatricidae, Coleophoridae, Curculionidae and Noctuidae. There were 109 species, 22 genera and ten families in North America and 34 species, 19 genera and nine families in Europe. We compiled a list of 102 species and 16 genera of host plants, belonging to four families: Pinaceae, Cupressaceae, Taxaceae and Zamiaceae. There were 84 host species, 15 genera and three host families in North America and 46 host species, ten genera and three host families in Europe. Dominant gymnosperm-mining families and dominant host families were generally the same in the two continents.

Oldest leaf mine trace fossil from East Asia provides insight into ancient nutritional flow in a plant-herbivore interaction

The Late Triassic saw a flourish of plant–arthropod interactions. By the Late Triassic, insects had developed all distinct strategies of herbivory, notably including some of the earliest occurrences of leaf-mining. Herein we describe exceptionally well-preserved leaf-mine trace fossils on a Cladophlebis Brongniart fern pinnule from the Momonoki Formation, Mine Group, Japan (Middle Carnian), representing the oldest unequivocal leaf-mines from East Asia. The mines all display a distinctive frass trail—a continuous meandering line, which later becomes a broad band containing spheroidal particles—demonstrating larval development. Although the shapes of the frass trails are generally comparable to those of Lepidoptera or Coleoptera, they cannot be unequivocally assigned to a specific extant leaf-mining taxon. Furthermore, elemental analyses by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) reveals that the frass trail comprises phosphate coprolites. The quantitative variations in P, S, and Si between coprolites and leaf veins may reflect physiological processes (e.g., consumption, absorption, and excretion) mediated by plant chemicals. Our findings reinforce the idea that leaf-mining had become a pervasive feeding strategy of herbivorous insects by the Late Triassic.

Phylogeny, host use, and diversification in the moth family Momphidae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea)

Insect herbivores and their hostplants constitute much of Earth's described biological diversity, but how these often-specialized associations diversify is not fully understood. We combined detailed hostplant data and comparative phylogenetic analyses of the lepidopteran family Momphidae to explore how shifts in the use of hostplant resources, not just hostplant taxon, contribute to the diversification of a phytophagous insect lineage. We inferred two phylogenetic hypotheses emphasizing relationships among species in the nominate genus, Mompha Hübner. A six-gene phylogeny was constructed with reared exemplars and collections from hostplants in the family Onagraceae from western and southwestern USA, and a cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) phylogeny was inferred from collections and publicly available accessions in the Barcode of Life Data System. Species delimitation analyses combined with morphological data revealed ca. 56 undescribed species-level taxa, many of which are hostplant specialists on Onagraceae in the southwestern USA. Our phylogenetic reconstructions divided Momphidae into six major clades: 1) an Onagraceae flower- and fruit-boring clade, 2) a Melastomataceae-galling clade, 3) a leafmining clade A, 4) a leafmining clade B, 5) a Zapyrastra Meyrick clade, and 6) a monobasic lineage represented by Mompha eloisella (Clemens). Ancestral trait reconstructions using the COI phylogeny identified leafmining on Onagraceae as the ancestral state for Momphidae. Our study finds that shifts along three hostplant resource axes (plant taxon, plant tissue type, and larval feeding mode) have contributed to the evolutionary success and diversification of momphids.

Stigmella multispicata Rociene. & Stonis, an Asian leafminer on Siberian elm, now widespread in eastern North America (Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae)

Stigmellamultispicata Rocienė & Stonis, 2014, previously known from the single male holotype from Primorye, Russia, is reported as a new invasive species mining leaves of Siberian elm, Ulmuspumila L., in eastern North America. Both adults and leafmines have been reported from many sites as unidentified Nepticulidae since 2010. Crucial for the identification was a match of the DNA barcode of a single larva collected on Ulmuspumila in Beijing with adults from North America. The single larva constitutes a new record for China. Stigmellamultispicata is closely related to the European S.ulmivora (Fologne, 1860), feeding likewise on Ulmus, but differs in details of external morphology and genitalia, particularly in the female, where S.multispicata has a remarkable elongated narrow ovipositor, suitable for oviposition in underside hairy leaf vein axils, where all mines start. In North America S.multispicata is the only Ulmus-feeding nepticulid with green larvae. Currently the species is known from USA: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Canada: Ontario and Québec. In Sagaponack, on Long Island, New York, larvae have been reported to occur en masse on Siberian elms from at least two sites. The current distribution could be reconstructed thanks also to many online photographs from observation websites. The species is redescribed, with the first descriptions of female, larva, and leafmine, and compared with S.ulmivora, which is fully redescribed. The two native North American nepticulid Ulmus leafminers, S.apicialbella (Chambers, 1873) and Ectoedemiaulmella (Braun, 1912), are diagnosed and new provincial and state records are provided. A key to linear mines on Ulmus in North America is provided. We suspect that trade of live plants through nurseries played a role in the sudden spread of this invasive species.

Global pattern of plant utilization across different organisms: Does plant apparency or plant phylogeny matter?

The present study is the first to consider human and nonhuman consumers together to reveal several general patterns of plant utilization. We provide evidence that at a global scale, plant apparency and phylogenetic isolation can be important predictors of plant utilization and consumer diversity. Using the number of species or genera or the distribution area of each plant family as the island "area" and the minimum phylogenetic distance to common plant families as the island "distance", we fitted presence-area relationships and presence-distance relationships with a binomial GLM (generalized linear model) with a logit link. The presence-absence of consumers among each plant family strongly depended on plant apparency (family size and distribution area); the diversity of consumers increased with plant apparency but decreased with phylogenetic isolation. When consumers extended their host breadth, unapparent plants became more likely to be used. Common uses occurred more often on common plants and their relatives, showing higher host phylogenetic clustering than uncommon uses. On the contrary, highly specialized uses might be related to the rarity of plant chemicals and were therefore very species-specific. In summary, our results provide a global illustration of plant-consumer combinations and reveal several general patterns of plant utilization across humans, insects and microbes. First, plant apparency and plant phylogenetic isolation generally govern plant utilization value, with uncommon and isolated plants suffering fewer parasites. Second, extension of the breadth of utilized hosts helps explain the presence of consumers on unapparent plants. Finally, the phylogenetic clustering structure of host plants is different between common uses and uncommon uses. The strength of such consistent plant utilization patterns across a diverse set of usage types suggests that the persistence and accumulation of consumer diversity and use value for plant species are determined by similar ecological and evolutionary processes.

Revisiting the particular role of host shifts in initiating insect speciation

The notion that shifts to new hosts can initiate insect speciation is more than 150 years old, yet widespread conflation with paradigms of sympatric speciation has led to confusion about how much support exists for this hypothesis. Here, we review 85 insect systems and evaluate the relationship between host shifting, reproductive isolation, and speciation. We sort insects into five categories: (1) systems in which a host shift has initiated speciation; (2) systems in which a host shift has made a contribution to speciation; (3) systems in which a host shift has caused the evolution of new reproductive isolating barriers; (4) systems with host-associated genetic differences; and (5) systems with no evidence of host-associated genetic differences. We find host-associated genetic structure in 65 systems, 43 of which show that host shifts have resulted in the evolution of new reproductive barriers. Twenty-six of the latter also support a role for host shifts in speciation, including eight studies that definitively support the hypothesis that a host shift has initiated speciation. While this review is agnostic as to the fraction of all insect speciation events to which host shifts have contributed, it clarifies that host shifts absolutely can and do initiate speciation.

Revised classification and catalogue of global Nepticulidae and Opostegidae (Lepidoptera, Nepticuloidea)

A catalogue of all named Nepticulidae and Opostegidae is presented, including fossil species. The catalogue is simultaneously published online in the scratchpad http://nepticuloidea.info/ and in Catalogue of Life (http://www.catalogueoflife.org/col/details/database/id/172). We provide a historical overview of taxonomic research on Nepticuloidea and a brief ‘state of the art’. A DNA barcode dataset with 3205 barcodes is made public at the same time, providing DNA barcodes of ca. 779 species, of which 2563 are identified as belonging to 444 validly published species. We recognise 862 extant and 18 fossil species of Nepticulidae in 22 extant genera and the fossil form genus Stigmellites. We count 192 valid Opostegidae species in 7 genera, without fossils. We also list seven dubious Nepticulidae names that cannot be placed due to absent type material and poor descriptions, 18 unavailable names in Nepticulidae that cannot be placed and we also list the 33 names (including four fossils) that once were placed as Nepticulidae or Opostegidae but are now excluded. All synonyms and previous combinations are listed. The generic classification follows the Molecular phylogeny that is published almost simultaneously. Subfamilies and tribes are not recognised, Trifurculinae Scoble, 1983 is synonymised with Nepticulidae Stainton, 1854 and Opostegoidinae Kozlov, 1987 is synonymised with Opostegidae Meyrick, 1893. The status of Casanovula Hoare, 2013, Etainia Beirne, 1945, Fomoria Beirne, 1945, Glaucolepis Braun, 1917, Menurella Hoare, 2013, Muhabbetana Koçak & Kemal, 2007 and Zimmermannia Hering, 1940 is changed from subgenus to full genus, whereas two genera are considered synonyms again: Manoneura Davis, 1979, a synonym of Enteucha Meyrick, 1915 and Levarchama Beirne, 1945, a synonym of Trifurcula Zeller, 1848. We propose 87 new combinations in Nepticulidae and 10 in Opostegidae, largely due to the new classification, and re-examination of some species. We propose the following 37 new synonymies for species (35 in Nepticulidae, 2 in Opostegidae):

Stigmellaacerifoliella Dovnar-Zapolski, 1969 (unavailable, = Stigmellaacerna Puplesis, 1988), Stigmellanakamurai Kemperman & Wilkinson, 1985 (= Stigmellapalionisi Puplesis, 1984), Nepticulaamseli Skala, 1941 (unavailable = Stigmellabirgittae Gustafsson, 1985), Stigmellacathepostis Kemperman & Wilkinson, 1985 (= Stigmellamicrotheriella (Stainton, 1854)), Stigmellapopulnea Kemperman & Wilkinson, 1985 (= Stigmellanivenburgensis (Preissecker, 1942)), Nepticulaobscurella Braun, 1912 (revised synonymy, = Stigmellamyricafoliella (Busck, 1900)), Nepticulamandingella Gustafsson, 1972 (= Stigmellawollofella (Gustafsson, 1972)), Stigmellarosaefoliellapectocatena Wilkinson & Scoble, 1979 (= Stigmellacentifoliella (Zeller, 1848)), Micropteryxpomivorella Packard, 1870 (= Stigmellaoxyacanthella (Stainton, 1854)), Stigmellacrataegivora Puplesis, 1985 (= Stigmellamicromelis Puplesis, 1985), Stigmellascinanella Wilkinson & Scoble, 1979 (= Stigmellapurpuratella (Braun, 1917)), Stigmellapalmatae Puplesis, 1984 (= Stigmellafilipendulae (Wocke, 1871)), Stigmellasesplicata Kemperman & Wilkinson, 1985 (= Stigmellalediella (Schleich, 1867)), Stigmellarhododendrifolia Dovnar-Zapolski & Tomilova, 1978 (unavailable, = Stigmellalediella (Schleich, 1867)), Stigmellaoa Kemperman & Wilkinson, 1985 (= Stigmellaspiculifera Kemperman & Wilkinson, 1985), Stigmellagracilipae Hirano, 2014 (= Stigmellamonticulella Puplesis, 1984), Nepticulachaoniella Herrich-Schäffer, 1863 (= Stigmellasamiatella (Zeller, 1839)), Bohemanniapiotra Puplesis, 1984 (= Bohemanniapulverosella (Stainton, 1849)), Bohemannianipponicella Hirano, 2010 (= Bohemanniamanschurella Puplesis, 1984), Sinopticulasinica Yang, 1989 (= Glaucolepisoishiella (Matsumura, 1931)), Trifurculacollinella Nel, 2012 (= Glaucolepismagna (A. Laštuvka & Z. Laštuvka, 1997)), Obrussatigrinella Puplesis, 1985 (= Etainiatrifasciata (Matsumura, 1931)), Microcalyptrisvittatus Puplesis, 1984 and Microcalyptrisarenosus Falkovitsh, 1986 (both = Acalyptrisfalkovitshi (Puplesis, 1984)), Ectoedemiacastaneae Busck, 1913, Ectoedemiaheinrichi Busck, 1914 and Ectoedemiahelenella Wilkinson, 1981 (all three = Zimmermanniabosquella (Chambers, 1878)), Ectoedemiachloranthis Meyrick, 1928 and Ectoedemiaacanthella Wilkinson & Newton, 1981 (both = Zimmermanniagrandisella (Chambers, 1880)), Ectoedemiacoruscella Wilkinson, 1981 (= Zimmermanniamesoloba (Davis, 1978)), Ectoedemiapiperella Wilkinson & Newton, 1981 and Ectoedemiareneella Wilkinson, 1981 (both = Zimmermanniaobrutella (Zeller, 1873)), Ectoedemiasimiligena Puplesis, 1994 (= Ectoedemiaturbidella (Zeller, 1848)), Ectoedemiaandrella Wilkinson, 1981 (= Ectoedemiaulmella (Braun, 1912)), Nepticulacanadensis Braun, 1917 (= Ectoedemiaminimella (Zetterstedt, 1839)), Opostegarezniki Kozlov, 1985 (= Opostegacretatella Chrétien, 1915), Pseudopostegacyrneochalcopepla Nel & Varenne, 2012 (= Pseudopostegachalcopepla (Walsingham, 1908)). Stigmellacaryaefoliella (Clemens, 1861) and Zimmermanniabosquella (Chambers, 1878) are taken out of synonymy and re-instated as full species. Lectotypes are designated for Trifurculaobrutella Zeller, 1873 and Nepticulagrandisella Chambers, 1880.

New taxa, including three new genera show uniqueness of Neotropical Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera)

After finding distinct clades in a molecular phylogeny for Nepticulidae that could not be placed in any known genera and discovering clear apomorphic characters that define these clades, as well as a number of Neotropical species that could be placed in known genera but were undescribed, three new genera and nine new species are here described from the Neotropics: Stigmellagallicola van Nieukerken & Nishida, sp. n. reared from galls on Hampeaappendiculata (Malvaceae) in Costa Rica, representing the first example of a gall making Stigmella; Stigmellaschinivora van Nieukerken, sp. n. reared from leafmines on Schinusterebinthifolia (Anacardiaceae) in Argentina, Misiones; Stigmellacostaricensis van Nieukerken & Nishida, sp. n. and Stigmellaintronia van Nieukerken & Nishida, sp. n. each from a single specimen collected the same night in Costa Rica, Parque Nacional Chirripó; Stigmellamolinensis van Nieukerken & Snyers, sp. n. reared from leafmines on Salixhumboldtiana, Peru, Lima, the first Neotropical species of the Stigmellasalicis group sensu stricto; Ozadelpha van Nieukerken, gen. n. with type species Ozadelphaconostegiae van Nieukerken & Nishida, sp. n., reared from leafmines on Conostegiaoerstediana (Melastomataceae) from Costa Rica; Neotrifurcula van Nieukerken, gen. n. with type species Neotrifurculagielisorum van Nieukerken, sp. n. from Chile; Hesperolyra van Nieukerken, gen. n.. with type species Fomoriadiskusi Puplesis & Robinson, 2000; Hesperolyrasaopaulensis van Nieukerken, sp. n., reared from an unidentified Myrtaceae, Sao Paulo, Brasil; and Acalyptrisjanzeni van Nieukerken & Nishida, sp. n. from Costa Rica, Guanacaste. Five new combinations are made: Ozadelphaovata (Puplesis & Robinson, 2000), comb. n. and Ozadelphaguajavae (Puplesis & Diškus, 2002), comb. n., Hesperolyradiskusi (Puplesis & Robinson, 2000), comb. n., Hesperolyramolybditis (Zeller, 1877), comb. n. and Hesperolyrarepanda (Puplesis & Diškus, 2002), comb. n. Three specimens are briefly described, but left unnamed: Ozadelpha specimen EvN4680, Neotrifurcula specimen EvN4504 and Neotrifurcula specimen RH2.

Phylogenetic test of speciation by host shift in leaf cone moths (Caloptilia) feeding on maples (Acer)

The traditional explanation for the exceptional diversity of herbivorous insects emphasizes host shift as the major driver of speciation. However, phylogenetic studies have often demonstrated widespread host plant conservatism by insect herbivores, calling into question the prevalence of speciation by host shift to distantly related plants. A limitation of previous phylogenetic studies is that host plants were defined at the family or genus level; thus, it was unclear whether host shifts predominate at a finer taxonomic scale. The lack of a statistical approach to test the hypothesis of host-shift-driven speciation also hindered studies at the species level. Here, we analyze the radiation of leaf cone moths (Caloptilia) associated with maples (Acer) using a newly developed, phylogeny-based method that tests the role of host shift in speciation. This method has the advantage of not requiring complete taxon sampling from an entire radiation. Based on 254 host plant records for 14 Caloptilia species collected at 73 sites in Japan, we show that major dietary changes are more concentrated toward the root of the phylogeny, with host shift playing a minor role in recent speciation. We suggest that there may be other roles for host shift in promoting herbivorous insect diversification rather than facilitating speciation per se.

A new leafminer on grapevine and Rhoicissus (Vitaceae) in South Africa within an expanded generic concept of Holocacista (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Heliozelidae)

A grapevine leafminer found recently in table grape orchards and vineyards in the Paarl region (Western Cape, South Africa) is described as Holocacistacapensis sp. n. It has also been found on native Rhoicissusdigitata and bred on that species in the laboratory. It is closely related to Holocacistasalutans (Meyrick, 1921), comb. n. (from Antispila), described from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, but widespread in southern Africa and a native leafminer of various Vitaceae: Rhoicissustomentosa, Rhoicissusdigitata, Rhoicissustridentata and Cissuscornifolia. Holocacistacapensis has been found on Vitisvinifera both in Gauteng and Western Cape, the earliest record being from 1950 in Pretoria. The initial host shift from native Vitaceae to Vitis must have occurred much earlier. The species is sometimes present in high densities, but hitherto no sizeable damage to the crops has been noted. The genus Holocacista Walsingham & Durrant, 1909, previously known from the single European grapevine leafminer Holocacistarivillei (Stainton, 1855), is expanded and redescribed and for the first time reported from Africa, East and South-East Asia and Australia. It comprises seven named species and at least 15 unnamed species. The following species are also recombined with Holocacista: transferred from Antispilina: South-African Holocacistavarii (Mey, 2011), comb. n., feeding on Pelargonium, transferred from Antispila: the Indian species Holocacistamicrarcha (Meyrick, 1926), comb. n. and Holocacistapariodelta (Meyrick, 1929), comb. n., both feeding on Lanneacoromandelica, and Holocacistaselastis (Meyrick, 1926), comb. n. on Psychotriadalzelii. We also remove the following from Antispila: Heliozelaanna (Fletcher, 1920), comb. n. and Heliozelaargyrozona (Meyrick, 1918), comb. n., whereas the following Indian Vitaceae feeding species are confirmed to belong in Antispila s. str.: Antispilaargostoma Meyrick, 1916 and Antispilaaristarcha Meyrick, 1916. Holocacistasalutans and Holocacistavarii are redescribed and diagnosed against Holocacistacapensis and other South African Heliozelidae. DNA barcodes are provided for 13 species of Holocacista.