Arūnas Diškus

Stephensia Brunnichella (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) New Species for Lithuania

Stephensia brunnichella (L.) is presented as new species for Lithuania, and this is the first species of the genus Stephensia Stt. for the Lithuanian fauna. The new data on morphology and biology of the species including variations of genitalia is provided. Figures of imago, its genitalia, egg and mines are presented on the basis of Lithuanian material. Main references on the species are cited.

First discovery of Quercus feeding Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) in Central America.

Despite the high taxonomic diversity of oaks in Mexico and Central America, no Quercus feeding Nepticulidae have ever been recorded from the region. Here, we present seven species whose larvae are leaf-miners of Quercus (section Lobatae) in Guatemala. Except Stigmella nigriverticella (Chambers 1875), which was previously known from the United States, all other discovered species are new. We describe and name five new species (Stigmella jaguari Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., S. lauta Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., S. sublauta Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., S. aurifasciata Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. and S. guatemalensis Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov.); the remaining new species is described but left unnamed because of lack of adults (i. e. moths and genitalia are described from developed pupae). All seven treated species are illustrated with photographs of the leaf-mines, adults, and genitalia.

New Nepticulidae species (Insecta: Lepidoptera) from the Yucatán Peninsula

Thirty-eight species of Nepticulidae are known from the Yucatán Peninsula and adjacent areas (mainland Mexico and Be-lize). This paper describes two new species: Stigmella maya Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. (a leaf-miner of Karwinskia hum-boldtiana, Rhamnaceae), and Acalyptris yucatani Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. (a leaf-miner of Schinus sp., Anacardiaceae). S. maya is among the smallest Lepidoptera in the world. In its male genitalia S. maya resembles a sizeable group of undescribed species occurring in the Andes (Patagonia: Argentina). The adults of both new species are illustrated with photographs of adults, genitalia and leaf-mines.

Description of new species of oak leaf-miners (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae), with notes on the species groups of Stigmella Schrank associated with Quercus as a host-plant.

Stigmella acuta Diškus, Navickaitė & Remeikis, sp. nov., a new species of oak-feeding leaf-miner belonging to the S. hemargyrella group, and S. cornuta Rocienė & Stonis, sp. nov., belonging to the newly designated S. cornuta group, are described from Asia and, for the first time, the S. hemargyrella group is associated with Quercus as a host-plant. The new species are illustrated with photographs of the leaf mines, adults, and genitalia. Diagnostics and host-plant preferences of seven Stigmella species groups associated with oaks (the S. caesurifasciella, S. saginella, S. quercipulchella, S. ruficapitella, S. castanopsiella, S. hemargyrella and S. cornuta groups) are discussed.

Description of Tischeria gouaniae sp. n. from the tropical forest of Belize - an exotic new addition to the American fauna of Tischeria (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Tischeriidae).

Abstract We describe Tischeria gouaniae sp. n. from the tropical forests of Belize. The new species is a leaf-miner of Gouania polygama (Rhamnaceae). Together with the related T. bifurcata Braun, it is among the most striking representatives of Tischeria. Both species possess a pseudognathos and very broad aedeagus fused with extremely long lateral processes of the juxta. The new species differs from T. bifurcata in the broadly rounded vinculum, spiny juxta, and slender apical processes of the aedeagus, and in its host plant. The external features and male genitalia of Tischeria gouaniae sp. n. are figured and described. A checklist and distribution map for all nine currently known Tischeria species from North and South America are given. Most American species are known from USA, but others are now known from tropical forest habitats of Central America, the Caribbean, and Guyana. Host-plants are known for five of the nine species reviewed here, belonging to four genera and two plant families (Fagaceae and Rhamnaceae).

Review of the Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera) of Central Asia

The Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera) of the Central Asiatic fauna has been reviewed for the first time. A new species (T. paulula sp.n.) is described from the Gissar ridge (Tajikistan). Male genital structures of all the species are illustrated.

The first record of Baccharis L. (Asteraceae) as a host-plant genus for Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera), with description of new Stigmella species from South America

We record the first Nepticulidae species found to feed on Baccharis L. (Asteraceae). Despite the high species richness of Baccharis in the Western Hemisphere, no nepticulid has ever been recorded feeding on Baccharis. In this paper we describe six new Stigmella Schrank species feeding on Baccharis: S. emarginatae Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., S. bipartita Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., S. tripartita Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., S. latifoliae Remeikis, Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., S. baccharicola Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., and S. confertae Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. The remaining two taxa are left unnamed. All taxa are illustrated with photographs of adults, their genitalia, and their leaf-mines. Additionally, leaf-mines on Baccharis salicifolia are documented.

The first description of the leaf-mining Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) feeding on the South American plant genus Liabum, Asteraceae.

First Liabum Adans. (Asteraceae) feeding Nepticulidae are reported. Two new new species from the Andes (Ecuador) are described: Stigmella serpantina Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. and S. pangorica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. The male genitalia of both species and the female genitalia, as well the leaf-mines of S. serpantina sp. nov. are illustrated.

Discovery of Ulmaceae-feeding Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera, Tischerioidea), Tischeria ulmella sp. nov., and the first report of the Quercus -feeding T. naraensis Sato in China

We provide the first report of Tischeriidae on Ulmaceae, a novel host-plant family, and describe Tischeria ulmella Xu Dai, sp. nov., a new species discovered in the Yellow River Scenic Area of Zhengzhou (Henan Province, China), feeding on Ulmus pumila L. We also provide a redescription of the Quercus-feeding Tischeria naraensis Sato discovered in China for the first time. Both species are illustrated with photographs of the adults, male and female genitalia, and the leaf mines.

First report on Paratischeria from Asia (Lepidoptera: Tischeriidae)

We provide the first report on the leaf-mining Tischeriidae genus Paratischeria Diškus & Stonis from Asia. We describe Paratischeria jingdongensis Xu & Dai, sp. nov., a new species discovered in Yunnan, China, feeding on Dalbergia assamica Benth., Fabaceae and redescribe P. hestias (Meyrick, 1915), comb. nov., a hitherto very little known species from India, which has been recently discovered in northern Vietnam, feeding on Helicteres viscida Blume, Malvaceae. We also report on the Fabaceae family as a novel host-plant family of Tischeriidae. The described and redescribed Paratischeria species are illustrated with photographs of the leaf-mines, adults, genitalia, and habitats. We also provide maps of new Paratischeria findings, and, along with a diagnostic scheme to the genus, present some data on global distribution of Paratischeria occurring in tropical and subtropical regions on both sides of the Equator. In addition, we designate a new Paratischeria neotropicana species group and provide two more new taxonomic combinations: Paratischeria heteroterae (Frey & Boll, 1878) comb. nov. and P. capnota (Meyrick, 1915) comb. nov.