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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #374956
Research Project: Systematics of Moths Significant to Biodiversity, Quarantine, and Control, with a Focus on Invasive Species

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Exotic Neotropical Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera) and their host plants

Author
item STONIS, JONAS - Lithuanian University Of Educational Sciences
item DISKUS, ARUNAS - Lithuanian University Of Educational Sciences
item REMEIKIS, ANDRIUS - National Research Centre
item Solis, M Alma
item KATINAS, LILIANA - Universidad De La Plata

Submitted to: ZooKeys
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/24/2020
Publication Date: 9/21/2020
Citation: Stonis, J.R., Diskus, A., Remeikis, A., Solis, M.A., Katinas, L. 2020. Exotic Neotropical Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera) and their host plants. ZooKeys. 970:117-158.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.970.54801

Interpretive Summary: Trumpet moths have larvae that are leaf miners of wild and cultivated plants and therefore important as potential pests. They are among the least studied lepidopteran groups in the world. Eight trumpet moth species are reviewed and seven new taxa are described from the Western Hemisphere. They are illustrated with photographs of the adults, their genitalia, and leaf mines when available. New host plants were discovered and trumpet moth leaf miner distributions are inferred from known host plant distributions. This research will be useful to scientists interested in the biology and identity of leaf mining moths and their host plants.

Technical Abstract: We review eight Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera: Tischerioidea) species and describe seven new species from the Neotropics: Astrotischeria jociui Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. (feeding on Wissadula excelsior (Cav.) C. Presl., Malvaceae), A. atlantica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. (feeding on Baccharis spicate (Lam.) Baill., Asteraceae), A. cornuata Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. (host plant unknown), Paratischeria guarani Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. (feeding on Elephantopus mollis Kunth, Asteraceae), P. mesoamericana Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. (feeding on Montanoa hibiscifolia Benth., Asteraceae), P. suprafasciata Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. (feeding on Allophyllus edulis (A.St.-Hil., A.Juss. & Cambess.) Hieron. ex Niederl., Sapindaceae), and P. braziliensis Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. (host plant unknown). Additionally, we provide an updated distribution map of Paratischeria neotropicana (Diškus & Stonis), which currently has the broadest distribution range among the Neotropical Tischeriidae. We provide new host plants and a new trophic association with Sapindaceae for Tischeriidae. We briefly discuss tropical relationships of Tischeriidae. We hypothesize that host-plant species ranges can provide clues to possible distributions of these specialized, monophagous or oligophagous, leaf miners. All new taxa are illustrated with photographs of the adults, their genitalia, and, if available, leaf mines.