Arūnas Diškus

Vytautas Magnus University

We describe one new genus (Brachinepticula Stonis & Diškus, gen. nov.) with two new species (B. plurilobata Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., B. elongata Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov.), and one species with uncertain taxonomic position (Johanssoniella bina Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov.). We also provide diagnostic characters and an updated annotated catalogue...

Seven new species of Tischeriidae are described 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 spicata (Lam.) Baill., Asteraceae), A. cornuata Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. (host plant unknown), Paratischeria...

We describe a new genus, Manitischeria Diškus & Stonis, gen. nov., and five new species: Manitischeria selindica Stonis & Diškus, sp. nov., M. namibiensis Stonis & Diškus, sp. nov. from Africa, and M. brachiata Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., M. symbolica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., and M. baryshnikovae Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. from South East Asia. We...

For the first time, genera of leaf mining Tischeriidae of the global fauna are reviewed and four new genera are described: Coptotrichoides Diškus & Stonis, gen. nov., trophically associated with Sapindaceae from Central and South America; Rytietia Diškus, Xu & Dai, gen. nov., trophically associated with Annonaceae from East and South East Asia; Paf...

This publication describes four new high-altitude species of Tischeriidae, all within the genus Astrotischeria Puplesis & Diškus: A. peruanica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., A. montivaga Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., A. viscacha Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., and A. andina Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. Notably, A. andina sp. nov., is the highestrecorded Tischerii...

The American Astrotischeria melantheranella (Heppner, 2010) (Tischeriidae) is re-examined from paratype specimens (described in genus Tischeria), with a detailed documentation of the male and female genitalia, and including the first illustrations of the male genitalia in their natural position. We found that A. melantheranella closely resembles tw...

Our investigation centered on the tropical dry forests along the Pacific coast of Honduras, aiming to elucidate the presence and abundance of minuscule grey moths during the dry season. Through specimen dissections and the taxonomic identification of the collected material, we have described three new species: Acalyptris podenasi sp. nov., A. palpi...

In instances of severe infestations, Nepticulidae larvae can inflict damage on cultivated plants. Previously, it was assumed that the Prunus-feeding Nepticulidae have continuous distribution from Europe to the neighboring Caucasus. During recent fieldwork in the Caucasus, leaf mines were found on plum trees that initially resembled those of Stigmel...

A taxonomic review of the Nepticulidae of Armenia is provided for the first time. Currently, the previously little-known fauna of the pygmy moths of Armenia consists of eight genera and 31 species, including seven new species described and illustrated in the current paper as follows: Stigmella armi Stonis, Dobrynina & Remeikis, sp. nov.; Stigmella...

Until 2019, Tischeriidae, or trumpet moths, were totally unknown in Colombia. Here we review all currently available scanty data on the Colombian Tischeriidae and describe Astrotischeria recta Diškus, Mey & Stonis, sp. nov., a new species of trumpet moths from Valle de Cauca, Colombia. The new species is illustrated with photographs of the male gen...

This paper describes Dishkeya ursipedella Diškus, Mey & Stonis, sp. nov. from Cundinamarca, Choachi (Colombia). The new species was collected at night time at light, therefore, the host plant remains unknown. The examination of morphology of the male genitalia of D. ursipedella revealed a highly distinctive new taxon of trumpet moths belonging to t...

It includes three separate chapters: Collecting of Nepticulidae Adults (by J. R. Stonis, A. Remeikis), Rearing of Nepticulidae Adults from Mining Larvae (by A. Diškus, J. R. Stonis), and Specimen Documentation and Micro-Mounts of Genitalia Structures Adopted for the Minute Lepidoptera (by J. R. Stonis, A. Diškus, A. Remeikis).

The publication deals with 228 species of Nepticulidae (or pygmy moths) from the Neotropics (i.e., the Neotropical and Ando-Patagonian regions) and adjacent areas. The species are illustrated with photographs or drawings of adult forewings, the male genitalia and, if available, leaf mines. In addition to the illustrated species review, the monograp...

This study provides updated summarised data on host-plant preferences and mining seasons of the Nepticulidae of the Lithuanian fauna. It revealed that the Lithuanian Nepticulidae are trophically associated with 34 genera and 14 families of host plants. Four of these host-plant families stand out in a number of mining Nepticulidae species and all to...

This study identifies major diagnostic morphological and some biological characters of leaf mines of Nepticulidae and provides a pictorial guide to the morphological characters with detection frequencies for each character. Drawing on detection frequencies, it establishes that the most typical leaf mine of Nepticulidae belongs to one of the two mor...

Nepticulidae are characterized by a specialized mode of life: their larvae are miners in green (photosynthetic) plant tissues. Sometimes they are referred to as plant pests or potential pests. On the other hand, being extremely small and living inside plant tissues, Nepticulidae, like other endobiotic organisms, are still under-sampled and under-st...

We, together with Andrius Remeikis and Akvilė Remeikienė, developed and provided for use the first electronic diagnostic system for mines and species of the Lithuanian Nepticulidae: “Diagnostics of mines of the Lithuanian Nepticulidae” (see the diagnostic tool at https://leafmines.info/). This identification tool is freely accessible and manageable...

This study identifies the number of named and described species of three monotrysian, plant-mining lepidopteran families worldwide: Nepticulidae and Opostegidae (Nepticuloidea), and Tischeriidae (Tischerioidea). At the end of 2021, we estimated that a total of 1000 Nepticulidae species, 197 Opostegidae species, and 170 Tischeriidae species have bee...

The article describes three new species of Coptotriche Walsingham, 1890 from China and adjacent northern Vietnam: C. camptotheca Xu & Dai, sp. nov. feeding on Camptotheca acuminata Decne. (Nyssaceae); C. turpinia Xu & Dai, sp. nov. feeding on Turpinia arguta (Lindl.) Seem. (Staphyleaceae); and C. asiana Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. The latter appeared...

We describe a new genus, Neotischeria Diškus & Stonis, gen. nov., and four new species of trumpet moths. Three of them are trophically associated with Asteraceae plants: Neotischeria ochripennata Diškus & Remeikis, sp. nov. and N. longa Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., discovered from the western part of the equatorial Andes, N. conexa Diškus & Stonis, s...

Four new species of trumpet leaf-miner moths (Tischeriidae) are described from the Neotropics: Coptotriche serjaniphaga Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., feeding on Serjania Mill. (Sapindaceae), Astrotischeria mystica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., feeding on Verbesina L. (Asteraceae), A. yungasi Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., feeding on Oyedaea DC. (Asteraceae...

This is the first record of Urticaceae-feeding trumpet moths (Tischeriidae) from Asia. We describe Paratischeria boehmerica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. and P. grossa Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., two distinctive new species of Tischeriidae recently discovered from Laos, South East Asia, feeding on plants of the nettle family. Urticaceae is a rare host-p...

The world’s smallest moths in Lepidoptera (Insecta) and the complexity in making such a determination are examined and discussed. The forewing length and wingspan of 650 species were measured and the same data were retrieved from published papers to determine which species and family have the smallest moths in the world. The minimal recorded forewi...

Members of the Lamiaceae, or mint family, are used worldwide for medicinal, culinary and/or magical-religious purposes, as well as in pesticides and as ornamental plants. Very little is known about nepticulids, or pygmy moths, as leaf miners of Lamiaceae, but they may be an important component of South American diversity and potential pests of econ...

We review eighteen species of Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera: Nepticuloidea) from Asia and describe eleven new species from Central Asia and the western Himalaya: Stigmella ziziphifolia Rocienė & Stonis, sp. nov., S. damocles Remeikis, sp. nov., S. pyramidata Diškus & Navickaitė, sp. nov., S. alilediella Diškus & Navickaitė, sp. nov., S. longa Remeikis...

We report on fourteen species and four genera of Tischeriidae recorded from Las Cuevas, a single tropical forest locality in Belize, Central America. This is the highest number of species of Tischeriidae recorded from a single locality worldwide, exceeding the species and generic diversity of the entire Tischeriidae fauna of Europe and accounting f...

We list 102 currently known Opostegidae species from the Americas, designate one new species group, and revise and provide pictorial diagnostics for the twelve Pseudopostega Kozlov species groups. Five new species are described: Neopostega dondavisi Stonis and Remeikis, new species, Pseudopostega cucullata Stonis and Vargas, new species, Pseudopost...

We examine five Tischeriidae species from the collection of the National Museum of Natural History (USNM), Washington, D.C. We discovered among the holdings and describe two new species from Arizona, U.S.A: Astrotischeria bucera Remeikis and Stonis, new species and Astrotischeria tucsonica Remeikis and Stonis, new species. Host plants of both speci...

We list all 56 currently known Acalyptris Meyrick species from North and South America, designate five new species groups, and provide pictorial diagnostics for all nine revised species groups of the American fauna. We describe seven new species: A. marmor Stonis & Diškus, sp. nov., A. barbudo Stonis & Remeikis, sp. nov., A. jareki Stonis & Diškus,...

We describe a new species, Ozadelpha nigella Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., a leaf miner on Symplocos Jacq. (Ericales: Symplocaceae), from the Yungas biogeographical province, South America. We briefly discuss the issues of diagnostics of the recently erected genus Ozadelpha van Nieukerken. The genus is now comprised of four named species having shared...

We describe a new pest of guava ( Psidium guajava L.), Hesperolyra guajavifoliae Stonis & Vargas, sp. nov. , that was recently discovered in western Colombia. Hesperolyra van Nieukerken is a small, Neotropical genus of pygmy moths (Nepticulidae). We re-examine and document the complex morphology of the male genitalia of the generic type species, H....

A single species of Tischeriidae was found on the game farm Asante Sana. It is described as Tischeria armata Stonis, Diškus & Mey, spec. nov. The examination of material from the adjacent Western Cape resulted in the discovery of four additional species, of which one is described as Coptotriche versicolor Stonis, Diškus & Mey, spec. nov. Two other...

We describe seven new Neotropical species of Tischeriidae: Astrotischeria dondavisi Stonis & Diškus, sp. nov., A. bacchariphaga Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., A. guatemalica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., A. sanjosei Stonis & Diškus, sp. nov., A. truncata Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., Coptotriche parvisacculata Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. and C. carmencita Ston...

This is the first report of the family Tischeriidae in Colombia. We describe two new species recently discovered in the department of Valle del Cauca in southwestern Colombia: Astrotischeria ochrimaculosa Diškus, Stonis & Vargas, sp. nov., and A. colombiana Stonis & Vargas, sp. nov. The latter is a leaf miner of Asteraceae, while A. ochrimaculosa i...

Some areas of Lithuania, notably the southeastern region, including the Šalčininkai District, were largely neglected because of insufficient studies and lack of material. In 2011–2013 Nepticulidae research was done in the Šalčininkai District by the bachelor student A. Bobnis, who recorded 35 Nepticulidae species (unpublished). Our recent leaf-mine...

Pradėkime nuo klausimo: ar gali labai smulkūs vabzdžiai, pavyzdžiui, mažieji gaubtagalviai (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae), kurių lervos gyvena augalų lapuose ir minta asimiliaciniu audiniu, būti kuo nors įdomūs kalbant apie globalius Žemės raidos procesus? Šis straipsnis bando į tai atsakyti, pateikdamas vieną kitą pavyzdį.

We describe one new species (Acalyptris amazonensis sp. nov.) from the Amazonian rainforest of Ecuador and provide the first photographic documentation of two other related species also occurring in Ecuador (A. onorei Puplesis & Diškus and A. ecuadoriana Puplesis & Diškus). We briefly discuss diagnostic characters of the A. latipennata species grou...

The genus Simplimorpha Scoble is recognized for the first time from South America. We describe a subgenus, Myrtinepticula Stonis & Diškus, subgen. nov., for three new species from the southern Andes (Chile and Argentina): Simplimorpha (Myrtinepticula) cercaria Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., S. (M.) nielseni Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., S. (M.) sapphire...

Pygmy moths (Nepticulidae) associated with Asteraceae are poorly known and very rare worldwide. Recently, we discovered many leaf-mining nepticulids in South America feeding on Asteraceae. We review all known records of Asteraceae-feeding Nepticulidae, which in the Neotropics (including the Andes and Patagonia) previously included only Stigmella Sc...

We describe two new species of Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) from the Western Hemisphere that feed on Fabaceae: Stigmella mimosae Diškus and Stonis, new species, on Mimosa albida Willd. Caesalpinioideae), and Acalyptris minimus Diškus and Stonis, new species, on Centrolobium ochroxylum Rose ex Rudd. (Faboideae). Centrolobium ochroxylum is an economic...

We review eleven Astrotischeria Puplesis & Diškus (Lepidoptera: Tischeriidae) species which possess a novel character for the Tischeriidae family: a highly modified valva of the male genitalia with one ventral and two dorsal lobes (or processes). The species are distributed in the Americas, including the USA, Caribbean (St. Thomas), Central America...

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...

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 f...

We provide diagnostic characters for the genus Glaucolepis Braun, re-examine the type series of the type species of the North American G. saccharella Braun, describe two new species from Chile and Argentina (G. flagellata Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. and G. pseudoflagellata Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov.), and provide the first photographic documentati...

We provide a report on Nepticulidae feeding on Lamiaceae plants in South America and describe two new species from the Andes: Stigmella lamiacifoliae Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., feeding on Salvia palifolia in Colombia, and S. scutellariae Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., feeding on Scutellaria volubilis in Ecuador. The leaf mines, adults, genitalia, a...

The paper presents the first documentation of Urticaceae-feeding Nepticulidae species in South America and describes four new species: two species feeding on Phenax Wedd. (Stigmella singularia Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. and S. lata Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov.), one species on Boehmeria Jacq. (S. boehmeriphaga Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov.), and one specie...

Pygmy moths (Nepticulidae) are a peculiar, specialized family of primitive (monotrysian) leaf-mining Lepidoptera (Figs 1–7) with worldwide distribution. For a long period of time, South America, though vast and with a hugely diverse biota, was comparatively unexplored regarding the collection and study of pygmy moths (for the history of research se...

We describe a new genus Paratischeria Diškus & Stonis, gen. nov. and present the first observations of Urticaceae-feeding Tischeriidae species in South America and two new Urticaceaefeeding species (Paratischeria fasciata sp. nov. and P. ferruginea Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. from the Andes of Bolivia and Ecuador). Together with the African P. urtici...

The paper treats fifteen species of leaf-mining pygmy moths (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae) discovered in the Neotropics (British Virgin Islands, Belize, Costa Rica, Venezuela, and Ecuador), and Ando-Patagonian region (Argentina and Chile). Except for two species, all belong to Stigmella Schrank. Twelve species are new, and are named and descr...

The goal of our study was a taxonomic and trophic assessment of the fauna of Middle and South America in the light of the latest taxonomic and trophic data. The current research possesses a very high degree of novelty.

We review forty-five species of Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) based on an analysis of samples collected in the central Andean region of Peru and Bolivia. Thirteen of these species are new to science, and are named and described here: Stigmella paracosma Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., S. expressa Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., S. acalyphae Diškus & Stonis,...

The paper reviews the most recent findings of the Rosaceae-feeding Nepticulidae species along with previous records of these tropically specialized leaf-miners in South America and describes three new species: one species on Hesperomeles obtusifolia (Pers.) Lindl (Stigmella circinata Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov.) and two species on Rubus spp. (S. rubi...

The paper briefly analyzes trophic relationships of Nepticulidae occurring in Middle and South America (the Neotropical and Ando-Patagonian regions) for the first time. The results show some peculiar features, including unexpectedly large percentage of taxa trophically associated with Asterales (Asteraceae) and Lamiales plants. However, because of...

The recent leaf-mine collecting in Vilnius City (2014–2016) resulted in the discovery of Stigmella vimineticola (Frey), i.e. one more addition to the Lithuanian fauna, and made a total of 78 species of the Lithuanian Nepticulidae. Taxonomically, S. vimineticola belongs to the S. salicis species group and appears very similar to S. salicis (Stt.); i...

On the basis of morphological studies of collection samples from the Andes (Ecuador, Peru and Argentina), we describe five new species of Stigmella Schrank (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae): S. varispinella Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. (Ecuador), S. olekarsholti Remeikis Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., S. magnispinella Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. (Peru), S. doli...

The monograph treats 29 species of leaf-mining pygmy moths (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae) discovered in the northern Andean bush and grass páramo and the central Andean puna at altitudes above 3700 m. They represent the world’s highest-altitudinal Nepticulidae fauna known. The height record belongs to Stigmella nivea sp. nov. from Peru collec...

Despite the fact that Polylepis forests constitute the natural but threatened vegetation in much of the high Andes and are very important for their ecological functions, no leaf-mining Nepticulidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera, Nepticuloidea) associated with Polylepis Ruiz & Pav. as a host-plant have been recorded previously. In this paper, for the first...

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. bipar...

Baccharis L. is among the largest, if not the largest, genus in the family Asteraceae with 354–500 species distributed throughout the Western Hemisphere (Stegelmeier et al. 2009; Heiden 2013; Malagarriga Heras 1977). Most Baccharis species occur mainly in the warm temperate and tropical regions of the New World, predominantly in South America, but...

Despite taxonomic and conservation interest in the Chilean endemic plant genus Podanthus Lag. (Asteraceae: subfamily Asteroideae, tribe Heliantheae), no Podanthus-feeding Nepticulidae or Tischeriidae have ever been recorded. Here, on the basis of material reared from Podanthus from central Mediterranean Chile, we present the description of Stigmell...

This article deals with Ectoedemia jacutica, a poorly known pygmy moth described by Puplesis from two specimens collected in Eastern Siberia, which later was synonymized with E. agrimoniae (Frey), and recently with E. spiraeae Gregor & Povolnỳ. In the present paper, the type-series of E. jacutica is re-examined and, for the first time, illustrated...