Abstract
AbstractAlthough considered the driest desert in the world, the Atacama provides unique habitats and a reservoir of biodiversity for plants and insects.CaloptiliaHübner, 1825 (Gracillariinae), is a highly diverse genus of leaf miner micromoths that has not yet been recorded in Chile. In this study, we describe a new species ofCaloptiliafrom a relict, vulnerable ecotone in the transverse valleys of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. Adults, immature stages and natural history, including the mine ofCaloptilia guacanivoraVargas‐Ortiz & Vargas sp. nov., are described and illustrated. The larva is a leaf miner of the vulnerable, native, guacano treeMorella pavonis(Myricaceae). DNA barcode sequences were used to infer the specific status ofC. guacanivorasp. nov. Results indicate that the new species is monophyletic with a genetic distance of around 5% to the nearest congener. We also used genetic variation to make preliminary inferences on the population structure and demography of this new taxon. This data revealed the presence of haplotypes shared among distant valleys, suggesting an ancient polymorphism that is widespread throughout populations in the region.
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