Abstract
Micropterigidae is considered to be the sister group of all other extant Lepidoptera. In Japan, 17 species of five genera have been recorded including three endemic genera,IssikiomartyriaHashimoto, 2006,KurokopteryxHashimoto, 2006 andNeomicropteryxIssiki, 1931, all of which are associated with the liverwort genusConocephalumHill. We discovered four new species ofIssikiomartyriafrom snowy regions in Northeastern Japan, and two new species of a new genusMelinopteryxgen. n.from the subalpine zone of the Akaishi Mountain Range. All these new taxa,I.hyperboreasp. n.,I.leptobelossp. n.,I.catapastasp. n.,I.trochossp. n.,M.coruscanssp. n.andM.bilobatasp. n.are also associated withConocephalumliverworts. Furthermore, females ofI.akemiaeHashimoto, 2006 andI.plicataHashimoto, 2006 are described here for the first time. Our extensive surveys revealed that the fine-scale endemism ofIssikiomartyriarestricted to the fragmented area facing the Japan Sea. Keys toIssikiomartyriaspecies based on the adult morphology are provided.
Highlights
Micropterigidae represents one of the branches in the first splitting event among extant Lepidoptera (Kristensen1999, Kristensen et al 2007)
The global diversity and high endemism of the micropterigids provide us with a wealth of opportunities for understanding of the biogeographic patterns and processes suggested by primitive moths (Gibbs 1983, 2006, Gibbs and Lees 2014) whose evolution and ecological associations largely predates the diversification of angiosperms (Imada et al 2011)
Issikiomartyria trochos sp. n. is most similar to I. catapasta sp. n. in that lateral parts of tergum X extending dorsally, but can be distinguished by the following traits: dorso- and latero-basal aedeagal fins separated from each other; female genital chamber without small sclerites; corpus bursae with tiny sclerites on membrane surface near caudal end
Summary
Micropterigidae represents one of the branches in the first splitting event among extant Lepidoptera (Kristensen1999, Kristensen et al 2007). Additional materials: JAPAN [HONSHU] 1♀ emerged on 9.VI.2014 from a larva collected by YI on 27.IV.2014 at same locality as holotype, KUHE; 1♂1♀ collected by MK on 13.VII.2009 at Irisawai (1115m), Ohshika-mura, Nagano Pref (Fig. 19:2), KUHE.
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