Documenting new and little known leaf-mining Nepticulidae from middle and southwestern areas of the Asian continent.

Abstract

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 Stonis, sp. nov., S. latilobata Diškus Navickaitė, sp. nov., S. paniculata Diškus Navickaitė, sp. nov., Ectoedemia orbiculata Diškus, Remeikis Stonis, sp. nov., Acalyptris brunipexus Stonis, Diškus Remeikis, sp. nov., A. noctilucus Rocienė Stonis, sp. nov., and A. nasutus Diškus Navickaitė, sp. nov. The new taxa are illustrated with photographs of the adults, their genitalia, and, if available, leaf mines. We also provide the first photographic documentation of adults and male genitalia of some Asiatic species. We synonymize E. petrosa Puplesis with E. spinosella (de Joannis), and E. rosiphila Puplesis with E. ingloria Puplesis.