First documentation of Nepticulidae feeding on Gondwanan relict Nothofagus from Andean Patagonia and the unexpected discovery of morphologically similar pygmy moth species from distant Central America

Abstract

The trophic association of Nepticulidae with Nothofagus in Andean Patagonia has been speculated about but never conclusively demonstrated. This study provides the first definitive evidence that the species of the Stigmella purpurimaculae group are leaf miners of Nothofagus spp., with documented mines and male genital structure analysis of two species reared from Nothofagus. Additionally, we describe three new Stigmella species from Honduras, which, despite the geographic distance from Andean Patagonia, share key genital traits with the S. purpurimaculae group. While these species exhibit some external differences, their morphological similarities raise intriguing questions about potential evolutionary connections.