Systematics and evolutionary dynamics of insect-fern interactions in the specialized fern-spore feeding Cuprininae (Lepidoptera, Stathmopodidae).

Fern-spore-feeding (FSF) is rare and found in only four families of Lepidoptera. Stathmopodidae is the most speciose family that contains FSF species, and its subfamily Cuprininae exclusively specializes on FSF. However, three species of Stathmopodinae also specialize on FSF. To better understand the evolutionary history of FSF and, more generally, the significance of specialization on a peculiar host, a phylogenetic and taxonomic revision for this group is necessary. We reconstructed the most comprehensive molecular phylogeny, including one mitochondrial and four nuclear genes, of Stathmopodidae to date, including 137 samples representing 62 species, with a particular focus on the FSF subfamily, Cuprininae, including 33 species (41% of named species) from 6 of the 7 Cuprininae genera. Species from two other subfamilies, Stathmopodinae and Atkinsoniinae, were also included. We found that FSF evolved only once in Stathmopodidae and that the previous hypothesis of multiple origins of FSF was misled by inadequate taxonomy. Moreover, we showed that (1) speciation/extinction rates do not differ significantly between FSF and non-FSF groups and that (2) oligophage is the ancestral character state in Cuprininae. We further revealed that a faster rate of accumulating specialists over time, and thus a higher number of specialists, was achieved by a higher transition rate from oligophagages to specialists compared to the transition rate in the opposite direction. We finish by describing three new genera, Trigonodagen. nov., Petalagen. nov., and Pediformisgen. nov., and revalidating five genera: Cuprina, Calicotis, Thylacosceles, Actinoscelis, Thylacosceloides in Cuprininae, and we provide an updated taxonomic key to genera and a revised global checklist of Cuprininae.

Wing pattern variation and DNA barcodes defy taxonomic splitting in the New Zealand Pimelea Looper Notoreas perornata (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Larentiinae): the importance of populations as conservation units.

The endemic Notoreas perornata (Walker, 1863) complex (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Larentiinae) from the North Island and northern South Island of New Zealand is reviewed. Larvae feed on Pimelea spp. (Thymelaeaceae), frequently in highly fragmented and threatened shrubland habitats. Allopatric populations tend to differ in size and wing pattern characteristics, but not in genitalia; moreover extensive variation renders recognition of subspecies / allopatric species based on any species concept problematic. A mitochondrial DNA gene tree is not congruent with morphology and indicates rapid recent divergence that has not settled into diagnosable lineages. Based on our results, we synonymise Notoreas simplex Hudson, 1898 with N. perornata (Walker, 1863), and retain N. perornata as a single, highly diverse but monotypic species. All known populations are illustrated to display variation. For conservation purposes, we recommend the continued recognition within the species of 10 populations or groups of populations that appear to be on the way to diverging at subspecific level based on morphological and/or DNA data. The conservation status of all these populations is reviewed. One conservation unit, comprising the populations from Westland, has not been seen since 1998 and is feared possibly extinct.

A new leaf-mining moth from New Zealand, Sabulopteryxbotanica sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae, Gracillariinae), feeding on the rare endemic shrub Teucriumparvifolium (Lamiaceae), with a revised checklist of New Zealand Gracillariidae.

Sabulopteryxbotanica Hoare & Patrick, sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae, Gracillariinae) is described as a new species from New Zealand. It is regarded as endemic, and represents the first record of its genus from the southern hemisphere. Though diverging in some morphological features from previously described species, it is placed in genus Sabulopteryx Triberti, based on wing venation, abdominal characters, male and female genitalia and hostplant choice; this placement is supported by phylogenetic analysis based on the COI mitochondrial gene. The life history is described: the larva is an underside leaf-miner on the endemic divaricating shrub Teucriumparvifolium (Lamiaceae), and exits the mine to pupate in a cocoon in a folded leaf of the host plant. The remarkable history of the discovery and rediscovery of this moth is discussed: for many years it was only known from a single sap-feeding larva found in a leaf-mine in a pressed herbarium specimen of the host. The adult was discovered by BHP in Christchurch Botanic Gardens in 2013. Most distribution records of the moth come from a recent search for mines and cocoons on herbarium specimens of T.parvifolium. Sabulopteryxbotanica has high conservation status, and is regarded as 'Nationally Vulnerable' according to the New Zealand Department of Conservation threat classification system, based on the rarity and declining status of its host plant. However, the presence of apparently thriving populations of S.botanica on cultivated plants of T.parvifolium, especially at the type locality, Christchurch Botanic Gardens, suggests that encouraging cultivation of the plant could greatly improve the conservation status of the moth. A revised checklist of New Zealand Gracillariidae is presented, assigning all species to the currently recognised subfamilies. The Australian Macarostolaida (Meyrick, 1880) is newly recorded from New Zealand (Auckland), where it is established on Eucalyptus.

Revised classification and catalogue of global Nepticulidae and Opostegidae (Lepidoptera, Nepticuloidea).

A catalogue of all named Nepticulidae and Opostegidae is presented, including fossil species. The catalogue is simultaneously published online in the scratchpad http://nepticuloidea.info/ and in Catalogue of Life (http://www.catalogueoflife.org/col/details/database/id/172). We provide a historical overview of taxonomic research on Nepticuloidea and a brief 'state of the art'. A DNA barcode dataset with 3205 barcodes is made public at the same time, providing DNA barcodes of ca. 779 species, of which 2563 are identified as belonging to 444 validly published species. We recognise 862 extant and 18 fossil species of Nepticulidae in 22 extant genera and the fossil form genus Stigmellites. We count 192 valid Opostegidae species in 7 genera, without fossils. We also list seven dubious Nepticulidae names that cannot be placed due to absent type material and poor descriptions, 18 unavailable names in Nepticulidae that cannot be placed and we also list the 33 names (including four fossils) that once were placed as Nepticulidae or Opostegidae but are now excluded. All synonyms and previous combinations are listed. The generic classification follows the Molecular phylogeny that is published almost simultaneously. Subfamilies and tribes are not recognised, Trifurculinae Scoble, 1983 is synonymised with Nepticulidae Stainton, 1854 and Opostegoidinae Kozlov, 1987 is synonymised with Opostegidae Meyrick, 1893. The status of Casanovula Hoare, 2013, Etainia Beirne, 1945, Fomoria Beirne, 1945, Glaucolepis Braun, 1917, Menurella Hoare, 2013, Muhabbetana Koçak & Kemal, 2007 and Zimmermannia Hering, 1940 is changed from subgenus to full genus, whereas two genera are considered synonyms again: Manoneura Davis, 1979, a synonym of Enteucha Meyrick, 1915 and Levarchama Beirne, 1945, a synonym of Trifurcula Zeller, 1848. We propose 87 new combinations in Nepticulidae and 10 in Opostegidae, largely due to the new classification, and re-examination of some species. We propose the following 37 new synonymies for species (35 in Nepticulidae, 2 in Opostegidae): Stigmella acerifoliella Dovnar-Zapolski, 1969 (unavailable, = Stigmella acerna Puplesis, 1988), Stigmella nakamurai Kemperman & Wilkinson, 1985 (= Stigmella palionisi Puplesis, 1984), Nepticula amseli Skala, 1941 (unavailable = Stigmella birgittae Gustafsson, 1985), Stigmella cathepostis Kemperman & Wilkinson, 1985 (= Stigmella microtheriella (Stainton, 1854)), Stigmella populnea Kemperman & Wilkinson, 1985 (= Stigmella nivenburgensis (Preissecker, 1942)), Nepticula obscurella Braun, 1912 (revised synonymy, = Stigmella myricafoliella (Busck, 1900)), Nepticula mandingella Gustafsson, 1972 (= Stigmella wollofella (Gustafsson, 1972)), Stigmella rosaefoliella pectocatena Wilkinson & Scoble, 1979 (= Stigmella centifoliella (Zeller, 1848)), Micropteryx pomivorella Packard, 1870 (= Stigmella oxyacanthella (Stainton, 1854)), Stigmella crataegivora Puplesis, 1985 (= Stigmella micromelis Puplesis, 1985), Stigmella scinanella Wilkinson & Scoble, 1979 (= Stigmella purpuratella (Braun, 1917)), Stigmella palmatae Puplesis, 1984 (= Stigmella filipendulae (Wocke, 1871)), Stigmella sesplicata Kemperman & Wilkinson, 1985 (= Stigmella lediella (Schleich, 1867)), Stigmella rhododendrifolia Dovnar-Zapolski & Tomilova, 1978 (unavailable, = Stigmella lediella (Schleich, 1867)), Stigmella oa Kemperman & Wilkinson, 1985 (= Stigmella spiculifera Kemperman & Wilkinson, 1985), Stigmella gracilipae Hirano, 2014 (= Stigmella monticulella Puplesis, 1984), Nepticula chaoniella Herrich-Schäffer, 1863 (= Stigmella samiatella (Zeller, 1839)), Bohemannia piotra Puplesis, 1984 (= Bohemannia pulverosella (Stainton, 1849)), Bohemannia nipponicella Hirano, 2010 (= Bohemannia manschurella Puplesis, 1984), Sinopticula sinica Yang, 1989 (= Glaucolepis oishiella (Matsumura, 1931)), Trifurcula collinella Nel, 2012 (= Glaucolepis magna (A. Lastuvka & Z. Lastuvka, 1997)), Obrussa tigrinella Puplesis, 1985 (= Etainia trifasciata (Matsumura, 1931)), Microcalyptris vittatus Puplesis, 1984 and Microcalyptris arenosus Falkovitsh, 1986 (both = Acalyptris falkovitshi (Puplesis, 1984)), Ectoedemia castaneae Busck, 1913, Ectoedemia heinrichi Busck, 1914 and Ectoedemia helenella Wilkinson, 1981 (all three = Zimmermannia bosquella (Chambers, 1878)), Ectoedemia chloranthis Meyrick, 1928 and Ectoedemia acanthella Wilkinson & Newton, 1981 (both = Zimmermannia grandisella (Chambers, 1880)), Ectoedemia coruscella Wilkinson, 1981 (= Zimmermannia mesoloba (Davis, 1978)), Ectoedemia piperella Wilkinson & Newton, 1981 and Ectoedemia reneella Wilkinson, 1981 (both = Zimmermannia obrutella (Zeller, 1873)), Ectoedemia similigena Puplesis, 1994 (= Ectoedemia turbidella (Zeller, 1848)), Ectoedemia andrella Wilkinson, 1981 (= Ectoedemia ulmella (Braun, 1912)), Nepticula canadensis Braun, 1917 (= Ectoedemia minimella (Zetterstedt, 1839)), Opostega rezniki Kozlov, 1985 (= Opostega cretatella Chrétien, 1915), Pseudopostega cyrneochalcopepla Nel & Varenne, 2012 (= Pseudopostega chalcopepla (Walsingham, 1908)). Stigmella caryaefoliella (Clemens, 1861) and Zimmermannia bosquella (Chambers, 1878) are taken out of synonymy and re-instated as full species. Lectotypes are designated for Trifurcula obrutella Zeller, 1873 and Nepticula grandisella Chambers, 1880.

Phylogeny and host-plant relationships of the Australian Myrtaceae leafmining moth genus Pectinivalva (Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae), with new subgenera and species.

The phylogeny of the mainly Australian nepticulid genus Pectinivalva Scoble, 1983 is investigated on the basis of morphology, and a division into three monophyletic subgenera is proposed on the basis of these results. These subgenera (Pectinivalva, Casanovula Hoare, subgen. n. and Menurella Hoare, subgen. n. ) are described and diagnosed, the described species of Pectinivalva are assigned to them, and representative new species are described in each: Pectinivalva (Pectinivalva) mystaconota Hoare, sp. n., Pectinivalva (Casanovula) brevipalpa Hoare, sp. n., Pectinivalva (Casanovula) minotaurus Hoare, sp. n., Pectinivalva (Menurella) scotodes Hoare, sp. n., Pectinivalva (Menurella) acmenae Hoare, sp. n., Pectinivalva (Menurella) xenadelpha Van Nieukerken & Hoare, sp. n., Pectinivalva (Menurella) quintiniae Hoare & Van Nieukerken, sp. n., and Pectinivalva (Menurella) tribulatrix Van Nieukerken & Hoare, sp. n. Pectinivalva (Menurella) quintiniae (from Quintinia verdonii, Paracryphiaceae) is the first known member of the genus with a host-plant not belonging to Myrtaceae. Pectinivalva (Menurella) xenadelpha from Mt Gunung Lumut, Kalimantan, Borneo, is the first pectinivalvine reported from outside Australia. Keys to the subgenera of Nepticulidae known from Australia, based on adults, male and female genitalia, and larvae, are presented. Host-plant relationships of Pectinivalva are discussed with relation to the phylogeny, and a list of known host-plants of Pectinivalva, including hosts of undescribed species, is presented. DNA barcodes are provided for most of the new and several unnamed species.