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 Rociene Stonis, sp. nov., S. damocles Remeikis, sp. nov., S. pyramidata Diskus Navickaite, sp. nov., S. alilediella Diskus Navickaite, sp. nov., S. longa Remeikis Stonis, sp. nov., S. latilobata Diskus Navickaite, sp. nov., S. paniculata Diskus Navickaite, sp. nov., Ectoedemia orbiculata Diskus, Remeikis Stonis, sp. nov., Acalyptris brunipexus Stonis, Diskus Remeikis, sp. nov., A. noctilucus Rociene Stonis, sp. nov., and A. nasutus Diskus Navickaite, 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.