Wing vestiture of the newly described monotrysian Lepidoptera family Andesianidae Davis and Gentili suggests affinity with the putative Tischerioidea–Ditrysia clade (Insecta: Lepidoptera)

Abstract

The newly described primitive moth family Andesianidae has a Type 3 bilayer scale covering on the dorsal surface of the forewing similar to that found in many other non-ditrysian heteroneuran Lepidoptera. The scale covering of the other wing surfaces is more complex, suggesting higher phylogenetic significance than previously believed. Andesianidae, like the family Tischeriidae and many lower ditrysians, lack microtrichia on almost all wing surfaces and sculptures on the adwing surface of the dorsal forewing ground scales. This supports a sister group relationship between Andesianidae and a clade comprising Tischeriidae and Ditrysia.

Keywords:

• Andesiana
• Andesianidae
• relationship
• sister group
• wing vestiture

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank George Braybrook and Randy Mandryk, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada for help and assistance with electron microscopy. Niels P. Kristensen and Ole Karsholt, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark are thanked for loans of specimens. Jason Dombroskie, University of Alberta is thanked for loans of specimens from his personal collection. Marie Djernæs and Felix A.H. Sperling, University of Alberta are thanked for discussions and for reading through earlier versions of the manuscript. Financial support was graciously provided by The Carlsberg Foundation, Copenhagen, Denmark (post doc salary) and NSERC (a Discovery Grant to Felix A.H. Sperling paid for lab work and various other expenses).