Vihualpenia

Vihualpenia is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae. It contains only one species, Vihualpenia lithraeophaga, which is found in southern central Chile.

Vihualpenia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Gracillariidae
Subfamily: Acrocercopinae
Genus: Vihualpenia
Mundaca, Parra & Vargas, 2013
Species:
V. lithraeophaga
Binomial name
Vihualpenia lithraeophaga
(Mundaca, Parra & Vargas, 2013)
Synonyms
  • Hualpenia Mundaca, Parra & Vargas, 2013 (preocc.)
  • Hualpenia lithraeophaga Mundaca, Parra & Vargas, 2013

The length of the forewings is 1.0–1.1 mm . The forewings are brown-silver, the apical area dark cooper-ferruginous with a white semicircular band and a white mark. The hindwings are uniform grey-silver.

The larvae feed on Lithraea caustica. They mine the leaves of their host plant. Young larvae create a serpentine mine. Older larvae create a patch shape mine. The larvae have a white to light brown body and a light brown head.[1]

Etymology

The first two letters of the genus name are derived from the name Viviane, in honour to Dr. Viviane Jerez. The remaining part of the genus name derives from the type locality.[2]

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References
  1. new genus and species of leaf miner (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) for Chile associated to the native tree Lithraea caustica
  2. A replacement name for Hualpenia Mundaca, Parra & Vargas (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae)


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