taxonID	type	description	language	source
C17A8781FFF68B3508D9E2D3C2AAD121.taxon	description	(Figs 1 – 3, 6 – 22, 48)	en	Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Dobrynina, Viktorija, Mey, Wolfram (2023): Collecting in the Northern Andean Páramo revealed purple iridescent pygmy moths of the little known Andean endemic Brachinepticula (Nepticulidae). Zootaxa 5227 (3): 328-340, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.2
C17A8781FFF68B3508D9E2D3C2AAD121.taxon	materials_examined	Type material. Holotype: ♁, COLOMBIA, Cundinamarca, Parque Ecológico Matarredonda, Páramo de Cruz Verde, 04 ° 32.937 ' N, 074 ° 00.0022 ' W, 3300 – 3486 m; 11. xi. 2016, Wolfram Mey, genitalia slide no. RA 1100 (MfN / ICN).	en	Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Dobrynina, Viktorija, Mey, Wolfram (2023): Collecting in the Northern Andean Páramo revealed purple iridescent pygmy moths of the little known Andean endemic Brachinepticula (Nepticulidae). Zootaxa 5227 (3): 328-340, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.2
C17A8781FFF68B3508D9E2D3C2AAD121.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Externally, it is a very distinctive unique species characterized by the short frontal tuft, the large distally dark scape, and fuscous brown and purple iridescent scaling of the thorax and forewing. In the male genitalia, the new species is easily recognizable by the combination of a unique lobate valva, large plate of the gnathos, long and distally widely rounded vinculum, two unique dorsal processes of the valva and the large horn-like sclerite of the phallus. Male (Figs 6 – 12). Forewing length about 3.4 mm; wingspan about 7.7 mm. Head: palpi and frons blackish brown; frontal tuft short, ochre-orange; collar short, weakly paired, comprised of slender lamellar scales, brown; scape large, golden cream proximally, dark brown to black brown, golden glossy, with some purple iridescence distally; antenna significantly longer than one half the length of forewing; flagellum with some purple iridescence, black-brown on upper side, brown on underside except for six distal segments which are snow-white; total number of segments 59. Thorax and tegula dark grey with strong purple iridescence. Forewing uniform, without fascia, blackish brown with some golden gloss and strong purple iridescence; fringe dark brown; underside of forewing blackish brown, golden glossy, without spots or androconia. Hindwing and its fringe brown with some golden gloss and purple iridescence on upper side and underside. Legs dark brown on upper side and underside, with some golden gloss and purple iridescence. Abdomen blackish brown, golden glossy, with some purple iridescence; genital plates wide, dark brown; anal tufts relatively short, lateral, comprised of dark brown piliform scales. Female. Unknown. Male genitalia (Figs 13 – 22). Capsule significantly longer (715 μm) than wide (395 μm). Pseuduncus short, band-like, with extended lateral lobes. Uncus wide, distinctly truncated distally. Gnathos with one large caudal process and large central plate. Valva 435 – 440 μm long, with a long slender apical process and two lobes: subapical and basal; transtilla absent; basal processes of valva very long, distally widened. There are two long dorsal processes on each valva forming a pseudoanellus (or juxta). Vinculum long, distally widely rounded, without lateral lobes. Phallus (Figs 15 – 18) 430 μm long, 140 μm wide medially, 130 μm basally, without cornuti on vesica; cathrema with one large, slightly curved horn-like sclerite. Bionomics. Adults fly in November. Otherwise, biology is unknown.	en	Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Dobrynina, Viktorija, Mey, Wolfram (2023): Collecting in the Northern Andean Páramo revealed purple iridescent pygmy moths of the little known Andean endemic Brachinepticula (Nepticulidae). Zootaxa 5227 (3): 328-340, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.2
C17A8781FFF68B3508D9E2D3C2AAD121.taxon	distribution	Distribution (Figs 1 – 3, 48). This species occurs in Colombia in Northern Andean Páramo (Cundinamarca), at an elevation about 3,300 – 3,490 m.	en	Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Dobrynina, Viktorija, Mey, Wolfram (2023): Collecting in the Northern Andean Páramo revealed purple iridescent pygmy moths of the little known Andean endemic Brachinepticula (Nepticulidae). Zootaxa 5227 (3): 328-340, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.2
C17A8781FFF68B3508D9E2D3C2AAD121.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The species name derived from the Greek μελαΙΝα (melaina) meaning black, dark or dark-skinned with reference to the dark colour of the new species (not after Mrs Melania Trump, USA).	en	Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Dobrynina, Viktorija, Mey, Wolfram (2023): Collecting in the Northern Andean Páramo revealed purple iridescent pygmy moths of the little known Andean endemic Brachinepticula (Nepticulidae). Zootaxa 5227 (3): 328-340, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.2
C17A8781FFF18B3908D9E7A6C5AED1CD.taxon	description	(Figs 4, 5, 23 – 29, 48)	en	Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Dobrynina, Viktorija, Mey, Wolfram (2023): Collecting in the Northern Andean Páramo revealed purple iridescent pygmy moths of the little known Andean endemic Brachinepticula (Nepticulidae). Zootaxa 5227 (3): 328-340, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.2
C17A8781FFF18B3908D9E7A6C5AED1CD.taxon	materials_examined	Type material. Holotype: ♀, COLOMBIA, Cundinamarca, Fómeque, Finca La Laja (near Parque Ecológico Matarredonda, Páramo de Cruz Verde), 04 ° 34.181 ’ N, 073 ° 49.577 ’ W, 29 – 31. i. 2017, Wolfram Mey, genitalia slide no. RA 1101 (MfN / ICN).	en	Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Dobrynina, Viktorija, Mey, Wolfram (2023): Collecting in the Northern Andean Páramo revealed purple iridescent pygmy moths of the little known Andean endemic Brachinepticula (Nepticulidae). Zootaxa 5227 (3): 328-340, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.2
C17A8781FFF18B3908D9E7A6C5AED1CD.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. In the female genitalia, the shape of the modified anterior processes and presence of vaginal sclerites indicate the belonging of this species to Brachinepticula. From the congeneric species, B. colombica sp. nov. differs by a distinctive golden shiny fascia on a grey-brown forewing with purple iridescence. The unusual shape of vaginal sclerites in the female genitalia might also be highly diagnostic. Male. Unknown. Female (Figs 23 – 25). Forewing length about 3.1 mm; wingspan about 6.8 mm. Head: palpi and frons greybrown to blackish brown; frontal ochreous orange; collar distinctive, comprised of rather slender lamellar scales, greyish brown, golden glossy; scape large, golden shiny; antenna slightly longer than half of the length of forewing; flagellum grey-brown, distal 1 / 5 (8 – 9 segments) cream. Thorax, tegula and forewing greyish brown, golden glossy, with purple iridescence. Fascia of forewing slightly postmedian, golden shiny; fringe greyish brown; underside of forewing greyish brown, slightly golden glossy, with strong purple iridescence, without spots or androconia. Hindwing relatively wide, grey-brown on upper side and underside, without spots or androconia; its fringe greyish brown. Legs greyish brown. Abdomen grey-brown, golden glossy, with purple iridescence; anal tufts absent (or rubbed). Female genitalia (Figs 26 – 29). Total length about 575 μm. Anterior apophyses lobe-like, significantly shorter than posterior apophyses. Genitalia with two short but rather complex vaginal sclerites (Figs 26, 27). Corpus bursae small, oval-shaped; signum or pectinations absent. Accessory sac distinctly rounded, weakly folded; ductus spermathecae chitinized in proximal part, with about 2.5 coils. Abdominal tip very wide, rounded. Bionomics. Adults fly in January. Otherwise, biology is unknown.	en	Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Dobrynina, Viktorija, Mey, Wolfram (2023): Collecting in the Northern Andean Páramo revealed purple iridescent pygmy moths of the little known Andean endemic Brachinepticula (Nepticulidae). Zootaxa 5227 (3): 328-340, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.2
C17A8781FFF18B3908D9E7A6C5AED1CD.taxon	distribution	Distribution (Figs 4, 5, 48). This species occurs in Colombia in Northern Andean Páramo (Cundinamarca), at an elevation about 3,200 m.	en	Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Dobrynina, Viktorija, Mey, Wolfram (2023): Collecting in the Northern Andean Páramo revealed purple iridescent pygmy moths of the little known Andean endemic Brachinepticula (Nepticulidae). Zootaxa 5227 (3): 328-340, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.2
C17A8781FFF18B3908D9E7A6C5AED1CD.taxon	etymology	Etymology. This species is named after the country, Colombia.	en	Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Dobrynina, Viktorija, Mey, Wolfram (2023): Collecting in the Northern Andean Páramo revealed purple iridescent pygmy moths of the little known Andean endemic Brachinepticula (Nepticulidae). Zootaxa 5227 (3): 328-340, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.2
