DNA barcoding resolves species complexes in Stigmella salicis and S. aurella species groups and shows additional cryptic speciation in S. salicis (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae)

We sequenced the mitochondrial barcoding marker COI and nuclear marker EF1-alphafor most Nordic and other European species of the Stigmella salicis and S. aurella speciesgroups. In the S. salicis group both markers confirm the synonymy of S. lappovimella withS. zelleriella. Specimens previously identified as Stigmella salicis and S. vimineticola areshown to form a complex of several cryptic species for which the taxonomy needs to beworked out. The species previously recorded as S. vimineticola from Norway representsprobably an unnamed species. In the S. aurella group, the oligophagous Rosaceae feedersS. aurella and S. poterii are confirmed to be each a single oligophagous species. Thesynonymy between Stigmella ulmariae from Filipendula ulmaria and S. filipendulae fromFilipendula vulgaris is corroborated.