A revision of the endemic Hawaiian genus Thyrocopa (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae: Xyloryctinae)
Author
Medeiros, Matthew J.
text
Zootaxa
2009
2202
1
47
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.275119
ed4c6a69-93b2-4177-888f-cdc9f9a8a327
1175-5326
275119
9.
Thyrocopa decipiens
(Walsingham)
(
Figs. 21
,
60, 74
)
Catamempsis decipiens
Walsingham, 1907b
: 491
, plate 14, fig. 6.
Type
species of
Catamempsis
.
Lectotype
:
UNITED STATES
: HAWAII:
Hawaii Island
: Olaa, 2000’ [
610 m
]: 1 3 (slide 4389 BMNH, wings),
Nov 1896
, Perkins (BMNH), designated by
Zimmerman, 1978
: figs. 648, 656 (as “
holotype
”).
Paralectotypes
:
UNITED STATES
: HAWAII:
Oahu
: Near head of Kawailoa Gulch: 1 Ƥ (slide 2044 BMNH),
Apr 1893
, Perkins.
Hawaii Island
: Olaa: 1 Ƥ (slide 3944 BMNH),
Sep 1896
, Perkins (BMNH).
Thyrocopa decipiens
(Walsingham)
;
Zimmerman, 1978
: 986
, figs. 648, 656, 682, 685.
Diagnosis
: The male antennae in
Thyrocopa decipiens
are conspicuously serrate.
Description
:
Head
: Scales dark brown to brown. Antenna (
Fig. 60
) ca. 0.6–0.7x forewing length; male flagellomere serrate; female with dense, short, piliform cilia on ventral side of flagellomere, cilia less dense on dorsal side. Labial palpus mottled brown and light brown; third segment ca. 0.5x length of second.
Thorax
: Light brown to dark brown. Forewing length
16–23 mm
; forewing ground color light brown mottled with a small amount of darker brown but area near costal margin of wing with streak of brown, usually large and distinctive, sometimes weak; evenly spaced spots on distal half of costa and along termen at vein endings sometimes present. Hindwing light brown to very light brown, fringe very light brown.
Abdomen
: Brown to very light brown. Male genitalia (
Fig. 74
) with uncus deeply apically cleft; sacculus short, tapering to sharp apex. Female genitalia unknown.
Food plants
:
Freycinetia arborea
(Hawaiian = ieie) (
Swezey 1936a
).
Flight period
: Year-round.
Distribution
: Oahu (possibly extinct), Molokai, Maui, Hawaii Island.
Remarks
:
Swezey (1936a: 191)
wrote, “The caterpillars of this gelechiid moth feed in the tips of branches, eating the leaves of the unexpanded spindle. There may be a dozen or more feeding somewhat gregariously...”
Additional material examined
:
UNITED STATES
: HAWAII: 1 Ƥ, 1910, P. (
BMNH
);
Oahu
: Pacific Heights: 1 3 (slide 56),
11 Nov 1918
, O.H. Swezey (
BPBM
).
Molokai
: Pepepae Bog Trail, “Kamakou 4:” 1 3 (slide LA25),
6 Jul 2005
, D. Rubinoff (
UHIM
).
Maui
: Kipahulu Valley (E. Maui), below Palikea: 1 3,
4–6
Jul 1980, S.L. Montgomery (
BPBM
); W. Maui, Honakohau,
900 m
: 6 3,
19
Mar 1972, J.L. Gressitt (
BPBM
); W. Maui, Puu Kukui,
850 m
: 2 3,
30
Mar 1972, J.L. Gressitt (
BPBM
).
Hawaii Island
: 1300’ [
396 m
], S. Hilo District, Upper Waiakea FR, Stainback Highway:
1 3
,
1 Aug 1976
, K. & E. Sattler; 3000’ [
914 m
], S. Hilo District, Upper Waiakea FR, Stainback Highway: 1 3,
9
Jul 1976, K. & E. Sattler; Stainback Hwy ca. 2600’ [
792 m
] (on dead leaf of
Pritchardia beccariana
): 1 3,
Mar 1999
, collector unknown (
BPBM
).