Thyrocopa sapindiella Swezey

Medeiros, Matthew J., 2009, A revision of the endemic Hawaiian genus Thyrocopa (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae: Xyloryctinae), Zootaxa 2202, pp. 1-47 : 33-34

25. Thyrocopa sapindiella Swezey

( Fig. 43 )

Thyrocopa sapindiella Swezey, 1913f: 274 .

Holotype: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Oahu: Niu: 1 Ƥ (slide Z-70-11 BPBM), 12 Nov 1910, O.H. Swezey ( BPBM).

Thyrocopa sapindiella Swezey ; Zimmerman 1978: 989, figs. 649, 664, 690, 692.

Diagnosis: Thyrocopa sapindiella cannot be separated from T. peleana .

Description: Head: Scales light whitish-brown. Antenna ca. 0.6x forewing length; female with short, piliform cilia on ventral side of flagellomere, male unknown. Labial palpus very light whitish-brown; third segment ca. 0.8x length of second. Thorax: Very light whitish-brown. Forewing length 9 mm; ground color very light whitish-brown, with a few brown scales scattered throughout; discal area with one very small, faint brownish spot in cell. Hindwing very light whitish-brown. Abdomen: Light whitish-brown. Male genitalia not examined. Female genitalia typical for genus, signum long.

Food plants: Abutilon ( Zimmerman 1978) , leaves of Sapindus (Hawaiian = manele) ( Swezey 1913f; 1954).

Flight period: The larva was collected by Swezey in November.

Distribution: Oahu. Possibly extinct.

Remarks: The male in the USNM has not been dissected; but the uncus is visible and is very similar to that of T. peleana (see remarks for T. peleana ).

Zimmerman (1978) recorded Agathis hawaiicola (Ashmead) as a parasitoid of T. sapindiella . Accroding to Zimmeran (1978), “The caterpillars feed upon leaves. Dr. Swezey (1913: 274) made many observations regarding the eggs and larvae of what he believed to be this species.” Zimmerman (1978) also wrote “I believe it is highly probable that the eggs described for this species by Dr. Swezey… did not belong to this species or to this genus. It was not stated that larvae and moths were reared from the eggs, and I believe that an error in determination was made.” Swezey’s (1913f) comments regarding the larvae and pupae, reproduced here in their entirety since they are the only detailed account of any immature stages of a Thyrocopa , are as follows:

Caterpillars are quite numerous on some trees. Early instars feed on the under surface of leaves, each producing a web covered with frass under which it feeds, eating the surface of the leaf. Latter instars hide in leaves rolled together, often several leaves in a bunch fastened together, and there may be two or more caterpillars per bunch, each in a silken tunnel.

Early instars are yellowish or pale green, with two lateral fuscous lines; cervical shield with black lateral margins and black dorsal spots; head with two black spots in front and lateral blackish markings, eyes black. Full-grown larvae are about 30 mm; pale yellowish with pale brown markings; most of surface above spiracles more or less brownish; head pale yellowish brown with some darker markings on sides and vertex, eyes black, several black dots in middle of front; cervical shield pale yellowish with several blackish dots dorsally, and two black spots longitudinally placed near each lateral margin; tubercules “i” and “ii” in direct longitudinal line slightly infuscated, “iii” a little above spiracles each with a dark fuscous ring; setae pale; spiracles black slightly oval.

Pupa 9 mm. Medium brown, darker dorsally; tips of wing-sheaths and antenna-sheaths extend a little beyond apex of fourth abdominal segment; a low slightly serrated ridge at apical dorsal margin of metathorax and on abdominal segments; a somewhat interrupted median dorsal ridge on segments 1–4; minute longitudinal ridges on dorsum of abdominal segments, more or less reticulate on the anterior ones; thorax reticulated, somewhat transversely; cremaster with two ventrally curved spines, a minute one near base of each. The pupa is formed within the spun-together leaves where the caterpillar fed.

Additional material examined: Oahu: Niu: 1 3, 27 Jun 1908, collector probably Swezey ( USNM); Niu: 1 Ƥ, 12 Nov 1910, O.H. Swezey ( USNM).

Figures

FIGURES 31 – 45. Adults of Thyrocopa. 31. T. indecora, Hawaii Island, forewing = 12 mm; 32. T. kanaloa (holotype), Kahoolawe, forewing = 7 mm; 33. T. kea, Kauai, forewing = 15 mm; 34. T. kea, Kauai, forewing = 20 mm; 35. T. kikaelekea, Hawaii Island, forewing = 10 mm; 36. T. kokeensis (holotype), Kauai, forewing = 8 mm; 37. T. leonina (holotype), Lanai, forewing = 9 mm; 38. T. megas, Maui, forewing = 18 mm; 39. T. minor, Molokai, forewing = 9 mm; 40. T. neckerensis (holotype), Necker, forewing = 7 mm; 41. T. nihoa, Nihoa, forewing = 7 mm; 42. T. peleana (holotype), Oahu, forewing = 18 mm; 43. T. sapindiella (holotype), Oahu, forewing = 10 mm; 44. T. seminatella, Kauai, forewing = 11 mm; 45. T. spilobathra, Oahu, forewing = 8 mm.