Thyrocopa spilobathra Meyrick

Medeiros, Matthew J., 2009, A revision of the endemic Hawaiian genus Thyrocopa (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae: Xyloryctinae), Zootaxa 2202, pp. 1-47 : 34-35

27. Thyrocopa spilobathra Meyrick

( Fig. 45 )

Thyrocopa spilobathra Meyrick, 1915a: 372 .

Meyrick’s “ types ”: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Oahu: NW Koolau Range: 1 3, 1 Ƥ, Jul 1901, Perkins (BMNH). Lectotype: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Oahu: Honolulu: 1 3 (slide 9547 Clarke, BMNH), 1908, Perkins (BMNH), designated by Zimmerman, 1978: figs. 664, 686.

Paralectotypes: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Oahu: Honolulu: 6 3 (one abdomen missing), 1908, Perkins (BMNH). Thyrocopa spilobathra Meyrick ; Zimmerman, 1978: 990, figs. 664, 686.

Diagnosis: T. spilobathra can be separated from similar species as follows: T. abusa has a median dorsal ridge on the uncus lacking in T. spilobathra ; T. indecora has a more shallowly apically cleft uncus than T. spilobathra ; T. peleana has a more deeply apically cleft uncus and less distinctive black spots on the wings than T. spilobathra ; and T. usitata has cilia surrounding the male flagellomere.

Description: Head: Mottled brown and light brown. Antenna ca. 0.8x forewing length; very dense, extremely short, piliform cilia on ventral side of flagellomere on male, female with slightly longer and less dense piliform cilia. Labial palpus mottled very light brown to brown; third segment ca. 0.9–1.0x length of second. Thorax: Brown. Forewing length 8–9 mm; ground color light brown with a few brown scales scattered throughout; discal area clouded with poorly defined brownish spots in cell; evenly spaced spots on distal half of costa and along termen at the vein endings, sometimes faint. Hindwing light brown except for anal margin, which is sometimes darker brown; fringe light brown. Abdomen: Very light brown. Male genitalia with uncus moderately cleft apically; sacculus tapering to sharp point at apex. Female genitalia typical for genus; signum long.

Food plants: Unknown.

Flight period: Specimens collected in July.

Distribution: Oahu. Possibly extinct.

Remarks: This species was last collected by Perkins in 1908. The series in the BMNH is remarkably homogeneous, with very a uniform wing pattern and forewing length.

Additional material examined: HAWAII: Oahu: NW Koolau Range: 27 3, 1 Ƥ (slide 31582 BMNH), Jul 1901, Perkins ( BMNH).

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.