Mesophleps chloranthes ( Lower, 1900 ) Li & Sattler, 2012

Li, Houhun & Sattler, Klaus, 2012, A taxonomic revision of the genus Mesophleps Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) 3373, Zootaxa 3373, pp. 1-82 : 54-55

Mesophleps chloranthes ( Lower, 1900) comb. nov.

( Figs 86, 116, 148)

Ypsolophus chloranthes Lower, 1900 , Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 25: 418. Syntypes, 5 ♂♂, ♀, AUSTRALIA: New South Wales, Broken Hill, x., xi. (Lower) (SAM, Adelaide) [syntype ♂ in BMNH examined].

Nothris centrothetis Meyrick, 1904 , Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 29: 421 [key], 422. LECTOTYPE ♂, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia, Perth , 26.xi.1886 (Meyrick) (slide no. 30941; BMNH), here designated [examined]. Comb. nov., syn. nov.

Nothris chloristis Meyrick, 1904 , Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 29: 421. LECTOTYPE ♂, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia, Carnarvon , 21.x.1886 (Meyrick) (slide no. 30940; BMNH), here designated [examined]. Comb. nov., syn. nov.

Xerometra chloristis (Meyrick) ; Meyrick 1925: 170; Edwards 1996: 108.

Xerometra centrothetis (Meyrick) ; Meyrick 1925: 170; Edwards 1996: 108.

Xerometra chloranthes (Lower) ; Meyrick 1925: 170; Edwards 1996: 108.

Genitalia ♂ ( Fig. 86). Uncus narrow, basal half with parallel margins, distal half evenly tapered towards rounded apex. Gnathos broad-based, arms fused to one blunt hook of about one-half length of uncus. Tegumen unremarkable, with short curved pedunculi. Downturned distal part of vinculum about one-third its total length; sclerotized posterior margin entire, gently concave medially or with small notch beneath exit hole of phallus. Phallus moderately swollen, apex downturned.

Genitalia ♀ ( Figs 116, 148). Papillae anales relatively narrow, almost one-half length of apophyses anteriores, pointed, sparsely setose. Apophyses anteriores and posteriores of about equal length; segment VIII unremarkable, only about one-third length of apophyses, ostium bursae near anterior margin, ductus bursae narrow, straight, slightly shorter than apophyses; ductus seminalis from cervix bursae, in patch of miocrotrichia (“signum”), clearly distant from entrance of ductus bursae.

Remarks. Meyrick distinguished chloristis and centrothetis mainly by differences in the labial palpi and the darker or lighter hind wings. These characters may be subject to individual variation or may vary between fresh and old specimens. We did not find any differences in the genitalia.

Y. chloranthes was described from five specimens (both sexes) from New South Wales (Broken Hill), x. and xi. In coll. Lower there is a series of specimens (both sexes) from Broken Hill; a female without date of collecting is labelled as ‘type’. The identity of chloranthes is based here on a syntype in coll. Meyrick ( BMNH); a lectotype should be designated in the Lower collection ( SAM, Adelaide). N. centrothetis was described from four specimens (both sexes) from Western Australia, Geraldton, York and Perth. All the specimens, two males and two females, are present in the Meyrick collection, and a male from Perth is designated here as the lectotype. N. chloristis was described from one male and one female from Western Australia, Carnarvon. Both specimens are present in the Meyrick collection and both are males; a lectotype is here designated .

Biology. Host-plant unknown.

Distribution. Australia (New South Wales, Western Australia).

Material examined (5 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, including 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀ genitalia preparations)

Australia: 1 ♂, New South Wales, Broken Hill , 15.x.1898 (Lower) (syntype of Y. chloranthes ) ; 2 ♂♂, Western Australia, Perth , 26.xi.1886 (Meyrick) (lectotype and paralectotype of N. centrothectis ) ; 1 ♀, York , 21.xi.1886 (Meyrick) (paralectotype of N. centrothectis ) ; 1 ♀, Geraldton , 11.xi.1886 (Meyrick) (paralectotype of N. centrothectis ) ; 1 ♂ Carnarvon , 21.x.1886 (Meyrick) (lectotype of N. chloristis ) ; 1 ♂, ditto, 25.x.1886 (Meyrick) (paralectotype of N. chloristis ) .