Thyrocopa cinerella Walsingham

Medeiros, Matthew J., 2009, A revision of the endemic Hawaiian genus Thyrocopa (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae: Xyloryctinae), Zootaxa 2202, pp. 1-47 : 17-18

8. Thyrocopa cinerella Walsingham

( Figs. 20 , 73 )

Thyrocopa cinerella Walsingham, 1907b: 494 , plate 14, fig. 9.

Lectotype: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Kauai: Mts. 3000–4000’ [914–1219 m]: 1 Ƥ (slide 3943 BMNH), Jun 1894, Perkins (BMNH), designated by Zimmerman 1978:figs. 655 & 684 (as “ holotype ”). Paralectotype: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Kauai: Mts. 3000–4000’ [914–1219 m]: 1 Ƥ (slide 2037 BMNH), Jun 1894, Perkins (BMNH).

Thyrocopa cinerella Walsingham ; Zimmerman, 1978: 985, figs. 655, 684.

Diagnosis: Thyrocopa cinerella is very similar to T. kea , T. megas , and T. seminatella . It is allopatric with with T. megas , and it is much larger than T. seminatella . T. seminatella always has spots on the forewing at the end of wing veins and is browner. T. cinerella can be distinguished from T. kea by its much more distinct wing spots.

Description: Head: Scales brown to light brown to light brownish-grey with apex sometimes lighter. Antenna ca. 0.7x forewing length; very dense, very short piliform cilia on ventral side of flagellomere; male has light colored scales on proximal end of dorsal side of flagellomere. Labial palpus mottled brown and light brown; third segment ca. 0.8–1.0x length of second. Thorax: Brown to light brown or light brownish-grey.

Forewing length 15–19 mm; forewing ground color mottled brown to light brown or light brownish-grey; discal area with two or three cloudy, poorly defined blackish spots in cell, curving, poorly-defined whitish band through terminal area. Hindwing uniformly light brown, fringe pale whitish-brown. Abdomen: All specimens slide-mounted. Male genitalia ( Fig. 73 ) with apex of uncus deeply cleft; sacculus very long, tapering to sharp tip and curving toward gnathos, somewhat scooped-out near apex. Female genitalia typical for genus; signum long.

Food plants: Unknown.

Flight period: At least April–July.

Distribution: Kauai.

Remarks: The original two specimens, both females, were collected by Perkins in 1894. A third specimen was collected in 1920, but no others until 2007. This is a testament to the ability of small populations of Thyrocopa to persist undetected, despite intensive collecting. T. cinerella may be conspecific with viduella , the latter having darker wing pattern. However, since only female viduella specimens are known, it is currently impossible to synonymize these two species.

Additional material examined: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Kauai: Kaholuamano: 1 3, Apr 1920, J.A. Kusche ( BPBM); Kokee St. Park, Kaluapuhi Tr.: 1 3 (slide 07A66), 25 May 2007, M.J. Medeiros ( BPBM); Kokee St. Park, CCC Camp: 1 3 (slide 08A24), 27 Jul 2008, M.J. Medeiros ( BPBM).

Figures

FIGURES 16 – 30. Adults of Thyrocopa. 16. T. brevipalpis, Kauai, forewing = 13 mm; 17. T. brevipalpis, Kauai, forewing = 11 mm; 18. T. brevipalpis, Kauai, forewing = 13 mm; 19. T. brevipalpis, Kauai, forewing = 12 mm; 20. T. cinerella, Kauai, forewing = 19 mm; 21. T. decipiens, Hawaii Island, forewing = 18 mm; 22. T. elikapekae, Kauai, forewing = 12 mm; 23. T. epicapna, Hawaii Island, forewing = 10 mm; 24. T. geminipuncta, Maui, forewing = 9 mm; 25. T. gigas, Kauai, forewing = 23 mm; 26. T. indecora, Maui, forewing = 12 mm; 27. T. indecora, Hawaii Island, forewing = 9 mm; 28. T. indecora, Oahu Island, forewing = 11 mm; 29. T. indecora, Maui, forewing = 14 mm; 30. T. indecora, Maui, forewing = 12 mm.

FIGURES 60 – 74. Antenna and male genitalia of Thyrocopa; lower left box with detail of uncus, lower right box with detail of sacculus. 60. T. decipiens, Molokai, male, antenna; 61. T. vagans, Kauai, male, antenna; 62. T. kea, Kauai, male, abdomen showing transverse bands of spines (slide LA 59 UHIM); 63. T. indecora, Hawaii Island, male, detail showing very shallowly cleft uncus (slide 07 B 25 BPBM); 64. T. indecora, Hawaii Island, male, detail showing sacculus with scooped-out appearance (slide 07 B 25 BPBM); 65. T. abusa, Molokai, male genitalia (slide 31580 BMNH); 66. T. albonubila, Kauai, male genitalia (slide 07 A 85 BPBM); 67. T. alterna, Hawaii Island, male genitalia (slide Jon # 2 BPBM); 68. T. apatela (intermediate winged specimen), Maui, male genitalia (slide 05 A 97 HALE); 69. T. apatela (brachypterous morph), Maui, male genitalia (slide 19860 BMNH); 70. T. apatela (macropterous morph), Maui, male genitalia (slide 21906 BMNH); 71. T. apikia, Molokai, male genitalia (slide LA 26 UHIM); 72. T. brevipalpis, Kauai, male genitalia (slide 05 A 75 BPBM); 73. T. cinerella, Kauai, male genitalia (slide 08 A 24 BPBM); 74. T. decipiens, Molokai, male genitalia (slide LA 25 UHIM).