Thyrocopa alterna Walsingham

Medeiros, Matthew J., 2009, A revision of the endemic Hawaiian genus Thyrocopa (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae: Xyloryctinae), Zootaxa 2202, pp. 1-47 : 11-12

4. Thyrocopa alterna Walsingham

( Figs. 9–12 , 59 , 67 )

Thyrocopa alterna Walsingham, 1097b: 501 , plate 14, fig. 22.

Lectotype: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Maui: Haleakala 5000’ [1524 m]: 1 3 (slide 4046 BMNH), May 1896, Perkins (BMNH), designated by Zimmerman 1978: figs. 653, 670 (as “ holotype).

Paralectotypes: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Hawaii Island: Hilo, 2000’ [610 m]: 1 3, Jan 1896, Perkins (BMNH). UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Maui: Haleakala, Olinda, 4000’ [1219 m]: 1 3, May 1896, Perkins (BMNH), Haleakala, 5000’ [1524 m]: 1 3 (slide #12), May 1896, Perkins (BPBM).

Thyrocopa alterna Walsingham ; Zimmerman, 1978: 937, figs. 653, 670.

Thyrocopa adumbrata Walsingham, 1907b: 503 , plate 14, fig. 26.

Lectotype: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Hawaii Island: Kona, 3000’ [914 m]: 1 Ƥ (slide 3942 BMNH), Sept. 1892, Perkins (BMNH), designated by Zimmerman 1978: figs. 652, 681 (as “ holotype ”).

Thyrocopa adumbrata Walsingham ; Zimmerman, 1978: 937, figs. 652, 681. NEW SYNONYMY.

Thyrocopa inermis Walsingham, 1907b: 503 , plate 14, fig. 27.

Lectotype: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Hawaii Island: Kona, 3000’ [914 m]: 1 3 (slide 4077 BMNH), Sep 1892, Perkins (BMNH), designated by Zimmerman, 1978: figs. 659, 676 (as “ holotype ”). Paralectotype: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Hawaii Island: Kona c. 5000’ [1524 m]: 1 Ƥ (slide 31584 BMNH), 4 Jul 1892, Perkins (BMNH).

Thyrocopa inermis Walsingham ; Zimmerman, 1978: 987, figs. 659, 676. NEW SYNONYMY.

Diagnosis: Superficially very similar to T. abusa , but the male antennae are of T. alterna are surrounded by cilia, and the male genitalia are without a dorsal ridge. T. alterna is also similar to T. subahenea and T. usitata , but its wings generally have a lighter ground color.

Description: Scales light brown or brown, sometimes lighter near apex. Antenna ( Fig. 59 ) ca. 0.6–0.7x forewing length; very dense, very short (<0.5x the width of a segment), cilia surround an unscaled male flagellomere; slightly longer, scattered individual cilia on female. Labial palpus mottled light brown and brown; third segment ca. 0.7–0.8x length of second. Thorax: Very light whitish-brown to brown. Forewing length 8–15 mm; ground color light brown to brown, with a few darker scales scattered throughout; discal area with two or three blackish spots near cell; costal margin sometimes much darker than rest of wing, particularly in Maui specimens; rarely with evenly spaced spots on distal half of costa and along termen at the vein endings. Hindwing very light whitish-brown to light brown except anal margin, which is sometimes darker and occasionally with black line or spots near fringe; fringe very light whitish-brown to light brown. Abdomen: Very light whitish-brown to light brown. Male genitalia ( Fig. 67 ) with apex of uncus deeply cleft; sacculus long, somewhat pointed near apex, with scooped-out appearance. Female genitalia typical of genus; signum long.

Food plants: Swezey reared a larvae from “living stem of Perrottetia ” (Hawaiian = “olomea”) (this information from a label in the BPBM collection).

Flight period: At least May–Nov.

Distribution: Maui, Hawaii Island.

Remarks: One specimen from Volcano is considerably darker than the rest, but with the same genitalia and male antennae ( Fig. 11 ). A pair in copula was also collected at high elevation on Mauna Kea (LA22 3 and LA22Ƥ, mounted together on the same pin). Individuals from Maui generally are smaller than those from Hawaii Island.

Additional material examined: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: 1 3 (abdomen missing), 1899, Blackburn ( BMNH). Hawaii Island: 2800’ [853 m], Puna District, Olaa FR, Olaa Back Rd.: 1 3 (slide 28763 BMNH), 15 Jun 1976, K. & E. Sattler ( BMNH); 6400’ [1951 m], Hamakua District, Pohakuloa: 1 3, 4 Jul 1976; Hakalau NWR, Pua Akala, 1800 m: 1 3, 30 Jun 1999, P.L. Little ( BPBM); Hakalau NWR, Pua Akala, 1820 m: 1 3, 28 Oct 1999, P.L. Little ( BPBM); Hakalau Forest NWR, Pua Akala Section: 1 3, 5 Ƥ, 12 Mar–7 Jul 2002, F.G. Howarth & D.J. Preston ( BPBM); Hakalau Forest NWR, Malua Section: 1 3, 1 Ƥ, 14 Mar 2002, F.G. Howarth & D.J. Preston ( BPBM); Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kahuku Unit, Park/Kau FR Boundary, 3560’ [1085 m]: 1 Ƥ (slide Jon1), 20 Jul 2006, J. Giffin ( BPBM); Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kahuku Unit, Park/Kau FR Boundary, 2880’ [878 m]: 1 3 (slide Jon2), 29 Jun 2006, J. Giffin ( BPBM); Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Mauna Loa Strip Rd., 6600’ [2012 m]: 1 3 (slide 31574 BMNH), 8 May 1973, K. & E. Sattler; Kohala FR, 3744’ [1141 m], Waimea Res. Rd.: 1 Ƥ (slide Jon5), 20 Nov 2005, J. Giffin ( BPBM); Kona, 4000’ [1219 m]: 1 3, 1893, Perkins ( BMNH); Mauna Kea , 9200’ [2804 m]: 1 3 (slide LA22 3), 1 Ƥ (slide LA22Ƥ), 9 Jun 2004, S.L. Montgomery ( BPBM); Puna District, Volcano, 3800’ [1158 m]: 6 3 (slides 28755, 28758, 28771, BMNH), 8 Ƥ, 2 May–5 Jul 1973, K. & E. Sattler ( BMNH); Puu Waawaa Forest Bird Sanctuary: 11 3 (slide 07B13), 3 Ƥ (slide 07B23), 5–7 Jun 2007, M.J. Medeiros & J.J. Anderson ( BPBM); S. Hilo, Kapue 2900’ [884 m]: 1 3, 9 Feb 2002, S.L. Montgomery ( BPBM); S. Hilo, Onomea 2200’ [671 m]: 2 3, 8 Feb 2002, S.L. Montgomery ( BPBM); S. Hilo, Onomea 3000’ [914 m]: 3 3 (slides MJM40, MJM27, MJM18), 13 Jan 2002, S.L. Montgomery ( BPBM). Maui: 3000’ [914 m], W. Maui FR, Kaulalewelewe (Puu Kukui Trail): 1 3 (slide 31575 BMNH), 24 Aug 1976, K. & E. Sattler ( BMNH); Haelaau: 1 Ƥ, 21 Dec 1929, larvae reared from Perrottetia by O.H. Swezey ( BPBM); Makawao FR, 965– 1114 m: 2 3 (slides LA93 and LA96), 23–24 Mar 2005, W. Haines ( BPBM); near Puu Luau, 5500’ [1676 m]: 1 3 (slide MJM 17), 28 Apr 1945, E.C.Z. Zimmerman ( BPBM); Puu Kukui Watershed, Kaluanui Valley, “banana patch:” 1 3 (slide LA74), 5 Apr 2006, W. Haines ( UHIM).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 15. Adults of Thyrocopa. 1. T. abusa (holotype of T. immutata), Kauai, forewing = 11 mm; 2. T. abusa, Oahu, forewing = 11 mm; 3. T. abusa, Oahu, forewing = 9 mm; 4. T. abusa, Maui, forewing = 13 mm; 5. T. abusa, Maui, forewing = 12 mm; 6. T. abusa, Maui, forewing = 13 mm; 7. T. acetosa (holotype), Kauai, forewing = 10 mm; 8. T. albonubila, Kauai, forewing = 11 mm; 9. T. alterna, Maui, forewing = 11 mm; 10. T. alterna (holotype of T. adumbrata), Hawaii Island, forewing = 11 mm; 11. T. alterna, Hawaii Island, forewing = 15 mm; 12. T. alterna, Hawaii Island, forewing = 13 mm; 13. T. apatela (macropterous morph), Maui, forewing = 9 mm; 14. T. apatela (brachypterous morph), Maui, forewing = 8 mm; 15. T. apikia (holotype), Molokai, forewing = 14 mm.

FIGURES 46 – 59. Adults of Thyrocopa. 46. T. subahenea, Molokai, forewing = 11 mm; 47. T. usitata, Oahu, forewing = 10 mm; 48. T. vagans, Kauai, forewing = 8 mm; 49. T. viduella (holotype), Kauai, forewing = 17 mm; 50. T. sp. A, Kauai, forewing = 12 mm; 51. T. sp. B, Kauai, forewing = 13 mm; 52. T. sp. C, Kauai, forewing = 12 mm; 53. T. sp. D, Molokai, forewing = 10 mm; 54. T. sp. E, Molokai, forewing = 14 mm; 55. T. kikaelekea, Hawaii Island, male, wings (slide 05 A 45 wings, BPBM); 56. T. kea, Kauai, female, head; 57. T. kea, Kauai, male, aedeagus (slide LA 59 UHIM); 58. T. abusa, Maui, detail showing antennal flagellomere with cilia only on ventral side; 59. T. alterna, Hawaii Island, detail showing antennal flagellomere with cilia surrounding.

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).