Thyrocopa vagans (Walsingham)

Medeiros, Matthew J., 2009, A revision of the endemic Hawaiian genus Thyrocopa (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae: Xyloryctinae), Zootaxa 2202, pp. 1-47 : 38-39

30. Thyrocopa vagans (Walsingham)

( Figs. 48 , 61 , 92 )

Ptychothrix vagans Walsingham, 1907b: 489 , plate 14, fig. 3. Type species of Ptychothrix .

Lectotype: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Kauai: Halemanu, 4000’ [1219 m]: 1 3 (slide 4176 BMNH, genitalia and wings), May 1895, Perkins (BMNH), designated by Zimmerman, 1978: figs. 646, 651, 681 (as “ holotype ”).

Thyrocopa vagans (Walsingham) ; Zimmerman, 1978: 991, figs. 646, 651, 681.

Diagnosis: The bipectinate male antennae of T. vagans is unique among Thyrocopa .

Description: Head: Scales brownish-grey, sometimes darker near apex. Antenna ( Fig. 61 ) ca. 7–0.8x forewing length; male flagellomere bipectinate, the female is not known. Labial palpus brown on second segment, mottled very light brownish-grey and brown on third segment; third segment ca. 0.8x length of second. Thorax: Light brownish-grey to light brown to brown. Forewing length ca. 8 mm; ground color mostly very light grey, mottled with a few brown scales, darker near thorax and along costal margin. Hindwing light brown, fringe very light brown. Abdomen: Light brownish-grey. Male genitalia ( Fig. 92 ) with apex of uncus deeply cleft; sacculus short, ending in a blunt tip. Female genitalia unknown.

Food plants: Unknown.

Flight period: Specimens have been collected in May, August, and September.

Distribution: Kauai.

Remarks: This species has been collected only three times: once each in 1895, 1973, and 2006. This is another Thyrocopa species that is able to persist, presumably at low population densities, and could easily have been presumed extinct.

Additional material examined: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Kauai: Na Pali-Kona FR, Alakai Swamp at Pihea Trail, 1200 m: 1 3 (slide LA51), 18 Aug 2006, D. Rubinoff & J. Eiben ( UHIM); Na Pali-Kona FR, Pihea Trail, 4200’ [1280 m]: 1 3, 11 Sep 1973, K. & E. Sattler ( BMNH).

Figures

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).

FIGURES 90 – 104. Male and female genitalia of Thyrocopa; for figures of male genitalia, lower left box shows detail of uncus, lower right box shows detail of sacculus. 90. T. subahenea, Molokai, male genitalia (slide 07 A 51 BPBM); 91. T. usitata, Oahu, male genitalia (slide 31570 BMNH); 92. T. vagans, Kauai, male genitalia (slide LA 51 UHIM); 93. T. sp. A, Kauai, male genitalia (slide 31577 BMNH); 94. T. sp. B, Kauai, male genitalia (slide 31578 BMNH); 95. T. sp. C, Kauai, male genitalia (slide MJM 44 BPBM); 96. T. sp. D, Molokai, male genitalia (slide 07 A 37 BPBM); 97. T. sp. E, Molokai, male genitalia (slide 07 A 50 BPBM); 98. T. peleana, Oahu, female genitalia (slide Z- 70 - 12 BPBM); 99. T. kikaelekea, Hawaii Island, female, detail showing bursa with long signum (slide 06 A 62 BPBM); 100. T. abusa, Maui, female, detail showing bursa with short signum (slide 06 A 25 BPBM); 101. T. abusa, Maui, female genitalia, detail showing segments VIII – X (slide 06 A 25); 102. T. gigas, Molokai, female genitalia (slide 07 A 36 BPBM); 103. T. megas, Maui, female genitalia (slide 06 B 25 BPBM); 104. T. seminatella, Kauai, female genitalia (slide 31585 BMNH).