Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 55, 1924, Page 661

Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera. By E. Meyrick, B.A., F.R.S. Communicated by G. V. Hudson, F.E.S., F.N.Z.Inst. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 26th September, 1923; received by Editor, 10th October, 1923; issued separately, 28th August, 1924.] The following species were received through the kindness of my friend Mr. G. V. Hudson, amongst other material generously sent for study. Tortricidae. Tortrix orthocopa n. sp. ♂♀. 18–21 mm. Head, palpi, thorax whitish-ochreous. Forewings sub-oblong, costa in ♂ with moderate fold from base to ⅖, termen sinuate, hardly oblique; pale ochreous, sometimes tinged brownish; markings variably tinged lilac and edged with dark-brown streaks; edge of basal patch very oblique, on costal half obsolete; edges of central fascia nearly straight, very oblique, anterior from ¼ of costa to ¾ of dorsum, posterior from beyond middle of costa to termen above tornus, sometimes a lighter spot edged posteriorly with one or two dark strigulae occupying anterior part of central fascia on costa; costal spot very faint, edged anteriorly by a very oblique brown striga, sometimes faintly continued sinuate to middle of termen: cilia pale ochreous, two brownish lines more or less marked. Hingwings, ♂ whitish-grey, ♀ ochreous-grey-whitish, a very few small cloudy greyish flecks; cilia concolorous. Wellington, in January; four specimens. Between tigris and torogramma, but distinct from both. Ochetarcha n. g. Palpi rather slender, curved, ascending, with appressed scales, terminal joint extremely short. Thorax with posterior crest. Forewings, 2 from before ⅔, 3 from angle, 7 to termen. Hindwings without cubital pecten; 3 and 4 connate, 5 approximated, 6 and 7 short-stalked. Type, miraculosa Meyr. Having received a second example of this, I find that veins 6 and 7 of hindwings have a well-developed common stalk; this stalk is really present also in the first specimen, but so extremely short that I overlooked it. Hence the species cannot be referred to Olindia, and requires a new genus. Ochetarcha miraculosa Meyr. The second specimen has the upper part of the dark arched marking of forewing absent, so that the arch is represented by two fasciate streaks from dorsum rather converging, the anterior reaching ¾ across wing, the posterior ½. Oecophoridae. Borkhausenia idiogama n. sp. ♂♀. 15–16 mm. Head and thorax bronzy-grey, orbits in ♂ paleyellowish. Palpi grey, in ♂ suffused pale-yellowish towards base, apex of second joint whitish. Antennal cilation of ♂ 1. Abdomen dark grey, in ♂ anal tuft and exserted genitalia whitish-ochreous, in ♀ a short whitishochreous scale-tuft beneath from praeanal segment, ovipositor exserted,

filiform. Forewings light grey, irregularly and suffusedly irrorated ochreous-whitish or light yellow-ochreous, especially posteriorly, a few scattered dark-grey scales; plical stigma blackish-grey, beneath it in ♀ an oblique spot of whitish suffusion; an inwardly-oblique streak of dark-fuscous suffusion from tornus, its apex indicating second discal stigma: cilia pale grey, suffusedly mixed or mostly suffused pale ochreous-yellowish. Hindwings dark grey; cilia grey. Mount Egmont, in January; three specimens. Atomotricha prospiciens n. sp. ♂. 20 mm. Head and thorax ochreous-whitish, shoulders more ochreous. Palpi ochreous-whitish, towards base irrorated dark fuscous. Forewings elongate, termen very obliquely rounded; ochreous-whitish partially suffused pale yellow-ochreous and sprinkled fuscous, dorsal area more whitish; a thick streak of dark-fuscous suffusion from base of costa along fold to near middle of wing, with a blackish dot at its apex and one on its lower edge at ¼ of wing, fold beyond this suffused white to near tornus; discal stigmata represented by circles of brown suffusion of which upper half is mixed blackish, these connected by a curved white streak, beyond second a blotch of white suffusion, above and before second some fuscous suffusion extending to costa; a dark-fuscous line from near costa at ¾ to near tornus, angulated in middle and zigzag above this, connected with costa by a spot of brownish suffusion; some brownish suffusion along upper part of termen: cilia whitish-ochreous, base white. Hindwings and cilia ochreous-whitish. Dunedin, in December (taken by C. E. Clarke); one specimen. Next isogama. Tineidae. Rhathamictis n. g. Head loosely rough-haired; ocelli posterior; tongue absent. Antennae ½, in ♂ moderately ciliated, basal joint short, with slight pecten. Labial palpi moderate, porrected, second joint rough-scaled beneath, terminal joint short, loosely scaled, obtuse. Maxillary palpi short, slender, 3-jointed, folded laterally. Posterior tibiae rough-scaled above. Forewings 2 from ⅚, 3 from angle, 7 to termen, 8–10 approximated, 11 from before middle. Hindwings 1, elongate-ovate, cilia ⅔; 2–7 tolerably parallel. An interesting form, probably aculeate and allied to Lampronia. Rhathamictis perspersa n. sp. ♂. 14 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax grey. Forewings elongate, apex rounded-obtuse, termen obliquely rounded; dark purple-grey; scattered whitish-ochreous dots and strigulae—via., about 7 transverse strigulae from costa, several in disc, a dot at apex, and about 15 small irregular dots in dorsal area: cilia purplish-coppery. Hindwings dark purple; cilia grey. Wellington, in March; one specimen. Nepticulidae. Nepticula progama n. sp. ♀. 5 mm. Head white, occipital hairs yellowish. Thorax white, dorsally irrorated blackish and grey. Forewings white; basal fourth irrorated grey and blackish; irregular pale-grey costal and dorsal blotches irrorated blackish beyond middle, meeting in disc; an apical greyish blotch irrorated blackish, leaving apex itself whitish: cilia whitish-grey, round apex whitish, basal half sprinkled blackish. Hindwings and cilia grey. One specimen, “locality uncertain,” but apparently very distinct.