Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 56, 1926, Page 415

Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera. By Edward Meyrick, B.A., F.R.S. Communicated by G. V. Hudson, F.E.S., F.N.Z.Inst. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 27th August, 1924; received by Editor, 28th August, 1924; issued separately, 31st March, 1926.] The following species have been communicated to me through the kindness of Mr. G. V. Hudson. Pyraustidae. Scoparia molifera n. sp. ♀ 20 mm. Head and thorax light-brownish, shoulders mixed dark fuscous. Palpi 3, brownish, base white. Forewings elongate rather dilated (rather narrower than submarginalis), termen nearly straight, somewhat oblique; brown, somewhat paler towards dorsum, costal third suffused dark fuscous, narrowed to apex; lines whitish, first at ⅓, obtusely angulated below middle, second at ⅘, indented towards costa and near dorsum, excurved between these, subterminal incurved on median third and confluent centrally with second; orbicular and discal spots confluent to form a broad dark-brown streak adjacent to dark-fuscous costal area, cut by first line and extending before it half-way to base, claviform elongate, dark brown, confluent with this on posterior edge of first line; dorsal third irrorated white between first and second lines; a slender dark-fuscous terminal shade including a waved white marginal line: cilia pale-greyish, an interrupted fuscous median line on upper part of termen. Hindwings 1 ⅓, whitish-grey-ochreous; cilia ochreous-whitish. Ashhurst, Manawatu River, in February; one specimen. A very distinct species, possibly allied (but not closely) to submarginalis. Tortricidae. Catamacta calligypsa n. sp. ♀ 16 mm. Head and thorax white, slightly speckled grey. Palpi 2, whitish, sprinkled dark grey. Forewings suboblong, slightly dilated posteriorly, costa strongly arched towards base, then faintly sinuate, apex obtuse, termen slightly sinuate, somewhat oblique; white; basal patch grey with some strigulae of blackish irroration, suffused white towards costa, edge running from ⅕ of costa to ⅖ of dorsum, slightly irregular, central fascia represented by a faint greyish spot on costa at ⅖, a grey spot on dorsum beyond middle, and a faint greyish cloud above this; on costa posteriorly an oblong blotch of grey suffusion with some dots of blackish irroration, enclosing a small white spot on costa; an irregular transverse blotch of grey suffusion extending from tornus before termen to above middle; two or three scattered blackish dots on costa; three blackish strigulae on apical part of termen: cilia white, extreme base grey, a strong rather dark grey median shade. Hindwings whitish, with small scattered light-grey spots or strigulae; cilia whitish. Wellington, in February; one specimen.

Oecophoridae. Trachypepla eumenopa n. sp. ♂ ♀. 12 mm. Head pale ochreous, more or less irrorated fuscous. Palpi pale ochreous sprinkled blackish. Antennal ciliations in male 2. Thorax ferruginous-ochreous irrorated dark fuscous. Abdomen dark grey. Forewings elongate, apex obtuse, termen obliquely rounded; violet-grey irrorated dark fuscous, disc more or less wholly suffused deep ferruginous-brown; some ochreous marking near base; stigmata forming raised tufts, plical beneath first discal, both these irrorated blackish, second discal forming an irregular white dot partially edged blackish irroration, some bright ochreous suffusion beneath this; two rather oblique irregular whitish striae crossing wing between discal stigmata, confluent and yellowish on costa, becoming obsolete towards dorsum; an indistinct yellowish spot on costa at ¾; an irregular whitish spot just before apex, and series of scattered scales before termen: cilia yellow-whitish with two broad shades, first yellow-brownish, second purplish, purplish blotches at apex and on costa towards apex. Hindwings and cilia blackish-grey. Wainuiomata, in December; two specimens. Heliodinidae. Stathmopoda trimolybdias n. sp. ♀. 14 mm. Head glossy whitish-violet-grey, back of crown orange. Palpi ochreous-whitish. Thorax glossy dark violet-grey, two indistinct narrow orange stripes. Forewings narrowed from near base, pointed; orange; costal edge dark grey from base to ⅔; three irregular dark leaden-metallic fasciae edged dark grey, first near base, prominent posteriorly near costa, second before middle, rather outwards-oblique from dorsum, not quite reaching costa, third from costa at ⅔, hardly reaching tornus; a faint narrow streak of greyish suffusion from middle of third fascia to apex: cilia grey, round apex light orange. Hindwings dark grey; cilia grey. Ashhurst, Manawatu River, in February; one specimen. Stathmopoda aristodoxa n. sp. ♂. 13 mm. Head silvery-white, crown grey. Palpi white. Thorax shining white, shoulders dark grey, edged posteriorly with some ferruginous scales. Forewings narrowed from near base, acute; pale ochreous; costal edge suffused dark grey from base to ⅓, thence undefined broader violet-grey costal suffusion to ⅔; an oblique blotch of dark violet-grey suffusion from base of costa, whence a slender ferruginous-brown partially grey-suffused supramedian streak runs to just below apex, its apex enlarged into a wedge-shaped spot; two shining snow-white dorsal blotches reaching supramedian streak, first semicircular, second suboval, inwards-oblique, these preceded, separated, and followed by spots of orange-ferruginous suffusion somewhat marked irregularly dark grey; some orange-ferruginous suffusion along termen except at apex: cilia grey, on costa mixed pale ochreous. Hindwings rather dark grey; cilia grey. Wellington, in November; one specimen. Handsome and distinct; allied to caminora, which is certainly a variable species, but none of my series approach this insect, characterized by the shining snow-white thorax and dorsal blotches, of which the anterior is broad and semi-circular (in caminora outwards-oblique and pointed).