Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 57, 1927, Page 697

Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera. By E. Metrick., B.A., F.R.S Communicated by G. V. Hudson, F.E.S., F.N.Z.Inst. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 10th September, 1925; received by Editor, 11th September, 1925; issued separately, 19th February, 1927.] The following material has been communicated by my esteemed correspondent, Mr. G. V. Hudson, and was captured by himself, except where otherwise specified. Pyraustidae. Scoparia lychnophanes, 11. sp. ♀ 22 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax dark fuscous with a few whitish specks, collar mixed ochreous. Forewings moderate, rather dilated, termen little oblique; rather dark fuscous, a few scattered whitish and ochreous scales; first and second lines hardly indicated by limiting shades of scattered white-scales, posterior edge of second line more distinctly white on costa; orbicular small, round, blackish, claviform beneath it, more elongate and undefined, blackish, discal forming a small transverse light ochreous spot edged on each side with some blackish suffusion; subterminal line hardly indicated by a few white scales: cilia grey-whitish, a grey subbasal shade. Hindwings grey, somewhat darker posteriorly; cilia whitish, a grey subbasal shade. Mount Holdsworth, Tararua Range, about 4,000 feet, in January; one specimen. Very distinct, possibly allied to encapna. Scoparia pachyerga n. sp. ♂ 24 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax brown mixed dark fuscous. Forewings narrow at base, moderately dilated, termen rather oblique; brown, suffusedly mixed blackish-fuscous, tending to form thick undefined streaks between veins; first and second lines obscurely whitish, rather irregular, first rather curved, hardly oblique, edged with blackish shade posteriorly, second at 4/5, nearly parallel to termen, but rather excurved on median third, edged with blackish shade anteriorly; orbicular and claviform elongate, suffused, blackish, confluent with dark margin of first line, discal suffused X-shape, blackish; subterminal line obscure, greyish, incurved in middle but not quite touching second line: cilia whitish-grey, a grey subbasal shade. Hindwings pale brassy-greyish; cilia whitish, a pale grey subbasal line. Mount Holdsworth, in forest about 2,500 feet, in January; one specimen. Perhaps allied to axena. Scoparia vulpecula n. sp. ♂ 18 mm. Head ochreous-whitish. Palpi grey, base white. Thorax light fuscous. Forewings elongate, not dilated, apex pointed,

termen oblique; light fuscous, a few scattered whitish scales; discal spot cloudy, darker fuscous: cilia whitish-fuscous, base mixed grey. Hindwings whitish-grey, greyer near termen; cilia grey-whitish. Bold Peak, L. Wakatipu, in January; one specimen. A peculiar form; the male would probably have more ample forewings. Tortricidae. Catamacta calligypsa Meyr. A ♀ of this species (described from ♀ only) from Paekakariki is somewhat smaller than ♀ (15 mm.), and has grey hindwings, but otherwise does not differ particularly; the costal fold of forewings extends to ⅓. Tortrix leucaniana Walk. A ♀ from Botanical Gardens, Wellington, which I assign to this species, has the forewings, except extreme costal edge and cilia, wholly suffused light ferruginous, with distinct black discal dot. After seeing this I am satisfied that the specimen originally described as ♀ of Epichorista siriana is a similar variety of leucaniana, and that the true ♀ of siriana resembles the ♂. Cnephasia melanophaea n. sp. ♂ ♀ 18–20 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax dark fuscous, slightly speckled white, tip of patagia white, palpi rough-haired, in ♀ head and palpi mostly suffused white. Forewings slightly dilated, costa in ♂ with moderate fold on basal fourth, termen rounded, little oblique; dark purplish-grey irregularly mixed white (more strongly in ♀), a few coarse scattered blackish strigulae; markings hardly darker, but more blackish-strigulated, and more or less defined by irregular coarse black marking on edges; edges of basal patch oblique; central fascia oblique, narrow on costa, with broad triangular posterior median prominence and broad below this; costal patch represented by four small blackish costal spots and some dark suffusion connecting these beneath; a very irregular transverse blotch before lower part of termen; cilia light grey, in ♂ somewhat mixed white, in ♀ largely suffused white. Hindwings ♂ grey becoming darker posteriorly, ♀ pale grey becoming grey posteriorly, some slight darker mottling; cilia whitish-grey, more whitish in ♀, a grey subbasal line. Mount Arthur, 4,200 feet, in January; two specimens (♂ Miss Stella Hudson, ♀ taken by Mr. Hudson six years later at same place and season, both in fine condition). Next latomana. Epichorista triorthota n. sp. ♂ 14 mm. Head, palpi, thorax dark bronzy-brown. Antennal ciliations three, whorled. Forewings somewhat dilated, with slender costal fold on basal fifth, termen rather oblique; ochreous, tinged or suffused purplish-grey except towards costa; markings dark ferruginous-brown suffused dark fuscous on edges; basal patch moderate, edge straight, almost direct; central fascia moderate, somewhat narrower on dorsum, hardly oblique; an almost direct fascia from costa at 2/3, moderately broad on costa but finely attenuated on dorsal half, an-

terior margin somewhat excavated above middle and edged with a whitish mark; posterior area beyond this wholly dark purplish-grey except a small ochreous costal spot beyond fascia, and an irregular ferruginous-ochreous subterminal streak: cilia ochreous, basal third and an apical spot dark grey. Hindwings dark grey; cilia light grey, basal third grey. Sinclair stream, Wainui-o-mata, in December; one specimen. Quite peculiar. Harmologa columella n. sp. ♂ 21 mm. Head white, a greyish bar on face, crown greyishtinged, collar ferruginous-grey. Palpi whitish mixed grey and ferruginous. Thorax white, a transverse median band and apex of crest deep ferruginous. Forewings elongate-triangular, costa with moderate fold from base to ¼, termen nearly straight, somewhat oblique; whitish mixed light violet-grey, with some ferruginous strigulae; a moderate basal patch, with subquadrate central prominence whence a strigula connects with a spot on dorsum before middle; central fascia moderately broad, rather oblique; costal patch represented by four dark violet-grey spots and an elongate-triangular violet-grey and ferruginous suffusion connecting them beneath; an erect fasciate evenly broad and straight-edged streak from tornus nearly reaching this: cilia pale grey. Hindwings grey, somewhat darker posteriorly; cilia grey. Arthurs Pass, about 4,000 feet, in January (Miss Stella Hudson); one specimen; stated to occur also on Mount Arthur. Next sanguinea. Oecophoridae. Borkhausenia ancogramma Meyr. A fine example from Wainui-o-mata shows a well-marked subdorsal tuft on forewings before middle, and thoracic crest; I am not disposed, however, at present to separate it generically from Borkhausenia, to some forms of which it is in all other respects closely related, but the structures should be noted. Corocosma n. g. Head with appressed scales; ocelli posterior; tongue developed. Antennae ¾ (in ♂ probably with long ciliations), basal joint moderate, with narrow pecten. Labial palpi moderate, curved, ascending, slender, second joint loosely scaled beneath, terminal joint shorter than second, pointed. Maxillary palpi rudimentary. Thorax with posterior crest. Posterior tibiae rough-scaled above, with whorls of projecting scales on origin of spurs. Forewings with large tufts of scales on surface; 1b furcate, 2 from near angle, 7 absent, 11 from middle. Hindwings under 1, elongate-ovate, cilia 1; 3 and 4 connate, 5–7 somewhat approximated towards base. A new form of unusual interest, allied to the remarkable Australian genus Petalanthes, of which it appears to be a development, differing in the absence of vein 7, and reduction of terminal joint of palpi; it belongs to the group of Trachypepla. I infer, therefore, that it is to be included in that portion of the New Zealand fauna which immigrated from Queensland by way of New Caledonia.

Corocosma memorabilis n. sp. ♀ 8 mm. Head whitish, crown sprinkled grey. Palpi whitish. Thorax brownish sprinkled dark grey. Forewings suboblong, apex obtuse, termen slightly rounded, oblique; brown; a transverse streak of blackish irroration near base, beyond this a fascia of dark grey and whitish irroration, including two successive white spots in disc; plical and first discal stigmata represented by two spots transversely placed of raised blackish scales suffused coppery and tipped prismatic-metallic, above these a blackish spot on costa followed by slight whitish irroration; irregular narrow angulated fasciae of dark grey and whitish irroration crossing wing beyond middle and at 4/5, connected on costa, between these a curved transverse streak of raised blackish scales in disc, immediately beyond second a white spot on costa; a marginal streak of dark grey and whitish irroration round posterior part of costa and termen, preceded by an irregular blackish streak; cilia fuscous with strong, coppery-metallic reflections, a blackish subbasal line. Hindwings dark grey; cilia grey, a dark fuscous subbasal line. Shedwood Forest, Tapawera, January (Miss Stella Hudson); one specimen. This seemingly obscure but really beautiful little insect (the smallest of the 154 New Zealand Oecophoridae) is probably adapted by its complex marking and rough scaling for concealment on tree-trunks, and by its bright metallic and coppery ornamentation for flying in sunshine, both these habits being characteristic of the species of Petalanthes also. Trachypepla indolescens n. sp. ♂ 18 mm. Head white. Palpi white, second joint grey except apex, terminal joint grey anteriorly. Antennal ciliations 1. Thorax light grey, sides of metathorax and patagia except shoulders white. Forewings with costa moderately arched, apex obtuse, termen very obliquely rounded; brownish-grey; a rather narrow suffused white angulated fascia about ⅓ stigmata forming small cloudy dark fuscous spots, plical hardly beyond first discal, these adjoining preceding fascia; a broad suffused white fascia preceding second discal, in disc extended anteriorly by broad white suffusion to touch stigmata; beyond this the posterior area suffused white except a line of ground colour from costa at 2/3 to tornus, excurved in disc and indented towards costa; a marginal series of triangular dark fuscous dots round posterior part of costa and termen: cilia fuscous-whitish. Hindwings light grey; cilia ochreous-whitish. Karori, Wellington, February; one specimen. This is in very good condition and shows no apparent raised scales, but seems to be truly allied to photinella, in which they are very slightly developed; it is therefore probably assignable to Trachypepla. Proteodes melographa n. sp. ♂ 21 mm. Head white, a dark fuscous bar on face. Palpi white suffusedly mixed dark grey. Thorax white, patagia suffused dark grey except tips. Forewings moderate, posteriorly dilated, termen straight, rather oblique; white, irregularly sprinkled grey, unevenly strewn with blackish or dark brown dots, tending to form longitudinal or transverse series; some ferruginous suffusion towards base of costa;

a small dark fuscous spot on costa at ⅓, whence a fine rather curved dark fuscous stria runs to dorsum, adjoining this posteriorly a suffused feruginous spot in disc and some grey marbling towards dorsum; a transverse brown-whitish mark on end of cell edged anteriorly with a few black scales, and posteriorly with dark grey suffusion, beyond this a transverse fascia, of grey marbling obscurely interrupted below middle, becoming darker and broader towards costa, on which it forms three or four small spots; some slight brownish suffusion near termen; a terminal series of blackish marks; cilia grey-whitish, base barred white, a dark grey subbasal and pale grey postmedian line. Hindwings whitish-grey; a light grey spot on end of cell; cilia whitish, basal half faintly barred greyish. Mount Arthur, 4,000 feet, in January (Selwyn Woodward); one specimen. This, the third species of the endemic genus Proteodes, is very distinct and interesting. Lathicrossa prophetica n. sp. ♀ 16 mm. Head whitish with a few blackish scales. Palpi whitish sprinkled blackish, terminal joint with broad blackish band. Thorax pale pink mixed dark grey. Forewings somewhat dilated, apex obtuse-pointed, termen faintly sinuate, oblique; light rose-pink suffusedly mixed dark grey; a small black spot on base of costa, and one just beyond and beneath it; stigmata forming small black spots, plical obliquely beyond first discal and rather smaller, each of these followed by a white dot, second discal subquadrate; the pink groundcolour forms small distinct spots on costa at middle and ¾ between patches of dark suffusion: cilia grey mixed pinky-whitish, base rose-pink. Hindwings grey finely irrorated blackish-grey; cilia grey, basal third blackish-grey. Mount Arthur, about 3,500 feet, in January (Selwyn Woodward); one specimen. Cosmopterygidae. Thectophila n. g. Head smooth; ocelli posterior, tongue developed. Antennae (partly broken), basal joint elongate, rather dilated towards apex, without pecten (?). Labial palpi, very long, recurved, slender, smooth, terminal joint as long as second, acute. Maxillary palpi obsolete. Posterior tibiae clothed with hairs above. Forewings with 1b simple, 2 from angle, 2–4 parallel, 5 absent, 6 and 7 out of 8, 7 to costa, 11 from middle. Hindwings 3/5, lanceolate, cilia 3; 2–4 parallel, 5 absent, 6 and 7 stalked. Apparently a development of Pyroderces. Thectophila acmotypa n. sp. ♀ 14 mm. Head, thorax ochreous-whitish (rubbed). Palpi whitish. Forewings lanceolate, apex acutely produced, caudulate; ochreous-whitish; a fine dark grey line from disc at 4/5 to apex, terminating in a black apical dot: cilia ochreous-whitish, round apex short segments of blackish subbasal and grey postmedian lines. Hind-wings pale grey; cilia whitish. Arthur's Pass, 4,000 feet, in February; one specimen.

Glyphipterygidae. Heliostibes vibratrix n. sp. ♀ 16 mm. Head and palpi fuscous. Thorax rather darker bronzy-fuscous. Abdomen dark fuscous, ventral surface pale yellow. Forewings suboblong, termen hardly oblique; fuscous, with numerous irregular transverse cloudy dark purplish-fuscous striae; second discal stigma forming a small transverse dark fuscous spot; two slight whitish marks on dorsum about middle: cilia fuscous. Hindwings blackish-grey; cilia grey, basal third dark fuscous. Mount Arthur, 4,000 feet, in January, one specimen. Not in good condition, but quite a peculiar species. Lyonetiadae. Erechthias lychnopa n. sp. ♂ 15 mm. Head, thorax greyish mixed darker. Palpi grey mixed blackish, beneath whitish. Antennae grey tinged fulvous on basal half. Forewings grey irregularly irrorated blackish scales finely edged whitish; a white mark on middle of costal edge; upturned apical area with median portion dark grey mixed blackish and speckled white, above and below this triangular light orange-ochreous spots, line of flexure with whitish reflections: cilia grey-whitish with blackish subbasal and postmedian shades, above apex a blackish external hook. Hindwings dark grey, an apical spot of whitish speckling; cilia grey, round apex whitish-tinged with three dark grey lines. Karaka Grove, near Sinclair Head, Wellington, in November; one specimen. Near externella, but apparently quite distinct.