Description of Two New Species of New Zealand Lepidoptera

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 65, 1936, Page 304

Description of Two New Species of New Zealand Lepidoptera By E. Meyrick, B.A., F.R.S. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, October 24, 1934; received by the Editor, October 29, 1935; issued separately, December, 1935.] Scythris triatma n. sp. ♂. 10 mm. Head, palpi, thorax dark bluish-slaty-grey. Abdomen grey, ventral surface suffused pale ochreous, anal tuft pale greyish-ochreous. Forewings elongate-lanceolate; dark bluish-slaty-grey; stigmata indicated by hardly perceptible cloudy darker spots only visible in certain lights, plical and first discal transversely placed beyond middle, second discal at ¾; obscure spots of grey-whitish suffusion beneath fold at 1/3 and 2/3 and towards apex: cilia grey. Hindwings grey, paler towards base; cilia grey. Two ex., Puhipuhi R., Kaikoura, November, on stones in riverbed, in a restricted spot only (G. V. Hudson). The specimens sent (others were taken by Mr Hudson). are in fine condition, and the species, though obscure, is quite distinct, being the fourth New Zealand species of the genus now known. Protosynaema hymenopis n. sp. ♀. 11 mm. Head, thorax, pale bronzy. Palpi pale yellowish, anterior edge of terminal joint finely black. Antennae (♀) not thickened. Forewings elongate-triangular, costa gently arched, apex obtuse, termen obliquely rounded; fulvous-yellow; markings whitish-yellow with strong blue tinge or reflection, strongly edged dark fuscous; a basal patch, edge running from costa at 1/6 to dorsum at 2/5, enclosing a short oblique dark fuscous mark from base of costa and another above base of dorsum; an oblique fasciate streak narrowed downwards from costa about 1/3 to fold; a fascia from before middle of costa to middle of dorsum, narrowed in middle and becoming violet-metallic there; an oblong black blotch from near this above dorsum to tornus, marked with two golden-metallic dots beyond its middle and another on upper anterior angle, between this and costa a series of three short longitudinal black marks anteriorly and another of four longer ones posteriorly, uppermost of each conjoined and continuous, a small dark fuscous costal spot above these; a dark fuscous line from costa at 4/5 to middle or termen, edged posteriorly at both extremities by small blue-whitish spots and between these by purple-golden-metallic; costal edge dark fuscous between this and a small blue-whitish apical spot preceded by a dark fuscous transverse mark; upper part of terminal edge dark fuscous: cilia grey, basal half dark fuscous, a whitish spot in middle of termen. Hindwings grey, darker posteriorly; cilia grey, a darker subbasal shade. Wellington, Gollans Valley, in forest, one example taken in November by Mr G. V. Hudson. Allied to eratopis Meyr., but a distinct and beautiful insect.