Xyloryctine Moths of Australia: Cryptophasa russata

Cryptophasa russata Butler, 1877

♂ - Qld, 10 miles N of Kuranda, 13. Feb. 1980, V.J. Robinson N.C. Coleman leg. (LWC). [AMO].

♂ - Qld, Hales Siding, Stannary Hills, 28 July 1992, L.S. Willan leg. (LWC). [AMO].

♂ - Qld, 29 km NW of Cooktown Lat. 15' 15'' Long. 145' 06'', 18. May. 1977, I.F.B. Common E.D. Edwards leg. (ANIC). [AMO].

♀ - Qld, Yeppoon, 18. Dec. 1964, I.F.B. Common leg. (ANIC). [AMO].

Cryptophasa russata Butler, 1877 [Gelechiidae]. Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera from New Guinea, with notice of a new genus. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1876 (4): 765–768 pl. 77 [475]. Holotype BMNH ♂, Cape York, Qld.

Cryptophaga russata Butl. Meyrick, 1890, Descriptions of Australian Lepidoptera. Part I. Xyloryctidae. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 13: 23–81 [36].

Cryptophaga russata. Illidge, 1895, Xylorycts, or timber moths. Queensland Natural History Society Transactions, 1, 29-34.

Cryptophaga russata, Butl. Walsingham, 1898: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London, vii-xii.

Cryptophaga russata Butl. Turner, 1898. The Xyloryctidae of Queensland. Annals of the Queensland Museum 4: 1–32 (8).

Cryptophasa russata Butler, 1877. Common, in Nielsen, Edwards, & Rangsi, 1996, Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, 4: i-xiv, 1-529 & CD-ROM [87].

Cryptophasa russata Butler, 1877. Beccaloni, G. W., Scoble, M. J., Robinson, G. S. & Pitkin, B. (Editors). 2003. The Global Lepidoptera Names Index (LepIndex). World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/entomology/lepindex [accessed 17 April 2010].

Cryptophasa russata Butler, 1877. Edwards, E. D. (2003), Xyloryctinae. Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/online-resources/fauna/afd/taxa/XYLORYCTINAE [accessed 18 June 2010].

Original description, Butler, 1877

Family Gelechiidae.

Genus Cryptophasa, Lewin.

Cryptophasa russata, n. sp.

Primaries shining ferruginous; the costal border snow-white; the base, outer border, outer half of inner border, and a streak from the outer border through the discocellulars to the centre of the discoidal cell slaty greyish: secondaries pale ferruginous: head, collar, and base of antennae snow-white; thorax ferruginous; prothorax whitish in front; abdomen pale ferruginous. Under-surface pale shining ferruginous. Expanse of wings 1 inch 4 lines [33.5 mm].

One specimen. Cape York.

Allied to C. rubescens, but smaller, of a more elegant form, and differently coloured.

Subsequent description, Meyrick 1890

Crypt. russata, Butl.

(Cryptophasa russata, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc., 1877, 475.)

Male 33mm. Head white. Thorax deep brown-red, anteriorly whitish. Abdomen brown-reddish. Forewings elongate, moderate, costa slightly arched, apex obtuse, hind margin slightly rounded, somewhat oblique; deep fuscous-red, somewhat lighter towards costa; a white streak along costa from base to 2/3, posteriorly attenuated. Hindwings brown-reddish.

Cape York, Queensland; one specimen in the British Museum, from which this diagnosis is taken, Butler's original description being in part erroneous.

Other references

Cryptophaga russata, Butl. (Cryptophasa russata, Butler, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1877, 475.) Meyrick, 36. Male, 33 mm; antennal pectinations, 4. One specimen in Mr. Illidge’s collection, said to be from North Queensland. (Turner, 1898).

Diagnosis:

Description:

Head: