Cryptophasa molaris

Cryptophasa molaris (T.P. Lucas, 1900)

♀ - NSW, Rous, 1. Nov. 1935, V.J.Robinson leg. (ANIC). [AMO].

♂ - Qld, Prince Henry Heights, Toowoomba Lat .27’ 33” S Long.151’ 59” E, 10. Dec. 1987, I.F.B. Common leg. (ANIC). ID in ANIC as pellopis [AMO].

Cryptophaga molaris T.P. Lucas, 1900. New Species of Queensland Lepidoptera. Proc. R. Soc. Qld. 15: 137-161. Syntype(s) SAMA number unknown ♂♀, May Orchard, Brisbane, Qld.

Cryptophasa pellopis Turner, 1906. New Australian Lepidoptera, with synonymic and other notes. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia  30: 118–142 [141]. Holotype ANIC ♂, Nanango, Qld.

Cryptophasa molaris (T.P. Lucas, 1900) [ = pellopis syn. n.]. Common, in Nielsen, Edwards, & Rangsi, 1996, Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, 4: i-xiv, 1-529 & CD-ROM [86].

Cryptophasa molaris (T.P. Lucas, 1900) 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 [accessed17 April 2010].

Cryptophasa molaris (T.P. Lucas, 1900). 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, T.P. Lucas, 1900.

CRYPTOPHAGA MOLARIS. NOV. SP.

♂♀ 29-36 mm. Head and face whitish grey. Palpi fuscous, second and terminal joints light grey. Antennae white, pectinations ochreous fuscous. Thorax white; with a light grey fringe behind collar, and dusted laterally and posteriorly with fuscous and grey. Abdomen fuscous drab, fringed anteriorly with ochreous hairs from thorax, with a light ferrous band on second segment. Legs fuscous drab. Forewings elongate, costa nearly straight, hind margin straight, rounded at anal angle, fuscous drab, freely marked with black and grey. Forewings with interrupted fine lines of white along half to three-fourths of costa; the costal half of wing is irregularly diffused with rich black, the inner half and base of wing is freely irrorated with white, this white arches toward costa at base, and extends as a line to near costa just before apex; a subterminal band of ground colour, bordered by a terminal line of light black dots. Cilia grey white, with a brown border. Hindwings fuscous drab. Cilia- fuscous grey with a light brown line through base. Allied to L. fumata, Turner, but easily distinguished by the whole costal half of forewings being blotched more or less irregularly with black, and the inner half being freely irrorated with white. May Orchard, Brisbane, at light.

 

Synonymic description, Turner 1906

Cryptophasa pellopis, n. sp.

(Pellopis, dusky.)

Male, 32 mm. Head whitish. Palpi whitish; external surface of second joint fuscous except at apex. Antennae whitish-grey; pectinations in male 3. Thorax whitish, with some fuscous scales. Abdomen fuscous; dorsum of third segment ochreous. Legs fuscous; tarsi annulated with whitish. Forewings oblong, costa gently arched, apex rounded, termen obliquely rounded; whitish closely irrorated with brownish and dark-fuscous; a blackish suffusion on base of costa prolonged as a blotch, reaching fold at 1/3, and connected beneath costa with a roundish, blackish, sub-apical spot; a discal spot before 2/3 is also connected with this suffusion; a pale fuscous terminal line; cilia fuscous, bases whitish, containing an interrupted dark-fuscous line at 1/3. Hindwings with termen rounded; dark-fuscous; cilia pale fuscous, with a darker line at 1/3.

Type in Coll. Turner.

Q., Nanango, in January, one specimen.

 

Diagnosis:

Description:

Head:

Thorax:

Abdomen:

Food plants:

Flight period: November, December.

Distribution: New South Wales, Queensland. Endemic. (Edwards, 2003).

Remarks:

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