Brachybelistis

Brachybelistis Turner, 1902

Brachybelistis Turner, 1902. New Australian Lepidoptera. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 26: 175–207 [195]. Type species: Xylorycta neomorpha Turner, 1897 by subsequent designation, see Fletcher, T.B. 1929.

Brachybelistis Turner, 1902 [Cryptophasidae]. Fletcher, T.B. 1929. A list of generic names used for Microlepidoptera. Memoirs of the Department of Agriculture in India, 11: 1–244 [34]

Brachybelistis Turner, 1902. Common, in Nielsen, E.S., Edwards, E.D. & Rangsi, T.V. 1996. Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia. Monogr. Aust. Lepid. 4: i–xiv, 1–529 & CD–ROM [86].

Brachybelistis Turner. 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 7 April 2010].

Brachybelistis Turner, 1902. 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 13 June 2010].

Original description, Turner 1902

Brachybelistis, n.g.

Head with appressed scales. Palpi slender, recurved, short, not reaching base of antennae; terminal joint minute, pointed. Maxillary palpi minute. Tongue obsolete. Antennae in male simple, moderately ciliated. Thorax not crested. Forewings with vein 2 from three-fourths to five-sixths, 7 and 8 stalked, 7 to termen. Hindwings with 3 and 4 stalked, 6 and 7 connate or stalked.

Differs from Xylorycta, Meyr., in the very short palpi, with minute terminal joint. It is certainly a good genus, the known species being closely related and having a peculiar facies.

Description:

Head:

Thorax:

Abdomen:

Immature stages:

Distribution: New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia. Endemic. (Edwards, 2003).

Remarks:

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Brachybelistis blackburnii (Lower, 1892)

Cryptophaga blackburnii Lower, 1892. ♀ - NSW, 6 km WSW of Bingara Lat. 29’ 53’’ S Long.150’ 31’’ E, 8. Dec. 1974, I.F.B. Common E.D. Edwards leg. (ANIC). [AMO].

Cryptophaga blackburnii Lower, 1892.♂ ANIC, BOLD.

Cryptophaga blackburnii Lower, 1892. Descriptions of New South Australian Lepidoptera. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 15: 5–17 [15]. Holotype SAMA ♀, Port Lincoln, SA.

Cryptophaga blackburnii Low. Turner, 1902, New Australian Lepidoptera, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 26, 175-207 (195).

Cryptophaga blackburnii, Low. Lower, 1905, New Australian Lepidoptera, no 22. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 29 103-115 (110).

Xylorycta neomorpha, Turn., Lower, 1905, New Australian Lepidoptera, no 22. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 29 103-115 (110).

Cryptophaga blackburnii, Low. Lower, 1917, The Lepidoptera of Broken Hill, New South Wales. Part III. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 41, 369-477 [369].

Brachybelistis blackburnii, (Lower, 1892). Common, in Nielsen, Edwards, & Rangsi, 1996, Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, 4: i-xiv, 1-529 & CD-ROM (85-89) [86].

Cryptophasa blackburnii, 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 5 April 2010].

Brachybelistis blackburnii, (Lower, 1892). 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 13 June 2010].

Original description, Lower 1892

XYLORYCTIDAE

Cryptophaga, Lewin

Cryptophaga blackburnii, sp. nov

Female, 45 mm. Head, palpi, antennae, and thorax ochreous-whitish; head more ochreous on crown. Abdomen yellowish-grey, second segment dull orange, base of other segments narrowly whitish, suffused above with dull orange (anterior legs broken, middle and posterior whitish-ochreous, tibiae and tarsi pale crimson. Forewings oblong, posteriorly dilated, costa gently arched, apex obtuse, hindmargin obliquely rounded; 2 from three-quarters; yellowish-grey-whitish, scantily strewn with black scales from base to two-thirds, except along costa; extreme costal edge pale yellowish; a moderate roundish orange spot distinctly edged with minute black scales, in disc beyond one-third; a second more ovate, on fold below middle, and a third more suffused beyond middle, both tending to be suffusedly edged with minute black scales: cilia yellowish-grey-whitish, darker at base. Hindwings grey-whitish, more ochreous-tinged towards base; 6 and 7 from a point; cilia whitish, mixed with fuscous.

One specimen received from Rev. Thos. Blackburn, to whom I have dedicated it; taken at Port Lincoln.

Other references

Cryptophaga blackburnii, Low. Tr. Roy. Soc., S.A., 1892, p.15, appears to be a closely allied species [to B. neomorpha]. (Turner, 1902).

CRYPTOPHAGA BLACKBURNII, Low.

(Tr.R.S.S.A., p. 15, 1892; Xylorycta neomorpha, Turn, Ann. Queens. Mus., p. 13, 1897.)

I have recently taken the male of this species at Broken Hill, which is precisely in accordance with Dr. Turner's description of neomorpha. The type (female) was taken at Port Lincoln, South Australia. (Lower, 1905).

Cryptophaga blackburnii Low.

Four specimens, September to November. The type, a female, was taken at Port Lincoln, S. Austr. Dr. Turner re-named this species neomorpha (Ann. Queens. Mus., p. 13, 1897), but his description of the hindwings is not. quite accurate; in the male they are dark fuscous, and in the female greyish-white. His types were from Charters Towers, Queensland. (Lower, 1917).

Diagnosis:

Description:

Head:

Thorax:

Abdomen:

Food plants:

Flight period: November, December.

Distribution: South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia. Endemic. (Edwards, 2003).

Remarks: Common does not append comb. n. to his use of Brachybelistis blackburnii in the Checklist, 1996. This suggests a prior use.

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Brachybelistis neomorpha (Turner, 1898)

Brachybelistis neomorpha, ♂, QM

Brachybelistis neomorpha, ♀, QM

Brachybelistis neomorpha,♂ - NSW, Scrub Myrtle Flora Reserve, Deriah State Forest 407 Lat. 30’ 22’’ S Long.149’ 59’’ E, 22. Nov. 1997, L.S. Willan leg. (LWC). [AMO].

Brachybelistis neomorpha, ♀ - NSW, Scrub Myrtle Forest Reserve, Deriah State Forest 407 Lat. 30’ 22’’ S Long.149’ 59’’ E, 22. Nov. 1997, L.S. Willan leg. (LWC). [AMO].

Brachybelistis neomorpha, ♀ ventral, IM09-0325, 13 December 2009, Imbil, Queensland.

Xylorycta neomorpha Turner, 1898, The Xyloryctidae of Queensland. Annals of the Queensland Museum 4: 1–32 [13]. Syntype(s) ANIC 2♂♀, Charters Towers, Qld.

Brachybelistis neomorpha Turn. Turner, 1902, New Australian Lepidoptera. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 26: 175–207 [195].

Brachybelistis neomorpha Turner [Cryptophasidae]. Fletcher, T. B., 1929, A list of generic names used for Microlepidoptera. Memoirs of the Department of Agriculture of India,  11: 1-244 [34].

Brachybelistis neomorpha (Turner, 1902). Common, in Nielsen, Edwards, & Rangsi, 1996, Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, 4: i-xiv, 1-529 & CD-ROM (85-89) [86].

Brachybelistis neomorpha, (Turner, 1902). 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 5 April 2010].

Brachybelistis neomorpha, (Turner, 1902). 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 13 June 2010].

Original description, Turner 1898

Xylorycta neomorpha, n. sp. Male, 25 mm. Female, 34 mm. Antennal ciliations in male, 2. Labial palpi very short, not reaching base of  antennae, terminal joint minute. Head, face, and palpi white. Antennae whitish. Thorax white or whitish-grey. Abdomen fuscous. Legs reddish, posterior tibiae white. Forewings posteriorly dilated, costa gently arched, apex rather acute, hindmargin very obliquely rounded; whitish-grey; a pale-orange line along costa (in female specimen, absent); a large blotch in disc, extending to inner margin, but not to costa, irrorated more or less densely with reddish-brown scales; in this are two elongate pale-orange spots at 2/5 and 3/5 of disc; a third similar spot on fold obliquely below first, sometimes obsolete; cilia pale reddish-brown. Hindwings dark fuscous, cilia pale ochreous.

Differs from the rest of the genus by the very short labial palpi; but think it wiser to include it here, than to make a new genus. Charters Towers: two specimens received from Mr. Dodd.

Subsequent description, Turner, 1902

Brachybelistis neomorpha, Turn.

(Xylorycta neomorpha, Turn., Annals Queensland Mus:, iv., 13, 1897.)

The hindwings differ in the two sexes. In the male they are dark fuscous, with ochreous-whitish cilia, in the female both hindwings and cilia are grey. The anterior and middle tibiae and tarsi and posterior tarsi are crimson in the male, pale crimson in the female.

Cryptophaga blackburnii, Low. Tr. Roy. Soc., S.A., 1892, p.15, appears to be a closely allied species.

Diagnosis:

Description:

Head:

Brachybelistis neomorpha, ♀ head, IM09-0325, 13 December 2009, Imbil, Queensland.

Thorax:

Brachybelistis neomorpha, ♀wing venation

Abdomen:

Food plants:

Flight period: November, December.

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

Remarks:

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Brachybelistis pentachroa (Lower, 1901)

Brachybelistis pentachroa,♂ - QLD, Townsville, 8. Dec. 1898, F.P. Dodd leg. (ANIC) (AMO). Bred.

Brachybelistis pentachroa,♂ - NSW, Round Hill Nature Reserve, 7. Nov. 1977, V.J. Robinson , L..S. Willan leg. (ANIC). [AMO].

Brachybelistis pentachroa,♀ - QLD, Townsville, 8. Dec. 1899, F.P. Dodd leg. (ANIC) [AMO]. Bred.

Xylorycta pentachroa Lower, 1901. Descriptions of new genera and species of Australian Lepidoptera. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 25: 63-98 [83]. Holotype SAMA ♀, Broken Hill, NSW.

Brachybelistis pentachroa, (Lower, 1901). Turner, 1902, New Australian Lepidoptera, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 26, 175-207 [195-196].

Xylorycta pentachroa Low. Lower, 1917, The Lepidoptera of Broken Hill, New South Wales, Part III, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 41, 369-377 [370].

Brachybelistis pentachroa, (Lower, 1901). Common, in Nielsen, Edwards, & Rangsi, 1996, Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, 4: i-xiv, 1-529 & CD-ROM (85-89) [86].

Brachybelistis pentachroa, (Lower, 1901). 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 13 June 2010].

Original description, Lower, 1901

Xylorycta pentachroa, n. sp.

Male, 34 mm. Head, antennae, and thorax whitish, thorax with a, broad black longitudinal stripe. Antennal ciliations 1. Palpi and legs ochreous. Palpi very short. Abdomen blackish, segmental margins dull ochreous. Forewings elongate, moderate, costa gently arched, termen obliquely rounded; 2 from three-fourths; fleshy-ochreous, markings orange suffusedly edged with blackish scales; a moderate spot in disc at one-third from base; a second, elongate,  obliquely below and beyond, and 2 others moderately obliquely placed beyond posterior extremity of cell; some fine blackish scales on area of markings; 3 and 4 stalked; 6 and 7 stalked; cilia dark fuscous. Hindwings yellow, becoming darker towards termen; cilia dark fuscous.

The markings of this species are similar to those on Blackburnii, Lower, but the coloring is very different. The very short palpi recalls neomorpha, Turner.

Broken Hill, New South Wales; one specimen in December.

Subsequent description, Turner, 1902

Brachybelistis pentachroa, Low.

 (Xylorycta pentachroa, Low. Trans. Roy. Soc., S.A., 1901, p. 83.)

Male, 21 mm. Head and antennae blackish; antennal ciliations moderate (1 ½). Palpi ochreous. Thorax blackish, patagia ochreous. Abdomen blackish, dorsum of third segment ochreous. Legs ochreous, femora dark fuscous. Forewings elongate, costa very slightly arched, apex round-pointed, termen nearly straight, oblique; ochreous-yellow; a blackish discal dot before middle, confluent with a large blackish blotch, which occupies whole posterior half of wing except costal and terminal margins; cilia ochreous-yellow. Hindwings rather elongate, termen slightly rounded; pale ochreous yellow; a broad blackish terminal band; cilia pale ochreous-yellow, near tornus blackish.

Female, 30-37 mm. Head whitish, pinkish-tinged. Palpi ochreous. Antennae whitish. Thorax whitish, pinkish-tinged; two elongate posterior dark grey spots,. Abdomen grey; third segment ochreous; apices of segments pale ochreous. Legs ochreous. Forewings elongate, costa moderately arched, apex round-pointed, termen nearly straight, oblique; whitish, pinkish-tinged; with four oval ochreous spots, bordered with blackish scales and surrounded with more or less blackish irroration; first spot in disc at one-third, second obliquely beyond and below first, third and fourth closely approximated, arranged transversely in disc before two-thirds, the latter more elongate; cilia pale grey, apices ochreous-fuscous. Hindwings pale yellowish; a suffused pale grey terminal band; cilia pale grey.

No one would have considered these dissimilar insects to be sexes, but Mr. Dodd, who has bred a series, and in whom I have every confidence, assures me that that is the case. I think this must be identical with the species described by Mr. Lower, although if so he has described a female type as the male.

Townsville, Queensland, in December; three specimens received from Mr. F. P. Dodd.

Other references

Xylorycta pentachroa, Low.

One specimen, in December. (Lower, 1917).

Diagnosis:

Description:

Head:

Thorax:

Abdomen:

Food plants:

Flight period: December.

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

Remarks: