Monday, July 5, 2010

Plectophila thrasycosma



Plectophila thrasycosma (Meyrick, 1915)


ANIC

Xylorycta thrasycosma Meyrick, 1915, Exotic Microlepidoptera. 1 (10–15): 289–320, 321–352, 353–384, 385–416, 417–448, 449–480 [374]. Syntype(s) BMNH 6♂♀, Townsville, Qld.
Plectophila thrasycosma Meyrick. Tillyard, R.J., Insects of Australia and New Zealand. Sydney, Angus & Robertson, 1926. 1-560. [426, Pl. 28:37].
Plectophila thrasycosma (Meyrick, 1915). Common, 1990, Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press. 227-230 [228].
Plectophila thrasycosma (Meyrick, 1915). Common, in Nielsen, Edwards, & Rangsi, 1996, Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, 4: i-xiv, 1-529 & CD-ROM [88].
Xylorycta thrasycosma. Kristensen, 1999, Handbook of Zoology, Volume IV, Arthropoda: Insecta, Part 35, Lepidoptera , Moths and Butterflies Vol, 1, Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. (137).
Xylorycta thrasycosma Meyrick, 1915. 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 30 April 2010].
Plectophila thrasycosma (Meyrick, 1915). 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 17 June 2010].

Original description, Meyrick, 1915
Xylorycta thrasycosma, n. sp.
♂♀. 18-24 mm. Head white. Palpi white, basal half of second joint dark ochreous-brown. Antennae of ♂ flat-dentate, ciliations 2/3. Thorax white, a mark on shoulders and a longitudinal bar on each side of back ochreous-brown. Abdomen ochreous-whitish. Forewings moderate, costa gently arched, apex obtuse, termen nearly straight, rather oblique; 7 to just below apex; shining white; markings ochreous-brown; costal edge ochreous-brown anteriorly; a fascia from base of costa along dorsum to 1/3; a thick streak rising from this near costa and running to costa at 1/3, then along costa to ¾, extremity pointed; an oblique fascia rising from this at ¼, posterior edge obtusely angulated, expanded on dorsum so as to extend nearly from middle to tornus; an irregular fascia running from costal streak beyond middle almost or quite to touch this at tornus, thence abruptly angulated upwards and running near termen to apex, with a more or less distinct prominence touching termen in middle: cilia white, with brown bars at apex and middle of termen, towards tornus more or less tinged with ochreous and sometimes brownish at base. Hindwings light grey tinged with whitish-ochreous; cilia whitish-ochreous.
Queensland, Townsville, bred in September (Dodd); six specimens. Allied to electella.

Plectophila thrasycosma, Tillyard, 1926.

Xylorycta thrasycosma, Kristensen 1999.

Plectophila thrasycosma, Pl. 5.9: Common, 1990.

Plectophila thrasycosma (Meyr.) (Pl. 5.9) occurs in much drier habitats in Queensland from the Atherton Tablelands in the north to the Lockyer Valley in the south. The larva constructs a small spiral case of silk and faecal pellets, and feeds on the leaves of Eucalyptus crebra (Myrtaceae). (Common, 1990).

Diagnosis:
Description:
Head:
Thorax:
Abdomen:
Food plants: Larva in spiral tunnel of silk and frass in leaves. Larval foodplant: Eucalyptus crebra (Myrtaceae). (Edwards, 2003).
Flight period: September.
Distribution: Queensland. Endemic. (Edwards, 2003).

Remarks: