Tasmantrix fragilis Gibbs

Gibbs, George W., 2010, establishment of five new genera from Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand, Zootaxa 2520, pp. 1-48 : 24-25

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.196244
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6195762
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03CD296B-E415-E163-4FA7-56DFF63EFA16
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Tasmantrix fragilis Gibbs
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Tasmantrix fragilis Gibbs View in CoL , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 B, 9D–H, 19)

Type material. Holotype ɗ, Australia, Barrengarry Mountain, 4 km SSE Fitzroy Falls, New South Wales, 34°40.855´S, 150°30.429´E, 400 m, 30 Dec 1981, G.W. Gibbs. [genitalia prep G923] ( ANIC). Paratypes: 22 males from type locality Barrengarry Mountain on State Highway 79 between Kangaroo Valley and Fitzroy Falls; 20 Nov 1981, G.W. Gibbs; 24 Nov 1981, G.W. Gibbs; 30 Dec 1981, G.W. Gibbs; 27–28 Oct 2004, G.W. Gibbs; [genitalia prep G922]; G.W. Gibbs ( ANIC, AMS, NZAC).

Material examined. Type series plus 37 non-types from same locality; 5 pinned, 2 in 95% ethanol, 30 in 70% ethanol.

Female unknown.

Diagnosis. Maculation of the calliplaca - type, with a small white apical patch ( Fig 1 View FIGURE 1 B). Male valvae simple, very short and broad tipped with width across the apex very nearly equal to the overall length, bearing simple unspecialised ‘retro-setae’ ( Fig 9 View FIGURE 9 D–F); tergum 10 completely divided into two lobes ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 D).

Description. Head interocular index 0.8. Antenna of male with 40 (39–42) flagellomeres; filiform, slightly longer than wide, with the ascoid grooves towards the distal end; first two flagellomeres with lamellar scales, remainder with two whorls of long narrow fluted scales bearing prominent scutes. Ascoid branches ‘J’- shaped, approx 10 per groove at mid length. Maxillary palps moderate, 1.1x head width at compound eyes.

Head capsule brown with dense tufts of moderately long piliform scales, absent around ocellus; scales of head and mouthparts uniformly pale yellowish; scape and antennae dark grey.

Tegulae with pale cream piliform scales although outer margin with a few lamellar scales; dorsum with dark bronzy-black lamellar scales with purple iridescence; lateral thorax walls, coxae, femora with shining cream lamellar scales; tibiae shining cream beneath but with dark grey scales above, tarsi dark grey with only the barest trace of banding. Abdomen dark scaled.

Forewing length of male 2.7 mm (2.4–3.1). Maculation of calliplaca - type, ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 B), with strong purplishbronze reflections. Two shining white fasciae - a prominent subcostal streak in the middle of the wing, nearly one third of wing length, contiguous with white dorsum of head above the eyes when at rest and with softly rounded distal end; a strong transverse, slightly sinuous, band at mid-length, inclined towards the apex as it approaches the termen, varying in width from almost parallel-sided to hourglass-shaped or even in two discrete parts when the centre portion is missing. Apical quarter of the wing with some indistinct white patches, each comprising only a few scales – an apical patch, a series of marginal spots along costa and termen, and an ill-defined median spot. Fringes black, white-tipped.

Hindwing with 2 frenular bristles; dark brownish-black with purple reflections, fringes dark brownishblack.

Male abdomen and genitalia. [G923] ( Figs. 9 View FIGURE 9 D–H) Dorsum of A1 with trace of a transverse sclerite. Exit area of S5 gland in male consisting of a very small conical projection with a coarse “scaly texture, arising from a cuticular ring about 0.01 mm diam, but lacking any piliform scales. S8 remnants present as discrete sclerites with about 12 scale bases. Sclerite 9 short, same length as S6 along ventral mid-line; its dorsal arms separated at apices, concave antero-lateral margin only slightly thickened. Valvae simple, short, with a very broad, slightly concave posterior margin, 1.4x longer than wide; inner surface with scattered simple, slightly curved ‘retro-setae’, reaching their highest density around the posterodorsal angle. Tergum 10 uniquely divided into two separate rounded lobes, each with a posterior vertical face extending to anal cone. Phallus short, 2.0x length of S6; gonopore subterminal, fish-mouthed with indistinct radial folds; a small ventral bulb present.

Remarks. This species has occurred on a steep escarpment of the Shoalhaven River catchment, in a pocket of well-lit rainforest, surrounded by eucalypt forest. Its distribution is within that of T. nigrocornis but it is found in drier, more open forest. Although the dominant ground vegetation at the site was a tall species of Adiantum fern, the moths were mainly sweep-netted from other low ground-hugging ferns and mosses.

Etymology. Species name derived from Latin fragilis (fragile) and refers to the delicate form of this, the smallest species of Tasmantrix . The integumental fragility creates difficulties during the preparation of genitalia.

Distribution ( Fig. 19 View FIGURE 19 ). Eastern Australia; known only from a single locality in the Shoalhaven catchment, New South Wales, at 34°41´S, where it can occur in considerable numbers (43 specimens taken on 24 Nov 1981). Collected between 27 October and 30 December.