Zealandopterix zonodoxa (Meyrick) Meyrick, 2010

Gibbs, George W., 2010, establishment of five new genera from Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand, Zootaxa 2520, pp. 1-48 : 35-37

Zealandopterix zonodoxa (Meyrick) , comb. nov.

( Figs 1 H, 3B&F, 13A–F, 22)

Palaeomicra zonodoxa Meyrick, 1888: 91 . Philpott (1924: 356, fig. 12 (male genitalia) ( Sabatinca ). Philpott (1923b: 156, 158, figs. 2, 6 (wing venation). Hudson (1928: 368, pl xxxix fig. 21) ( Sabatinca ). Dugdale (1988: 53) ( Sabatinca ).

Sabatinca rosicoma Meyrick, 1914: 118 . Hudson (1928: 368, pl xxxix, fig. 20) ( Sabatinca ); Hudson (1939: 471) ( Sabatinca ). Dugdale (1988: 53) ( Sabatinca ). New synonymy.

Type material examined. Palaeomicra zonodoxa : Lectotype ɗ, New Zealand, Waitakere Range, Auckland, 22 Dec 1885, E. Meyrick. Designated by Dugdale 1988. Labelled Sabatinca zonodoxa Meyr. 11/11 E. Meyrick det. In Meyrick Coll. BMNH

Sabatinca rosicoma : Lectotype ɗ, New Zealand, Kaeo, Northland, 9–16 Jan 1913, G.V. Hudson. Designated by Dugdale, 1988. Labelled Sabatinca rosicoma Meyr. 3/4 E. Meyrick det. in Meyrick Coll. BMNH

Other material examined. 53 ɗ 49 Ψ. New Zealand ND: 3 ɗ 2 Ψ, Te Paki peak, 13 Dec 1990, G.W. Gibbs; 3 specimens, Kaeo, 9–16 Jan 1913, G.V. Hudson ( NMNZ, NZAC), 4 specimens 16–18 Jan 1921, C.E. Clarke ( NZAC); 1 ɗ, Mangamuka Gorge, 29, Dec, 1989, G.W. Gibbs; 2 ɗ, Waihoanga Gorge, Pukiti Forest, 3 Jan 1990, G.W. Gibbs; 1 ɗ 3 Ψ, Manginangina Reserve, Puketi Forest, 5 Jan 1990, G.W. Gibbs; 1 Ψ, Omahuta kauri sanctuary, 9 Mar 1977, J.S. Dugdale ( NZAC); 1 ɗ 1 Ψ, Pukekohe Stm track, Omahuta Forest, 200 m, 25 Dec 1989, G.W. Gibbs; 3 spec Poor Knights Islands, Sep 1980, J.C. Watt ( NZAC); 1 spec Hauturu tack, Waima Forest, 150 m, 27 Dec 1989, G.W. Gibbs; 1 ɗ, 2 Ψ, Waipoua kauri forest HQ; 150 m, 26 Dec 1989, G.W. G i b b s; 1 Ψ, Waipu Gorge, 31 Dec 1993, I.M. Henderson; AK: 1 ɗ, Mt Auckland, Atuanui S.F. 10 Jan 1974, J.S. Dugdale ( NZAC); 1 ɗ 1 Ψ, Waitangi Falls, Kaukapakapa, 7 Jan 1994, I.M. Henderson; 1 ɗ, Scenic Drive, Waitakere Ra, 17 Dec 1974, J.S. Dugdale ( NZAC); 4 ɗ 5 Ψ, Fairy Falls track, Waitakere Ra, 30 Dec 1979, J.S. Dugdale ( NZAC), 13 Dec 1979, G.W. Gibbs; 3 ɗ, Kauri Knoll, Waitakere Ra, 22 Jan 1979, J.S. Dugdale ( NZAC); 3 Ψ, Titirangi, 28 Jan 1980, P.A. Maddison ( NZAC). CL: 1 ɗ 2 Ψ, Little Barrier Is, 300 m, 11 Feb 1991, G.W. Gibbs; 1 ɗ, Kaiarara Val, 210 m, Great Barrier Is, 30 Nov 1989, G.W. Gibbs; 3 ɗ, Kiwiriki Val, 200 m, Great Barrier Is, 29 Dec 1989; 2 ɗ, Kauri Reserve, Coromandel-Coroglen road, 21 Dec 1980, G.W. Gibbs; 11 ɗ 11 Ψ, Table Mountain, 400 m, Kauaeranga Val, 23 Dec 1980, 21 Dec 1984, G.W. Gibbs; 1 Ψ, U Kauaeranga Val, 22 Dec 1980, G.W. Gibbs. WO: 1 Ψ, Te Miro Reserve, Te Miro, 26 Dec, 1986, G.W. Gibbs; 1 Ψ, Waitanguru, 15 Dec 1996, G.W. Gibbs. BP: 9 ɗ, Galaxy Road, Mamaku S.F, 2 Jan 1974, J.S. Dugdale; 2 Ψ, Okere Falls, Kamahi Forest, 28 Dec 1978, J.S. Dugdale; 3 ɗ 4 Ψ, Lake Okatina road, 13 Jan 1979, G.W. Gibbs; 1 Ψ, Tauwhare, Te Urewera N.P., 1 Jan 1986, G.W. Gibbs; 1 ɗ 2 Ψ, Waioeka Gorge, 19 Dec, 1997, G.W. Gibbs. TK: 2 ɗ 1 Ψ, Mt Messenger, 300 m, 16 Dec 1996, G.W. Gibbs. TO: 1 ɗ 2 Ψ, Minginui, 18 Jan, 2000, I.M. Henderson; 1 Ψ, Te Ponanga Saddle, Tongariro N.P, 770 m, 6 Mar 1983, G.W. Gibbs. HB: 1 ɗ 1 Ψ, Little Bush, Puketitiri, 3 Jan 1970, T.H. Davies.

Diagnosis. New Zealand. Maculation of generalised calliplaca - type ( Fig. 1 H) but quite variable. Male valvae trapezoidal, with a small mucron at apex and a regular array of thin recurved setae on the inner surfaces, whorled toward the base. Tergum 10 with a tuft of about 6 long median setae (Figs. 13A & B).

Redescription. Antennal scape, pedicel and first 4 flagellomeres clothed with grey-brown scales dorsally but creamy-white on ventral side in male; first 10–11 flagellomeres scaled in female, creamy-white but with brownish shading dorsally and with a distinct black band from 8–10; remainder uniform dark grey. Maxillary palps ( Fig. 4 B) 1.3x head width. Palps with creamy-white lamellar scales.

Head capsule brown with dense tufts of ochreous piliform scales, absent around ocelli.

Tegulae with glossy lamellar scales; grading from grey to white in male, creamy-white in female. Mesoscutum glossy bronzy-black; scales of coxae, femora shining creamy-white; fore-tibia black-scaled above white beneath, tarsus largely black with one broad white band; mid-tibia white, tarsus largely white with a narrow black band: hind tibia black above, tarsus proximal half black, grey distally with black tip. Abdomen dark scaled, slightly paler ventrally.

Forewing length of male 2.6 mm (2.3–2.8); of female 3.0 mm ((2.6–3.3). Maculation ( Fig. 1 H) reminiscent of the calliplaca -group; ground colour dark brownish-black with strong purplish-bronze reflections. A maximum of five, minimum of three, shining white fasciae comprising: a short basal triangular streak, which is consistently present, in the centre of the wing, contiguous with the tegula; a transverse band at mid-length, either as a continuous broad line ( zonodoxa - type: 83% of males, 40% of females), or only part represented in the form of either a bold triangular patch on the dorsum ( rosicoma - type: 4% of males, 36% of females) or triangular patches on both costa and dorsum (intermediate-type: 13% of males, 23% of females); a much smaller costal patch at 3/4 (80% of males but only 14% of females); a few white scales in the apex present in all specimens. Fringes long along termen, largely dark brownish-black, white-tipped, wholly white around apex.

Hindwing with 1 frenular bristle; greyish-brown with bronzy-purple reflections; fringes grey-brown.

Male genitalia. [G1053] (Figs. 13A–E) Valvae simple, trapezoidal, tapering slightly to a wide apex, 1.7x longer than broad; a small, inward-directed mucron at the postero-ventral extremity: inner surface with a regular array of ‘retro-setae’ forming a whorl-like pattern towards the base. Tergum 10 strongly arched, almost semi-circular in dorsal view, its lateral margins reaching the dorsal extremities of sclerite 9, and with a small protrusion in the posterior mid-line, bearing 6 long setae that sweep down into the space between the valves, the setal bases separated very slightly in the mid-line to form two tufts of 3; some very fine short setae along the posterior margin with a number of longer setae at the lateral corners. Phallus diagnostic, described for genus.

FIGURE 13. Zealandopterix zonodoxa (Meyrick) . Male and female genitalia: A–E male: A, dorsal; B, lateral; C, ventral; D, phallus lateral; E, distal apex of phallus enlarged, dorsal (left), lateral (right). F, female: terminal segments 8, 9 & 10, lateral. S8, sternite of 8th segment; seg 10, sclerite of 10th segment. Note that the 9th segment is capable of extreme elongation and is represented by only a ring of setae.

Female genitalia. (Fig. 13F) Segment 9 elongated, totally unsclerotised, lacking macrosetae apart from a single row of about 17 evenly spaced around the circumference at the point where the ring sclerite would normally be. Segment 10 sclerites elongate, 1.5– 2 x longer than high, evenly scattered with setae. Spermathecal duct 2x length of papilla, with right-angled bends.

Remarks. Philpott (1924) noted that the male genitalia of rosicoma did not exhibit any differences from zonodoxa but he refrained from synonymising these two species, pointing out that there were constant differences in wing markings. The lack of morphological difference is supported here. An analysis of wing maculation in 72 specimens from the full geographical range reveals six distinct patterns, two of which rank as ‘ zonodoxa ’, two as intermediates and two as ‘ rosicoma ’. Three specimens were asymmetric. Males exhibited 83% ‘ zonodoxa- types’, 13% intermediate and 4% ‘ rosicoma- types’; whereas with females the ratio was 40%, 23% and 36% respectively. At localities from which reasonable series have been obtained, all colour forms tend to be present, with the zonodoxa pattern dominating. I have no hesitation in synonymising these two taxa.

Distribution ( Fig. 22) New Zealand, northern North Island from Te Paki south to latitude 39°17´S at Puketitri, Hawkes Bay and including Poor Knights, Little Barrier and Great Barrier Islands, in a wide variety of moist indigenous forest types but usually with podocarps. Collected between September and March.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Adult moths from life: A, Tasmantrix. calliplaca (Meyrick), male; B, T. fragilis sp. nov., male; C, T. lunaris sp. nov., male; D, T. nigrocornis sp. nov., male; E, T. phalaros sp. nov., male; F, T. tasmaniensis sp. nov., male; G, T. thula sp. nov., female; H, Zealandopterix zonodoxa (Meyrick), male. (All to scale, white scale bars = 1 mm)

FIGURE 4. Wing venation: A, Austromartyria porphyrodes, male; B, ditto female hindwing; C, Tasmantrix calliplaca; D, Sabatinca incongruella. Vein nomenclature follows Kristensen (2003). Scale lines = 1 mm.