Aureopterix Gibbs

Gibbs, George W., 2010, establishment of five new genera from Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand, Zootaxa 2520, pp. 1-48 : 37-38

Aureopterix Gibbs , gen. nov.

Type species: Sabatinca sterops Turner, 1921 , by present designation.

Diagnosis. Ocelli absent, a unique trait in the Micropterigidae ; external male genitalia extremely prominent, projecting about 1/3 of abdomen length beyond the last unmodified segment; forewings shining pale ochreous ground colour with brown fascia ( Figs. 2 D&E).

Description. Head interocular index of male 0.9, female 0.8. Ocelli absent. Head capsule microtrichiated in a band around the compound eye on vertex and frontal region; Antennal scape swollen, but not indented, only very slightly longer than the first flagellomere (which is exceptionally elongated); ratios of scape:pedicel:first flagellomere in A. micans are length = 1.5:0.8:1, width = 2.4:1.6:1; scape and pedicel with tufts of long piliform scales. Flagellum of male with 34–37 flagellomeres, of female 29–33 flagellomeres, female antennae slightly shorter than male. Flagellomeres filiform near base but becoming progressively more moniliform toward tip, although remaining longer than wide; proximal 4–9 flagellomeres clothed with lamellar scales; remainder with a moderate density of long narrow piliform scales overlying the ascoids and surface features, but not obscuring them. Ascoid morphology (SEM Fig 5 D) as for Tasmantrix (see Faucheux, 2004). Mandibles robust, slightly asymmetrical with well developed apical teeth on both mandibles, 3 on right and 1 on left; a dense mass of small sclerotised teeth along inner faces, densely hairy at proximal inner angle. Maxillary palps 5-segmented, length between 1.3x ( sterops ) and 3.1x ( micans ) width of head capsule; ratio about 1:1:1.5:2.5:0.6, fourth segment with annulations. Labial palps 3-segmented. Head vestiture dense tufts of moderately long piliform scales.

Tegulae and dorsum of thorax with flat lamellar scales, lacking tufts of piliform scales. A well-developed epiphysis present on fore-tibia.

Forewing venation as in Tasmantrix , but lacking sc-r crossvein; hindwing with Sc unforked, humeral vein absent; two frenular bristles.

Male abdomen and genitalia. ( Figs. 14 A–D, G–J) No trace of a transverse sclerite is present on dorsum of A1. S5 gland present, its exit area equally developed in both sexes, of typical sabatincoid form; central area of peduncle disc adorned with erect bluntly pointed scales; bearing 7–13 long piliform scales in a single band around the circumference ( Fig. 6 H). It should be noted that the abdominal sternites, especially on the more posterior segments, are widest at their lateral extremities and taper toward the mid-ventral line, thus affecting the ‘standardising’ measurement used here (mid-ventral length of S6) for comparing genital morphometrics. Nevertheless, the mid-ventral stipulation is maintained. T8 unmodified; remnants of S8 present as a pair of discrete spindle-shaped sclerites, situated midway along the antero-lateral margins of sclerite 9 and bearing about 14 microsetae. Sclerite 9 of moderate size, 1.4–1.8x S6, but appears dwarfed by the disproportionately long valvae arms; S9 bulbous; its dorsal arms separated at apices, not forming a closed ring; antero-lateral margins thickened. Valvae simple, extremely long (about 5x S6), narrowest in middle with a broadly rounded club-like apex; bearing ‘retro-setae’ on inner face of the club. Median plate with a short stem and broad, laterally expanded anterior flange. Tergum 10 approximately equals length of valvae, narrowly cleft at apex for 1/3–1/2 of its length; paired apices gently rounded, almost touching in mid-line; two brush-like setal tufts on each lateral margin, on raised bases. Anal cone with lateral trapezoidal sclerites, devoid of setae. Phallus long, 3.4–4.6x length of S6; gonopore terminal with an overhanging dorsal lip; ventral bulb present but not prominent; phallocrypt densely clothed with acutely pointed micro-scales.

Female genitalia. ( Figs. 14 E & F) Segment 9 with a broad band of scattered macro-setae; sclerotisation forming a complete, but very narrow, ring. Segment 10 paired sclerites rounded, elongated vertically. Spermathecal papilla orientation anterodorsal, with small lateral flanges. Spermatheca of three zones; a very short proximal duct, heavily thickened, more or less straight and extending no further than the aperture of the papilla, but with a slightly expanded bulb at its junction with the utriculus; a thin-walled utriculus about twice the length of the proximal duct and approaching twice its diameter; a shorter loculate lagena of about the same length as the proximal duct, terminating in a short filament. Corpus bursae small, simple, without sclerotisations or spines in its walls.

Etymology. The genus name is derived from the Latin aurum (gold) with the ending – opterix to signify its membership of the Australian-group of genera.

Remarks. This new genus is erected for two sister species, one in northern Queensland, the other in New Caledonia. They are unique in the Micropterigidae for their lack of ocelli and their elongate external male genitalia in which tegumen 10 is deeply and narrowly cleft in the mid-line. Females are often taken at light in the early evening, but both sexes are active by day and night.

Larva. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Adult moths from life: A, Austromartyria porphyrodes (Turner), female; B, A. porphyrodes feeding on dehiscing spores of Blechnum cartilagineum, at The Crater, Atherton Tableland; C, Nannopterix choreutes sp. nov., male; D, Aureopterix micans sp. n., male; E, Aureopterix sterops (Turner), female; (A, C – E to scale, white scale bars = 1 mm)

FIGURE 5. Scanning electron micrographs of antennal flagellomeres (at approx mid-length) to show ascoid sensilla: A, Austromartyria porphyrodes male; B, Nannopterix choreutes male; C, Tasmantrix calliplaca male; D, Aureopterix sterops male, E, Tasmantrix lunaris male, F, Tasmantrix lunaris male ascoid, viewed from distal end of flagellomere after detaching remainder of antenna. as, ascoid sensilla; sc, long fluted scale; ts, trichoid sensilla. Scale: white bars = 0.01 mm.

FIGURE 6. Glandular structures of Australasian Micropterigidae: A, costal margin of hindwing; B – H, abdominal segment 5 glands: A, Austromartyria porphyrodes, male showing glandular hairs; B, A. porphyrodes, male, with all but one piliform scale removed; C, Tasmantrix calliplaca, male; D, Tasmantrix calliplaca, female, with six piliform scales removed; E, Tasmantrix nigrocornis, male; F, detail of gland aperture of E; G, Nannopterix choreutes, male, with four piliform scales removed; H, Aureopterix sterops, male, with six piliform scales removed. Scale: white bars = 0.01 mm.

FIGURE 14. Aureopterix micans sp. nov. Male and female genitalia: A – D male: A, dorsal; B, lateral; C, ventral; D, distal apex of phallus enlarged, lateral. E – F female: E, lateral; F, spermathecal papilla enlarged, dorsal. Aureopterix sterops (Turner), G – J male: G, dorsal; H, lateral; I, phallus, lateral; J, distal apex of phallus enlarged, dorsal (left above), lateral (right above), ventral (below).