Philodoria epibathra (Walsingham, 1907)

Figs. 13A–C, 26O, P, 47B, 48B, 49B, 58B.

Gracilaria epibathra Walsingham, 1907: 722, fig. 27.

Parectopa epibathra (Walsingham, 1907); Swezey 1928: 190; Zimmerman 1978a: 679–680, fig. 459.

Parectopa epibathra (Walsingham, 1907) (= Philodoria naenaeiella); Swezey 1928: 190 (Misidentification).

Type locality. Molokai.

Type material. Holotype ♀ (= ‘ Type ♂ (26056)’), Molokai, ‘000ft.’[elevation blank], Hawaiian Is., 12.vi.1893, Perkins 26056, | B.M. Genitalia slide no. 2884| GRACILARIA EPIBATHRA, Wlsm. Fm. Hawaii I TYPE ♂ descr. figd.| Walsingham Collection, 1910—427.| BMNH(E) 1407695| NHMUK010305333 | with capsulated left forewing in in NHMUK. Described based on a single specimen from Oahu. The ‘type’ specimen, labeled on the specimen by Walsingham is here formally designated as the holotype following article 73.1.2 (ICZN 1999) .

Additional material. Molokai: 2♂, 2♀, Olokui, 26.vii.2015 (stored), KB Collection, host: Dubautia laxa, 28.i.2015, KMB19, CJ506a–CJ506d, SK678–681. 1♀, Waiehu, 21.vii.2015 (stored), C.A. Johns leg., host: Dubautia sp., 7.vii.2015, CJ492, SK 837♀. All specimens preserved in BPBM .

Diagnosis. Similar to P. nigrella (Walsingham) and P. touchardiella (Swezey) in that forewing has cs 3 and ds 1–3, but differs from them by the wide ds 2 and rather long ductus bursae and lack of spines on signa in the female (Figs. 13B, C, 58B). Male genitalia of this species differs from other congeneric species in having a very long saccus. We collected four adult moths reared from Dubautia; these adults have similar forewing pattern and female genitalia as the holotype except for the indistinct or lack of white ds 1 at basal 1/3 (Figs. 13B, C, 26O, P).

Description: The following is from Walsingham (1907: 722): “Antennae brownish. Palpi white, a small spot on the outer side of the median joint at its apex. Head shining, dirty whtish, a few brownish scales posteriorly. Thorax olive-brow. Forewings olive-brown with three outwardly oblique broad pearly white dorsal streaks; the first near the base, somewhat rounded at its apex; the second at the middle, attenuate; the third near the tornus, quadrate; above the latter is an outwardly oblique slender white costal streak, followed by two smaller wllite streaks in the costal cilia before the apex; at the end of the oblique costal streak is a small patch of shining, blue scales, narrowly surrounded by pale ocherous; with a black spot at the apex, followed by shining blue at the base of the cilia; through these runs a curved metallic blue line, the space between which and an outer curved brownish line being whitish, tornal cilia smoky brownish. Exp. al. 7 mm. Hindwings brownish, with slightly paler cilia. Abdomen dark brown. Legs brownish, with whitish tarsal spots.”

Male genitalia (Figs. 47B, 48B, 49B) (n=2). (new record). Capsule 910 µm. Tegumen 0.8 x length of valva; valva tapering along costal margin from base 2/5 to apex; basal portion humped along dorsal margin in lateral view (Fig. 47B). Saccus 230 µm, very long and wavy, slightly curved toward dorsal side (Fig. 48B). Phallus 690 µm long, straight in lateral view Fig. 49B).

Female genitalia. (Fig. 58B) (n=4). (Zimmerman 1978a: fig. 459). 1240 µm long. Ostium bursae large; antrum low-cup-shaped with a slender pair of lateral lobes; lamella antevaginalis 100–110 µm, weakly sclerotized, semicircular in ventral view, widening toward anterior margin of A7. Ductus bursae thick, posterior extremity widening and membranous; terminus of ductus bursae biforked. Corpus bursae 540–550 µm, pyriform; paired rows consisting of wrinkles running longitudinally, some sclerotized.

Distribution. Molokai (Walsingham 1907).

Host plants. Asteraceae: Dubautia laxa Hook. & Arn.: new record and Dubautia sp.

Biology. Larvae mine leaves of Dubautia species, according to collecting data labels of adult specimens.

Remarks. “ P. epibathra ” had been frequently assigned to several Dubautia -feeding Philodoria species by Swezey. The Kauai record (Swezey 1928:190) is erroroneous (Swezey 1940; Zimmerman 1978a) and applies to Philodoria knudseniiella sp. n. The host plant records of Dubautia sp. (Swezey, 1910a: 89, footnote), Dubautia laxa, Hesperomannia arborescens (Swezey 1928: 190) are also in error and apply to host plants of Philodoria naenaeiella (Swezey, 1940: 463) and P. hesperomanniella sp. n. respectively. Some leaf mines were collected on Dubautia at Kamakou Boardwalk, Molokai. Some mines begin as spiral-shaped (Fig. 88L), but no adults were successfully reared from this plant.