Hyposmocoma nebulifera Walsingham, 1907

Kawahara, Akito Y. & Rubinoff, Daniel, 2012, Three new species of Fancy Case caterpillars from threatened forests of Hawaii (Lepidoptera, Cosmopterigidae, Hyposmocoma), ZooKeys 170, pp. 1-20 : 9-10

Hyposmocoma nebulifera Walsingham, 1907 Figs 5912

Diagnosis.

Hyposmocoma nebulifera is similar to Hyposmocoma rubescens from Kauai, but differs in having a larger dark brown C-shaped forewing mark, and much smaller spurlike specialized setae on the valva. It is also similar to Hyposmocoma ekemamao but is larger, and has two central round spots on the forewing, while Hyposmocoma ekemamao only has one.

Re-description.

Male. (n = 3; Fig. 5). Forewing length 5.8 - 6.0 mm.Head light brown with scales near outer margin of eye, scales large near vertex. Haustellum pale brown. Maxillary palpus reduced. Labial palpus curved with pale brown scales, scales dark brown at terminus. Antennal flagellum light with dark brown bands. Thorax light brown, with lighter brown scales on tegula. Foreleg and midleg with brown scales and bands of light brown. Hindleg same as midleg, but with long scales along dorsal margin formed into a brush-like patch. Spines on legs light brown. Forewing light brown with a C-shaped dark brown mark 1/3 of distance to forewing apex, dark brown spot at base of forewing. One dark brown mark with light border at center of wing, another mark about 1/3 distance between first mark and apex. Abdomen covered in brown scales.

Male genitalia. (n = 1; Fig. 12). Right brachium of uncus sickle shaped, thin, long, and slightly twisted to left. Tegumen wide and sclerotized. Valvae asymmetrical, left valva medially slightly wider than right. Valvae without large sclerotized setae, but adorned with fine hair-like setae disposed comblike on inner surface of ventral margin. Phallus stout, blunt tipped, heavily sclerotized, and gradually curved ventrad at approximately 2/3 of length; vesica without spines or cornuti. Anellus with two symmetrical rounded lobes, thin until apex, both adorned with few small setae.

Female. (n = 2). Externally as male, but with larger wing span (6.5-7.2 mm).

Female genitalia. Papillae anales short and setose. Anterior and posterior apophyses thin, slightly curved, posterior apophyses slightly longer than anterior apophyses. Ostium bursae heavily sclerotized, externally protruding, C-shaped curled left, not triangular. Corpus bursae oval with light scobination; signum absent. Ductus bursae long, narrow, and approximately 2/3 length of corpus bursae. Apical margin of tergum VIII with median emargination.

Larval case. (n = 1; Fig. 9). Dark brown, smooth, 8.1 mm in length and 2.5 mm wide.

Material examined.

Paratype: ♀, [1] Printed white labels: '[HAWAII, Oahu,] Waianae Mts. | 3000 ft. OAHU | Hawaiian Is. | IV. 1892. | Perkins. 225133'; [2] 'Fauna Hawaiiensis | Collection’; [3] Hand written and printed white label: 'Hyposmocoma | nebulifera | Wlsm. | PARA-TYPE 1/3'; [4] BPBM Paratype pink label: 'No 32412 | Hawaiian Coll. | BISHOP Museum’ (BPBM). Non-type material: 1♂, HI: Oahu, Waianae Mountains, Palikea trail, 15 January 2009, emergence 13 February 2009, #DR09A3K, coll. P. Schmitz, D. Rubinoff, W. Haines, J. Eiben, male genitalia slide #AK113 (UHIM). 1♂, 1♀: HI: Oahu, Waianae Mountains, Palikea area, elev: 850 m, in leaf litter, extracted in Berlese funnel, "purse case", emergence 29 October 2009, #DR09J2B, coll. P. Krushelnycky, female genitalia slide #AK109 (UHIM).

Specimens sequenced.

Two specimens from Palikea, Oahu, UH log number DR09A3K, extraction codes DN118, DN161. One specimen from Oahu, UH log number DR09J2B, extraction code DN1220. The specimen from which extract DN118 was obtained was tentatively called “Hsp68”.

Distribution.

Known only from the Waianae Mountain Range, Oahu. With nearly thirty described species of Hyposmocoma ( Zimmerman 1978), the Palikea preserve in the Waianae mountains has a very high diversity of Hyposmocoma , and the area is also one of the best-preserved on Oahu. The rich species diversity of Hyposmocoma may reflect the diversity throughout the island before human colonization.