Spheterista, Meyrick, 1912

Austin, Kyhl A. & Rubinoff, Daniel, 2023, Rediscoveries and Presumed Extinctions of Hawaiian Leaf-roller Moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 55, pp. 11-27 : 18

“ Spheterista ” xanthogona

(Walsingham)

Presumed extinct

This species is only known from two females, collected by Perkins in 1892 near Kona, Hawaiʻi island at 4000 ft elevation ( Walsingham 1907). It appears to belong to the same Santalum -feeding group of “ Spheterista ” as “ S.” flavocincta (Walsingham), from Hawaiʻi island, and “ S.” flavopicta (Walsingham), from Kauaʻi. Journal entries by Perkins around the collection dates of these two moths mention the abundance of Santalum (Santalaceae) in the area as well as Acacia koa (Fabaceae) and Myoporum sandwicense (Scrophulariaceae) ( Evenhuis 2007), although the exact location is unclear.