Thyrocopa megas Walsingham

Medeiros, Matthew J., 2009, A revision of the endemic Hawaiian genus Thyrocopa (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae: Xyloryctinae), Zootaxa 2202, pp. 1-47 : 29-30

20. Thyrocopa megas Walsingham

( Figs. 38 , 85 , 103 )

Thyrocopa megas Walsingham, 1907b: 495 , plate 14, fig. 10.

Lectotype: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Maui: Haleakala, 5000’ [1524 m]: 1 3 (slide 4047 BMNH), May 1896, Perkins (BMNH), here designated (Zimmerman considered both the lectotype and paralectotype to be “ holotypes ”: 1978: figs. 661, 677).

Paralectotypes: UNITED STATES: HAWAII: Maui: Haleakala, 5000’ [1524 m]: 1 Ƥ (fig. 38), May 1896, Perkins (BMNH); Haleakala, 5000’ [1524 m]: 1 3 (slide #4), May 1896, Perkins (BPBM). Thyrocopa megas Walsingham ; Zimmerman, 1978: 988, figs. 661, 677.

Diagnosis: Thyrocopa megas is very similar to T. cinerella , except it has less defined and smaller spots on the wings. It also differs from T. cinerella in the shorter signum of the female genitalia.

Description: Head: Mottled brown and very light whitish-brown. Antenna ca. 0.6–0.7x forewing length; very dense, extremely short, piliform cilia on ventral side of male flagellomere; female with two extremely short, piliform cilia on ventral side of each flagellomere; very light whitish-brown scales on proximal flagellomeres in both sexes. Labial palpus mottled very light whitish-brown and brown; third segment ca. 0.8x length of second. Thorax: Mottled very light whitish-brown and brown, apices with lighter brown scales. Forewing length 13–18 mm; ground color very light whitish brown with some brown scales; discal area with several poorly defined, brownish spots in cell. Hindwing very light whitish-brown; fringe almost white. Abdomen: Very light whitish-brown. Male genitalia ( Fig. 85 ) with apex of uncus deeply cleft; sacculus very long, tapering to sharp tip and curving toward gnathos, somewhat scooped-out in appearance near apex. Female genitalia ( Fig. 103 ) typical for genus; signum moderately long.

Food plants: Unknown.

Flight period: At least March–October.

Distribution: Oahu, Maui.

Additional material examined: Oahu: Puu Kanehoa: 2 3, Jun 1960, E.J. Ford Jr. ( USNM); Waianae Mts., Kamaileunu Ridge, N of Puu Kawiwi, 760 m: 4 3, 31 May 1975, F.G. Howarth & S. L. Montgomery ( BPBM); Waianae Mts., Kamaileunu Ridge, N of Puu Kawiwi, 760 m, E side ridge top: 1 3 (slide MJM1), 19 Oct 1975, F.G. Howarth ( BPBM); Waianae Mts., Palikea Gulch nr. Puupane, 2070’ [631 m]: 5 3 (slides MJM2 & MJM6, one missing abdomen), 23 Jun 1977, F.G. Howarth & J. Obata ( BPBM). Maui: Makawao FR: 2 3 (slide 04A20), 18 Jun 2004, W.P. Haines; Makawao FR, 3000’ [914 m]: 1 3 (slide LA73), 27 Jun 2003, D. Rubinoff ( UHIM); Makawao FR, 4200’ [1280 m]: 1 Ƥ (slide 06B25), 3 Jun 2006, J.J. Anderson & M.J. Medeiros ( BPBM); Makawao FR, 945 m: 1 3 (slide LA34), 23–24 Mar 2005, W. Haines ( UHIM).

Figures

FIGURES 31 – 45. Adults of Thyrocopa. 31. T. indecora, Hawaii Island, forewing = 12 mm; 32. T. kanaloa (holotype), Kahoolawe, forewing = 7 mm; 33. T. kea, Kauai, forewing = 15 mm; 34. T. kea, Kauai, forewing = 20 mm; 35. T. kikaelekea, Hawaii Island, forewing = 10 mm; 36. T. kokeensis (holotype), Kauai, forewing = 8 mm; 37. T. leonina (holotype), Lanai, forewing = 9 mm; 38. T. megas, Maui, forewing = 18 mm; 39. T. minor, Molokai, forewing = 9 mm; 40. T. neckerensis (holotype), Necker, forewing = 7 mm; 41. T. nihoa, Nihoa, forewing = 7 mm; 42. T. peleana (holotype), Oahu, forewing = 18 mm; 43. T. sapindiella (holotype), Oahu, forewing = 10 mm; 44. T. seminatella, Kauai, forewing = 11 mm; 45. T. spilobathra, Oahu, forewing = 8 mm.

FIGURES 75 – 89. Male genitalia of Thyrocopa; for all figures, lower left box shows detail of uncus, lower right box shows detail of sacculus. 75. T. elikapekae, Kauai, male genitalia (slide LA 60 UHIM); 76. T. epicapna, Maui, male genitalia (slide LA 81 BPBM); 77. T. geminipuncta, Molokai, male genitalia (slide 07 A 44 BPBM); 78. T. gigas, Molokai, male genitalia (slide LA 33 UHIM); 79. T. indecora, Maui, male genitalia (slide 06 B 14 BPBM); 80. T. indecora, Oahu, male genitalia (slide LA 18 BPBM); 81. T. kanaloa, Kahoolawe, male genitalia (08 A 54 BPBM); 82. T. kea, Kauai, male genitalia (slide LA 59 UHIM); 83. T. kikaelekea, Hawaii Island, male genitalia (slide 05 A 45 BPBM); 84. T. kokeensis, Kauai, male genitalia (slide 21909 BMNH); 85. T. megas, Maui, male genitalia (slide LA 73 UHIM); 86. T. neckerensis, Necker, male genitalia (slide LA 10 BPBM); 87. T. nihoa, Nihoa, male genitalia (slide LA 13 BPBM); 88. T. peleana, Oahu, male genitalia (slide # 151 BPBM); 89. T. seminatella, Kauai, male genitalia (slide 07 A 90 BPBM).

FIGURES 90 – 104. Male and female genitalia of Thyrocopa; for figures of male genitalia, lower left box shows detail of uncus, lower right box shows detail of sacculus. 90. T. subahenea, Molokai, male genitalia (slide 07 A 51 BPBM); 91. T. usitata, Oahu, male genitalia (slide 31570 BMNH); 92. T. vagans, Kauai, male genitalia (slide LA 51 UHIM); 93. T. sp. A, Kauai, male genitalia (slide 31577 BMNH); 94. T. sp. B, Kauai, male genitalia (slide 31578 BMNH); 95. T. sp. C, Kauai, male genitalia (slide MJM 44 BPBM); 96. T. sp. D, Molokai, male genitalia (slide 07 A 37 BPBM); 97. T. sp. E, Molokai, male genitalia (slide 07 A 50 BPBM); 98. T. peleana, Oahu, female genitalia (slide Z- 70 - 12 BPBM); 99. T. kikaelekea, Hawaii Island, female, detail showing bursa with long signum (slide 06 A 62 BPBM); 100. T. abusa, Maui, female, detail showing bursa with short signum (slide 06 A 25 BPBM); 101. T. abusa, Maui, female genitalia, detail showing segments VIII – X (slide 06 A 25); 102. T. gigas, Molokai, female genitalia (slide 07 A 36 BPBM); 103. T. megas, Maui, female genitalia (slide 06 B 25 BPBM); 104. T. seminatella, Kauai, female genitalia (slide 31585 BMNH).