Micrerethista entripta (Meyrick 1917)

Micrerethista entripta (Meyrick)

Mesophema entripta Meyrick, 1917:88.—Fletcher, 1933:80 [synonym of Ptychoxena tephrantha Meyrick].—Bradley, 1953a:66.

Harmaclona entripta (Meyrick).—Robinson and Nielsen, 1993:242.

MALE (Figure 132).—Forewing length 6–10.5 mm.

Head: As described for subfamily; scales mostly 3–5 dentate. Antenna 55–58-segmented, 0.5 the length of forewing; dorsum of basal white irrorated with fuscous, apical brown; darker annuii not evident; basal of flagellomeres bifasciculate, with elongate sensilla trichodea ~1.25× diameter of flagellomere.

Thorax: Light gray, heavily irrorated with fuscous. Forewing generally pale whitish gray, especially along costal and around subterminal area, with remaining areas from apex of discal cell to wing base usually darker gray; entire wing usually overlaid with a dense scattering of small, dark gray to fuscous transverse spots, often imparting a barred pattern; as many as 12 spots spaced along costal margin; termen with a narrow, dark gray border, with 4 or 5 fuscous spots usually discernible; fringe gray with dark fuscous-tipped scales. Hindwing uniformly light gray. Legs as described for genus.

Abdomen: Pale buff dorsally, white ventrally, sometimes with slightly darker suffusion or irroration; coremata present.

FEMALE (Figure 133).—Forewing length 8.4–13 mm.

Head: Similar to male in color. Antenna similar to male in color and segmentation but with flagellomeres smoother, not bifasciculate; sensilla trichodea shorter, less than diameter of flagellomere in length.

Thorax: Similar to male in color pattern; frenulum consisting of two slender bristles.

Abdomen: As described for genus; similar to male in color except with elongate whitish scales over A7.

MALE GENITALIA (Figures 185–187, 194–198).—Anterior margin of vinculum concave on either sde of short, slender saccus, the latter—0.13 the length of valva. Valva with dorsal lobe very slender, –0.5 the length of valva; greatest width of lobe at base ~2.2 its length; apex of dorsal lobe rounded, slightly upcurved; ventral lobe ~0.8 the length of dorsal lobe. Aedoeagus with a dense cluster of 9–11 subapical spines arising laterally and perpendicular (Figures 185, 186, 198); midventral groove extending ~0.5 the length of aedoeagus (Figures 185, 198); basal midventral keel well developed and rounded; ~0.31 the length of aedoeagus; ejaculatory duct curved, not spiraled.

FEMALE GENITALIA (Figures 323, 324).—Caudal margin of ostium deeply concave. Antrum U- to V-shaped, slightly longer than broad. Ductus bursae elongate, as long or longer than anterior apophyses, slender, with a dense lining of spicules extending throughout most of length; spicules largely restricted to one side in anterior of ductus.

LECTOTYPE.—; AUSTRALIA: Cairns, (BMNH).

FLIGHT PERIOD.—Adults have been collected in every month of the year except February, June, July, August, and December.

DISTRIBUTION (Map 4).—Largely endemic to the Torresian faunal province of Australia, particularly the eastern borders of New South Wales and Queensland, from near sea level to 1500 m.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: Dorrigo National Park: 2, 18 Mar 1969, V. Robinson, (ANIC). Mt. Keira: 1 9 Jan 1964, V. Robinson, (ANIC). Richard Range S. F., Cambridge Plateau, Casino: 1, 8 Mar 1986, 1, 5 Apr 1987, east, Willan, Badans & Hacobian, (ANIC). Upper Allyn River, 1500 ft [450 m]: 1, 11 Nov 1960, Common & Upton, (ANIC). Queensland: Cairns: 1, (lectotype), Oct 1906, F. Dodd, slide BM 2214, 1 (paralectotype), Nov 1906, F. Dodd, slide BM 2237, (BMNH). Bulburin State Forest, Many Peaks: 2, 2–5 Apr 1972, S. Monteith, slide DRD 3938, (ANIC); via Many Peaks, Forest Station, 2000 ft [609.6 m]: 1 2–5 Apr 1972, S. Monteith, slide DRD 3982, (ANIC). Cooktown, 3 km NE of Mt Webb, 15°03′S, 145°09′E: 1 2 Oct 1980, E. Edwards, (ANIC). Near Cooktown, Shiptons Flat: 1 17 Oct 1980, E. Edwards, slide USNM 30827, (USNM). Coolangatta: 1, 18 Apr 1915, (BMNH). Hope Vale Mission, 14 km W by N of: 3, 8–9 Oct 1980, E. Edwards, slide USNM 31444, (ANIC, USNM). Kuranda: 1, 11 Sep 1906, F. Dodd, slide BM 27605, (BMNH): 2, Oct 1906, F. Dodd, slide H33, (ANIC). Kuranda, 1 mi [1.6 km] E of: 1, 1, 2 May 1955, I. Common, slide USNM 31781, (ANIC, USNM). Kuranda, 2.5 km N of: 2, 11 Sep 1985, I. Common, (ANIC). Mission Beach, near Tully: 1, 24–28 Nov 1967, R. Dobson, (ANIC). 3 km W of Mission Beach: , 1 Sep 1985, I. Common, (ANIC). Moses Creek, 15°47′S, 145°17′E, 4 km N by E of Mt. Finnigan, 360 m: 2, 4, 14–15 Oct 1980, E. Edwards, slides ANIC 1131, 1132, DRD 3871, (ANIC). Mossman, 3 mi [4.8 km]: 1, 17 Apr 1964, Common & Upton, slide ANIC 1415, (ANIC). Mt. Bellenden-Ker, Base Cableway, 17°14′S, 145°54′E, 80 m: 3 1, 17–29 Oct 1981, E. Edwards, (ANIC). Centre Peak, 17°16′S, 145°51′E, 0.5 km WSW of Mt. Bellenden-Ker, 1500 m: 1 2 Nov 1981, E. Edwards, (ANIC). Lower slopes, Mt. Bellenden-Ker, 17°16′S, 145°53′E, 500 m: 1 21 Oct 1981, E. Edwards, (ANIC). Mt. Webb National Park, 15°04′S, 145°07′E: 2 29 Sep 1980, E. Edwards, (ANIC). National Park, 3000 ft [914.4 m]: 1 3 Apr 1921, 1, 3 May 1929, slides H31, H32, (ANIC). Paluma, 6 km NW by W of, Birthday Creek, 18°59′S, 146°10′E: 1, 25 Sep 1980, E. Edwards, (ANIC).