Asymphorodes ochrogramma Clarke 1986

Asymphorodes ochrogramma

Alar expanse 10–12 mm.

Labial palpus buff; second segment fuscous on outer side; third segment with fuscous subapical annulus. Antenna fuscous, annulated pale ochraceous buff basally; scape pale ochraceous buff. Head mixed gray and pale ochraceous buff. Thorax fuscous mixed with pale ochraceous buff; metascutum of male with thornlike processes. Forewing ground color fuscous; near basal fifth of costa an irregular, oblique, ill-defined, pale ochraceous-buff fascia extends to fold; from middle of costa a slender, outwardly oblique pale ochraceous-buff line extends to end of cell where it joins a black dot; on costa, before apex, a small pale ochraceous-buff dash; inside termen two pale ochraceous-buff dashes; on fold, about middle, a black spot; some scattered pale ochraceous-buff scales over most of wing; cilia grayish at tornus, fuscous along termen. Hindwing grayish fuscous; cilia concolorous toward apex, paler toward base. Foreleg pale ochraceous buff; tibia black on outer side; tarsal segments marked with black, midleg similar but not so strongly marked; hindleg pale ochraceous buff; tibia with two blackish fuscous blotches on outer side; tarsal segments marked blackish fuscous on outer side. Abdomen fuscous dorsally, buff ventrally with a fuscous spot on each segment laterally; 6th, 7th, and 8th segments of male strongly modified (Figure 198c–e).

Male genitalia slides USNM 24753, 24754. Harpe base short and broad; neck very short, slender; cucullus dilated. Brachia long, slender, curved. Tegumen longer than broad. Aedeagus slender, slightly curved; manica with a shallow, triangular keel dorsodistally.

Female genitalia slides USNM 24755, 24756. Ostium small, round, emerging from a domelike structure, the latter with a posteroventral thornlike process; lamella postvaginalis a very broad granular area. Inception of ductus seminalis from posterior end of bursa copulatrix. Ductus bursae lightly sclerotized in posterior half. Bursa copulatrix membranous, finely and sparsely spiculate in anterior half.

HOLOTYPE.—USNM 100798.

TYPE-LOCALITY.—Nuku Hiva, Tapuaooa, 2500 ft (762 m).

DISTRIBUTION.—Nuku Hiva.

FOOD PLANT.—Unknown.

Described from the holotype (30 Jan 1968), 3 and 49 paratypes with identical data, and 2 paratypes from Tunoa Ridge, 2900 ft (884 m), 23 Jan 1968. Also, 27 paratypes from Nuku Hiva, Toovii, Ooumu, 900 m, 16–19 Jul 1977 (Montgomery).

This species shows an obvious relationship to several species (e.g., trichogramma, phaeochorda) through the modifications of the posterior abdominal segments of the males (Figures 183, 196). The species are quite different in appearance, and there should be no difficulty in identifying the various taxa.

Labida Walker, 1864 [1856–1866]:823.

TYPE-SPECIES.—Labdia deliciosella Walker, 1864 [1856–1866]:823; by monotypy.

Asymphorodes ochrogramma is a moth of the family Agonoxenidae. It was described by John Frederick Gates Clarke in 1986. It is found in French Polynesia.