Asymphorodes phaeochorda Meyrick 1929

Asymphorodes phaeochorda Meyrick

Asymphorodes phaeochorda Meyrick, 1929a:499; 1934c:350.—Clarke, 1955 [1955–1970]:244.

Male genitalia slides USNM 24858, 24859, 24869, 24870, 24893, 24895, 24896, 24897, 24905, 24906, 24911. Harpe broad and short basally; neck short, slender; cucullus slightly dilated distally. Brachia rather slender, bent proximally; right brachium longer than left. Tegumen broader than long. Aedeagus somewhat S-shaped; manica indicated mainly by setae dorsally.

Female genitalia slides USNM 24813, 24814, 24860, 24861, 24894, 24907, 24908. Ostium small, round. Inception of ductus seminalis from posterior end of bursa copulatrix. Bursa copulatrix membranous.

ORIGINAL MATERIAL.—”. 9–10 mm…Marquesas, Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa, Tahuata, Fatu Hiva, up to 1200 feet, January, at light; 35 ex.”

LECTOTYPE.—Female, 7 mm. “Nuku Hiva, Marquesas. At light, 21.1.25 St. George Expedn. C. L. Collenette.” A small white label reads “Brit. Mus. 1925–448.” A black-bordered, rectangular label bears the inscription “Asymphorodes phaeocorda [sic] Meyr. Tr. Ent. Soc. Lond. 76. p. 499, 1929. Type .” Also, there is the usual red-bordered, round British Museum label “Type. H. T.,” plus a small white one with “P559.” Slide JFGC No. 11993. Lectotype hereby designated.

Lectotype is in the British Museum (Natural History).

TYPE-LOCALITY.—Nuku Hiva.

DISTRIBUTION.—Marquesas Islands.

Our series consists of 509 specimens as follows. Nuku Hiva: Taiohae, 13 Jan to 1 Feb 1968, 57, 265. Hiva Oa: Atuona, 12 Feb to 5 Mar 1968, 29, 108. Fatu Hiva: Omoa, 11 Mar to 8 Apr 1968, 7, 38. Eiao: N. uplands, 400 m, 7 Aug 1977, 1, 4 (Montgomery).

FOOD PLANT.—Unknown.

Meyrick recorded this species, undoubtedly the commonest in the islands, from Eiao, Tahuata, Uahuka, Hatutu, Hiva Oa, and Fatu Hiva, up to an elevation of 2460 feet (750 m). It should be noted that most of our material of this species was taken practically at sea level, very little at high elevation.

The males of phaeochorda possess prominent thornlike processes from the metascutum. Also, the 6th, 7th, and 8th segments of the abdomen are strongly modified (Figure 196 c–e) and indicate a close relationship to leptotes, new species, and circopis.

Asymphorodes phaeochorda is a moth of the family Agonoxenidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1929. It is found on the Marquesas Archipelago.