Friday, July 2, 2010

Sphalerostola


Sphalerostola Meyrick, 1927


Sphalerostola Meyrick, 1927. Exotic Microlepidoptera. 3 (11–12): 321–352, 353–384 [365]. Type species: Sphalerostola caustogramma Meyrick, 1927 by monotypy.
Exapateter Turner, 1947. [Blastobasidae] Contributions to our knowledge of Australian Microlepidoptera. Proc. R. Soc. Qd. 57: 65–74 [70]. Type species: Exapateter epierana Turner, 1947 by monotypy.
Sphalerostola Meyrick, 1927 [Cryptophasidae]. Fletcher, T. B., 1929, A list of generic names used for Microlepidoptera. Memoirs of the Department of Agriculture of India,  11: 1-244 [207].
Sphalerostola Meyrick, 1927. Common, in Nielsen, Edwards, & Rangsi, 1996, Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, 4: i-xiv, 1-529 & CD-ROM [88].
Sphalerostola Meyrick, 1927. Beccaloni, G. W., Scoble, M. J., Robinson, G. S. & Pitkin, B. (Editors). 2003. The Global Lepidoptera Names Index (LepIndex). World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/entomology/lepindex [accessed 1 May 2010].
Exapateter Turner, 1947. [Blastobasidae] Beccaloni, G. W., Scoble, M. J., Robinson, G. S. & Pitkin, B. (Editors). 2003. The Global Lepidoptera Names Index (LepIndex). World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/entomology/lepindex [accessed 1 May 2010]. [Synonymy not noted].
Sphalerostola Meyrick, 1927. Edwards, E. D. (2003), Xyloryctinae. Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/online-resources/fauna/afd/taxa/XYLORYCTINAE [accessed 17 June 2010].

Original description, Meyrick,1927
Sphalerostola, n. g.
Head with appressed scales, sidetufts rough; ocelli inferior; tongue developed. Antennae 2/3, ♂ shortly ciliated, scape moderate, scaled, without pecten. Labial palpi rather long, recurved, second joint thickened with dense appressed scales, terminal joint as long as second, rather thickened with scales, pointed. Maxillary palpi short, filiform, porrected. Anterior tibiae short, thickened with rough scales, tarsi shorter than tibiae, rather stout; posterior tibiae with dense rough scales above. Forewings 2-4 closely approximated at base from near angle, 2 and 3 near and parallel throughout, 4-8 parallel, 8 from upper angle, 9 and 10 stalked from very near 8, 9 to apex, 11 from middle. Hindwings 1, trapezoidal-ovate, cilia 2/3; without cubital pecten; 3 and 4 short-stalked from angle, 5-7 parallel, 7 to below apex, 8 remote, running from near base of cell to just above apex.
A singular form, allied to Cladophantis [Xyloryctinae].
Syonymic description, Turner 1947
Gen. Exapateter nov.
ιεξαπατητηρ, deceitful.
Palpi moderately long, ascending, recurved; second joint reaching base of antennae, moderately stout, rough-scaled anteriorly; terminal joint stout, acute. Antennae without basal pecten; in male shortly ciliated. Anterior tibiae smooth, short, and broad. Forewings with 2, 3, 4 approximated from angle, 7 separate, 8 to termen, approximated at origin to 9, 9 and 10 stalked from end of cell, 11 from well before middle. Hindwings elongate-ovate; cell long and produced at lower angle; 3 and 4 approximated, 5 from middle, 6 and 7 remote, parallel. Very different from any other genus.
Description:
Head:
Thorax:
Abdomen:

Immature stages:

Distribution: Queensland. Papua New Guinea. (Edwards, 2003).

Remarks:

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Sphalerostola epierana (Turner, 1947)


QM

QM, holotype

Exapateter epierana Turner, 1947, Contributions to our knowledge of Australian Microlepidoptera. Proc. R. Soc. Qd 57: 65–74 [70]. Holotype QM ♂, Cape York, Qld.
Sphalerostola epierana (Turner, 1947). Common, in Nielsen, Edwards, & Rangsi, 1996, Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, 4: i-xiv, 1-529 & CD-ROM [88].
Exapateter epierana Turner, 1947. [Blastobasidae] Beccaloni, G. W., Scoble, M. J., Robinson, G. S. & Pitkin, B. (Editors). 2003. The Global Lepidoptera Names Index (LepIndex). World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/entomology/lepindex [accessed 1 May 2010]. [Synonymy not noted].
Sphalerostola epierana (Turner, 1947). Edwards, E. D. (2003), Xyloryctinae. Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/online-resources/fauna/afd/taxa/XYLORYCTINAE [accessed 17 June 2010].

Original description, Turner 1947
Exapateter epierana n. sp.
επιηρανος, pleasing.
♂,17-19 mm. ♀ 21-24 mm. Head and thorax purple-brown. Palpi with terminal joint three-fifths; whitish sprinkled with brown. Antennae brown; ciliations in male one-half. Abdomen pale ochreous. Legs pale ochreous; anterior tibiae and tarsi sprinkled with brown. Forewings suboblong; costa slightly arched, apex rectangular, termen straight, not oblique; reddish-brown; a pale dot in disc at one-third; in male a broad defined white costal crescent extending almost from base to apex; in female this area is pale orange-brown, undefined, and only its costal edge is white; terminal edge except extremities narrowly white. Hindwings and cilia grey-brown.
North Queensland: Cape York in June, October, and November.

Diagnosis:
Description:
Head:
Thorax:
Abdomen:

Sphalerostola epierana, ♂ genitalia, complete, dorsal view. Silver Plains Homestead, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, 10 July 1962, collected by J.L. Wassell. ANIC slide no. G404, dissection by I.F.B.Common, 1967. Photomicrograph taken at ANIC, Canberra.


Food plants:
Flight period: October, November, June.
Distribution: Queensland. (Edwards, 2003).

Remarks: Superficially very similar to Synchalara argoplaca Meyrick 1907, which is sometimes seen as a Xyloryctine, but placed by Duckworth (1973) in the Stenomatidae.


The male genitalia share some features with some species of Agriophara (Stenomatidae); the long uncus and the two long protuberances from the top of the base of the valva are Stenomatid features, but this species lacks the usually densely setose valvae found in that family.

Probably a Stenomatid.