Asymphorodes trichogramma Clarke 1986

Asymphorodes trichogramma

Alar expanse 7–9 mm.

Labial palpus very light buff; second segment with slight grayish suffusion on outer side; third segment grayish anteriorly. Antenna pale ochraceous buff in male; in female, annulated fuscous and light buff; scape light buff. Head light buff with pale ochraceous buff suffusion on crown. Thorax buff to pale ochraceous buff; tegula buffy brown; metascutum of male with prominent thornlike processes. Forewing ground color buffy brown; on costa three light buff outwardly oblique streaks, the second longer than first and third; these streaks separated by parallel blackish fuscous dashes; on costa, before apex, a light buff dash preceeded and followed by blackish fuscous; dorsum, from base to tornus, light buff; termen light buff mixed with a few blackish fuscous marks; cilia light buff to pale ochraceous buff. Hindwing light gray; cilia considerably paler. Foreleg light buff marked fuscous on outer side; midleg similar; hindleg light buff; tibia with two grayish fuscous dashes on outer side; tarsal segments spotted grayish fuscous. Abdomen fuscous dorsally, light buff ventrally; 6th, 7th, and 8th segments of male strongly modified.

Male genitalia slides USNM 24932, 24933, 24937. Harpe broad basally, constricted distad forming a short, slender neck; cucullus moderately expanded. Brachia stout basally terminating in a sharp point; right brachium broadened and flattened distally. Tegumen as broad as long. Aedeagus S-shaped, slender; manica with dorsal keel.

Female genitalia slides USNM 24934, 24935, 24936, 24938. Ostium very small, round, emerging from an oval sclerotized process, the latter at the base of a deep U-shaped excavation in the posterior edge of the 7th sternum. Inception of ductus seminalis from posterior end of bursa copulatrix. Ductus bursae slender, membranous, from posterior end of bursa copulatrix. Bursa copulatrix membranous; spiculate in anterior half.

HOLOTYPE.—USNM 100814.

TYPE-LOCALITY.—Hiva Oa, Atuona.

DISTRIBUTION.—Hiva Oa, Fatu Hiva, Easter Island.

FOOD PLANT.—Unknown.

Described from the holotype (25 Feb 1968) and 269 paratypes as follows. Hiva Oa: Atuona, 10 Feb to 8 Mar 1968, 55, 180; Fatu Hiva: Omoa, 12–17 Mar 1968, 4, 9; Easter Island: Hanga-Roa, 26–27 May, 1971, 10, 7 Rano-Kao, 21 May 1971, 2 (Peña). Eiao, N. uplands, 400 m, 7 Aug 1977, 2 (Montgomery).

Asymphorodes trichogramma is similar to sphenocopa in general appearance, but the latter species lacks the pale dorsum that is present in the former. Moreover, trichogramma, except for the light colored dorsum, is a much darker moth than sphenocopa.

Although Campos and Peña (1973:225) recorded the presence of the genus Asymphorodes on Easter Island (based on my determination of Peña's material), this is the first specific record for a species of Asymphorodes from that island.

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