Topiris salva Sterling & Price & Lees 2025, comb. nov.
Creators: name: Sterling, Mark J.
name: Price, Ben W.
name: Lees, David C.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Xyloryctidae
Topiris
Topiris salva

description: Topiris salva (Meyrick, 1932) comb. nov.
Figs 11–13, 30, 31, 38 A, B, 39 A, B, 59, 64, 72, 73
Athrypsiastis salva Meyrick, 1932 (Meyrick in Caradja 1931–1933: 158).
DNA barcodes.
BIN, BOLD: ADS 0105 (METAT 020-18, METAT 021-18, METAT 022-18, METAT 024-18, METAT 025-18); MT 547768 (whole mitogenome).
Type material.
Type. Meyrick designated a type specimen but this is lost (see Discussion). Neotype • ♂ Hong Kong, Victoria Peak, July 1993, 400 m, leg. Kent Li, specimen no. NHMUK 010922992, slide no. NHMUK 014331348, Process ID METAT 020-18. Paraneotype • ♂ Hangchow (= Hangzhou), China. JFC 5.7. 25, specimen no. NHMUK 010219696, slide no. NHMUK 010316441.
Diagnosis.
This species has both all white forms and forms which are off white with darker thickened scaling dorsally (Figs 11–13). In Hong Kong both these forms occur together at the same time of year. In the male genitalia, T. salva has a broad, claviform saccular process. The only other species which has a similarly shaped saccular process is T. meyricki. The saccular process of T. salva is narrower than that of T. meyricki and lacks the patch of short bristles postmedially. In T. salva the apical part of the valva is rounded whereas in T. meyricki the distal margin of the valva is strongly emarginate with a large, digitate projection apically and a smaller sclerotised thorn like projection beneath this (Figs 38 A, 39 A, 43 A). In the female genitalia, the posterior margin of S 8 is projected caudally, covering the ostium, but lacks the posterio-medial projections of T. candidella and T. schneeweissella (Figs 72, 84).
Description.
Male (Figs 11–13). Forewing length 6.5–8 mm, wingspan 14–16 mm. Head: frons with appressed silver white scales; vertex with long narrow cream scales projecting away from the base of the antennae with further such scales projecting posteriorly over occiput, overlaying a collar of broader white appressed scales projecting posteriorly from anterior margin of prothorax; pilifers small with tufts of moderately long bristles; maxillary palps white. Labial palps strongly recurved, long (3 × diameter of eye); basal segment with small white scale tuft; second segment longer than third, strongly curved with thick covering of appressed silver white scales; third segment long, almost straight, thinly covered in appressed silver white scales. Haustellum with silver white scaling in basal portion. Antenna ¾ length of forewing, bipectinate; scape with appressed cream and white scales, flagellum with short dark pectinations covered in short white sensillae for ¾ length, silver scaling on dorsal surface basally, thereafter dark brown, apical portion filiform. Thorax: with broad silver white scales; tegulae silver white; foreleg with femur silver white, tibia and tarsus brown with silver reflections in some lights, tibial epiphysis long and broad, mid legs and hind legs white with thin tufts of long white scales. Forewing broad, costa gently rounded at base, otherwise straight, apex slightly pointed, termen angled inwards, tornus obtusely angled, costa gently rounded at base otherwise straight, apex slightly pointed, termen angled inwards, tornus obtusely angled, silver white to off white, some forms entirely unmarked and silver white except for a line of brown scales from costa to ~ 1 / 6, in other forms where the ground colour is off white, the thicker scaling on the dorsum is tinged greyish ochreous or grey, forming an indistinct coloured patch. Hindwing as broad as forewing, rounded, white, unmarked. Ventrally, forewings pale brown, veins lined with brown scales, base of costa dark; hindwings white.
Female. Similar to male but more likely to have obscure colouration in the dorsal patch and slightly larger, forewing length 8.5–10 mm, wingspan 18–22 mm; antennae filiform throughout.
Male genitalia (Figs 38 A, B, 39 A, B). Uncus broad, anterior margin of dorsal surface very weakly emarginate, two small lateral carinae basally, apically spatulate, apex rounded. Gnathos fused medially, lateral arms thin and lightly sclerotised, medial plate small and lightly sclerotised, weakly projecting posteriorly from lateral arms. Tegumen band broad and strongly arched, lateral extensions of tegumen substantially longer than width of tegumen band. Vinculum long, robust, U shaped, base substantially projecting anteriorly beyond base of valvae. Saccus large. Juxta with U-shaped basal plate, anellus lobes broad and moderately short. Valva long and broad, apex rounded, costal margin substantially projecting inwards and setose at base, costal ventral membrane long and broad with substantial long dark setae, saccular margin of valva slightly curved, long ventral sclerite postmedially, apex of valva with tuft of short bristles. Sacculus as broad as valva and longer than broad. Saccular process developing from distal part of sacculus, commencing near costa of valva, broad, claviform, one or two small sclerotised teeth on upper margin. Aedeagus long with a long, recurved, filament-like distal projection and a small distal thickening. Bulbus ejaculatorius long, two coils, hood broad.
Female genitalia (Figs 59, 72, 73). Papillae anales short and broad, apophyses posteriores substantially longer than apophyses anteriores. Ostium small and circular. S 8 with posterior margin projecting caudally and covering ostium, anterior margin almost straight. Ostium small and circular. Antrum long, straight, narrow, sclerotised and scobinate almost throughout. Ductus bursae long and thin, posteriorly membranous, anteriorly finely scobinate. Corpus bursae large and elongate, without signum.
Pre-genital abdomen. White with white anal tuft. Tergal spines on posterior parts of T 2 – T 7, visible on dried specimens; weak sclerotisation of anterior part of T 8 and sternites. Apodemes long and straight, venulae slightly sinuate.
Biology and early stages.
Topiris salva (as a species of Athrypsiastis) has been reported as a pest of Citrus L. (CASI 1994; Li et al. 1997) and Mulberry (Morus sp.) (Ertian 2003: 397). This species also appears to have been misidentified in Han et al. (2007) and Su et al. (2020) as Linoclostis gonatias. The species described in that literature is a pest of tea (C. sinensis) and C. oleifera (Theaceae), the larva boring into the shoots. Male adults, and less frequently females, attracted to lights at night. Found recently in secondary woodland and at the edge of a village adjoining secondary woodland. Adults have been found in May, July, and September. The adult has a strongly tectiform resting posture (Figs 30, 31).
Distribution.
China. The type and Meyrick’s other two specimens were from Shanghai and Hangzhou. Though misidentified, this is the species which has been reported (see paragraph above) as a pest in China. It is also widely distributed in Hong Kong.
Additional material examined
(12 ♂, 4 ♀). • 1 ♂ Nam Chung Valley, Hong Kong, China, 22.512 N, 114.21 E, 11 May 2017, M. Sterling leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010219679, slide no. NHMUK 010316399, MSterling 043, Process ID METAT 023-18 (307 bp); • 1 ♂ Hong Kong, Victoria Peak, viii.1993, leg. A. Galsworthy, specimen no. NHMUK 010923140, slide no. NHMUK 014331349; • 1 ♂ Hong Kong, Tai Po Kau Headland, New Territories, 22.436 N 114.192 E, 65 m, 06 May 2017, leg. M. J. Sterling, specimen no. NHMUK 013700108, slide no. NHMUK 014331350, MSterling 044, Process ID METAT 024-18; • 1 ♂ Hong Kong, Tai Yeung Che, Tai Po, New Territories, 22.447 N 114.128 E, 65 m, 5 May 2017, leg. M. J. Sterling, specimen no. NHMUK 013700109, slide no. NHMUK 014331351; • 2 ♂ Hong Kong, Victoria Peak, May 1993, leg. A. Galsworthy, specimen nos. NHMUK 010922993, NHMUK 013700107; • 1 ♂ Hong Kong Tai Yeung Che, Tai Po, New Territories, 22.447 N 114.128 E, 65 m, 1 May 2017, leg. M. J. Sterling, specimen no. NHMUK 013700106, MSterling 042, Process ID METAT 022-18; • 1 ♂ Hong Kong, Ng Tung Chai, N. Territories, 22.436 N 114.124 E, 135 m, 8 June 2018, leg. M. J. Sterling, specimen no. NHMUK 010219723, slide no. NHMUK 014331358; • 2 ♂ Hong Kong, Tai Mong Sai, Sai Kung, 22.405 N 114.303 E, 140 m, 24 April 2013, M. J. Sterling leg., specimen nos. NHMUK 013700104, NHMUK 013700105; • 1 ♂ Hong Kong, Tai Tam, Hong Kong Island, 20 m, 10.09.1995, leg. M. J. Sterling, specimen no. NHMUK 013700103; • 1 ♂ Hong Kong, Ng Tung Chai, N. Territories, 22.436 N 114.124 E, 135 m, 2 May 2017, leg. M. J. Sterling, specimen no. NHMUK 013700102; • 1 ♀ Hong Kong, China, Kadoorie Institute, New Territories, 22.428 N 114.113 E, 200 m, leg. M. J. Sterling, specimen no. NHMUK 010219702, slide no. NHMUK 014331352, MSterling 045, Process ID METAT 025-18; • 1 ♀ Hangchow (= Hangzhou), China. JFC 5.7. 25, specimen no. NHMUK 010219725, slide no. NHMUK 014331353; • 1 ♀ Hong Kong, China, Tai Yeung Che, Tai Po, New Territories, 22.447 N 114.128 E, 65 m, 5 May 2017, leg. M. J. Sterling, specimen no. NHMUK 010923242, slide no. NHMUK 014331355; • 1 ♀ Hong Kong, China, Tai Lam Wu, Sai Kung, 22.405 N 114.303 E, 90 m, 31.05.2018, leg. M. J. Sterling, specimen no. NHMUK 010923248, slide no. NHMUK 014331354.
Remarks.
The type of Athrypsiastis salva Meyrick, 1932 was a male from Shanghai, China. The type was designated by Meyrick and, according to the original description, it is in the Caradja collection. Following the death of Prince Aristide Caradja, his collection was deposited with the Muzeul National de Istorie Naturala “ Grigore Antipa ” in Bucharest, Romania. Popescu-Gorj (1992) produced a catalogue of the Lepidoptera types held in the collections of this museum and there is no reference to that type in this catalogue. The museum also has on its website a list of the Lepidoptera types which it holds and there is no reference to this type on the website. We have corresponded with Dr Mihai Stanescu, the current collection manager for Lepidoptera at the museum, who kindly sent us a copy of the original description of A. salva which was annotated by Popescu-Gorj while preparing his Catalogue. The words “ Atrypsiastis salva sp. nov. ” [sic] are underlined in red; the words “ Type in coll. Caradja ” are underlined in pencil; and the word “ Holotype ” has been inserted in the margin in pencil. Popescu-Gorj was therefore clearly aware that this type should have been held at this museum and the absence of any reference to it in his Catalogue indicates that he was not able to locate it. Dr Stanescu has conducted a further search for the specimen but has not found it.
Meyrick’s original description mentions a further example from China which was probably this species, although it contains no further details of the specimen. There are two specimens in the NHMUK from Meyrick’s collection which are labelled Athrypsiastis salva (a male and a female), both collected from Hangchow (= Hangzhou), China. The only other white xyloryctid moth from China in the NHMUK collection, acquired from the Meyrick collection, is the type of Metathrinca intacta Meyrick, 1938. It can therefore be strongly presumed that one of the ‘ Athrypsiastis salva ’ from the Meyrick collection is the other specimen referred to by Meyrick in his original description.
We have dissected both the male and the female and both have the distinctive Topiris genitalia (in the case of the male typical of those of the salva group). Also, both the genitalia of the male and the female are identical to the male and female genitalia of recent materials within the study group, collected from Hong Kong, China, for which DNA barcodes have been obtained. We have designated a barcoded male from Hong Kong as the neotype of Topiris salva (Meyrick, 1932) and the male specimen from the Meyrick collection as a paraneotype.
The small white forms with no significant markings appear externally to be different to the larger off-white-coloured forms with greyish colouration in the thicker scaling on the dorsum but the genitalia are the same and the sequenced specimens of both forms provided the same haplotype.
In our view Meyrick’s etymology is as follows: salva (Meyrick, 1932) — from salvare (lat.) to save; salva is the present active imperative, e. g., ‘ salva me fons pietatis’ from the Latin requiem mass. It is however likely to be a reference to Christ the Saviour, who is traditionally depicted clothed in white. Although this species is slightly variable, in Meyrick’s original description the type specimen was white.
Athrypsiastis salva Meyrick, 1932 falls within the Topiris clade (Figs 1 – 3). We therefore combine A. salva Meyrick, 1932 as T. salva (Meyrick, 1932).
For the reasons set out in the Discussion section, the Chinese pest species on Camellia oleifera (Theaceae) and tea reported as Linoclostis gonatias in Han et al. (2007) and Su et al. (2020) is Topiris salva (Meyrick) and not L. gonatias Meyrick (the latter being known only from the female type specimen).
description: Published as part of Sterling, Mark J., Price, Ben W. & Lees, David C., 2025, A revision of the hitherto neglected genus Topiris Walker, 1863 (Lepidoptera, Xyloryctidae) with taxonomic notes on the genus Athrypsiastis Meyrick, 1910, pp. 297-368 in ZooKeys 1229 on pages 297-368, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1229.119155