Tasmantrix calliplaca Meyrick, comb. nov.
Creators: name: Gibbs, George W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2010
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Micropterigidae
Tasmantrix
Tasmantrix calliplaca

description: Tasmantrix calliplaca (Meyrick), comb. nov.
(Figs 1 A, 4C, 5C, 6C&D, 9A–C, 18)
Palaeomicra calliplaca Meyrick, 1902: 60. Turner (1916: 391) (Sabatinca (Palaeomicra )); Tillyard (1919: 117) (Sabatinca); Turner (1921: 597) (Sabatinca); Philpott (1924: 356) (Sabatinca); Common (1970: 785, Fig 36.14A) (Sabatinca); Common (1990: 130–131, Pl. 23.5, Figs 16.1, 56.1 (but not Fig 56.2 or 56.3) (Sabatinca); Nielsen & Common 1991: 835, Fig 41.17A) (Sabatinca).
Type material examined. Holotype: No holotype of calliplaca Meyrick could be found at BMNH (D.C. Lees, Feb 2008). Lectotype here designated: ɗ, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. AJT. 12/96 [in ink]/ Sabatinca calliplaca Meyr. 3/9. E.M. Meyrick det. in Meyrick Coll. B.M. 1938-290. BM. Genitalia Slide No.12315/BM. N.P.Kristensen/right forewing in vial. Paralectotypes: 2 ɗ, 4 Ψ, 1 abdomen missing: Brisbane, Queensland. AJT. 12/96 [in ink]/ Sabatinca calliplaca Meyr. Series 1/9 to 7/9 excl 3/9. E.M. Meyrick det. in Meyrick Coll. B.M. 1938-290. B.M. Genitalia Slide No. 12316 (male 4/9) N.P. Kristensen.
Other material examined. 214 non-type specimens, 107 males, 107 females: Australia, Queensland: 13 ɗ 3 Ψ, Finch Hatton Gorge, Eungella Nat. Pk, 21°04´S 148°38´E, 280 m, 15 & 28 Sep. 1981, G.W. Gibbs; 19 ɗ 45 Ψ, Byfield, 22°50´S 150°37´E, 80 m, 9 Sep 1980, I.F.B. Common, (ANIC) 10 Sep 1981, I.F.B. Common, (ANIC) 13–14 Sep 1981, G.W. Gibbs, 23 Aug 1984, I.F.B. Common (ANIC, UQM); 4 ɗ 1 Ψ, Montville, 6 Oct 1912, A.J. Turner (ANIC); 1 Ψ, Mt Glorious, 27 Sep 1942, I.F.B. Common (ANIC); 3 ɗ 2 Ψ, Mt Tamborine, 4 Nov 1911, A.J. Turner (ANIC); 10 ɗ 17 Ψ, Joalah Nat Pk, Tamborine Mountain, 27°56´S 153°12´E, 450 m, 5 Nov 1981, [G925], G.W. Gibbs; 4 ɗ 2 Ψ, Queensland (=Lamington) Nat Pk, 770–920 m, 24–31 Dec 1920 –22, A.J. Turner (AMS, ANIC, UQM); 1 ɗ 1 Ψ, Mt Gipps, 11 Jan 1981, J.A. Powell (ANIC); 4 Ψ, Binna Burra, Lamington Nat Pk, 28°12´S 153°11´E, 700 m, 6 Nov 1984, E.D. Edwards (ANIC), 19 Nov 1988, I.F.B. Common (ANIC)
Australia, New South Wales: 1ɗ 1Ψ Broken Head Nat Res, 28°52´S 153°36´E, 23 Nov 1976, 24 Sep 1979, I.F.B. Common (ANIC); 12ɗ 13Ψ “Big Scrub Reserve Whian Whian S.F., 28°38´S 153°20´E, 160 m, 7 Nov 1981, G.W. Gibbs; 5ɗ 1Ψ Cambridge Plateau, 35 km W Casino, 6 Nov 1985, B. Hacobian & L. Willan (ANIC) 9ɗ 7Ψ Bruxner Park, Coffs Harbour, 30°15´S 153°06´E, 160 m, 9 Nov 1981, G.W. Gibbs; 1Ψ Wallingat S.F., 32°18´S 152°25´E, 4 Nov 1978, I.F.B. Common (ANIC); 1ɗ Never Never area, Dorrigo Nat Pk, 30°22´S 152°48´E, 760 m, 9 Jan 1981, G.W. Gibbs; 1Ψ Hilltop rest area, Dorrigo N.P., 30°23´S 152°44´E, 660 m, 10 Jan 1981, GW. Gibbs; 2ɗ Port Macquarie, 6 Nov, 1931, G.M. Goldfinch (AMS); 2ɗ 2Ψ Port Macquarie, 31°28´S 152°56´E, 30 m, 11 Nov 1981, G.W. Gibbs; 3ɗ Kendall, 9 Nov 1931, G.M. Goldfinch (AMS); 16ɗ 4Ψ “Big Fella Gum, Middle Brother S.F., 31°42´S 152°39´E, 120 m, 11 Nov 1981, G.W. Gibbs; 1Ψ Elizabeth Beach, 32°20´S 152°32´E, 1 m, 3 Nov 1978, I.F.B. Common (ANIC); 2ɗ 12 Nov 1981, G.W. Gibbs.
Diagnosis. Maculation of calliplaca - type, i.e. ground colour dark grey with strong purple reflections and three white fasciae: a basal subcostal streak, a strong transverse band at mid-length, a very small apical patch (Fig. 1 A). Male valvae diagnostic, fused in mid-ventral line, strongly arched in a semi-circle with forked apices (Fig. 9 C) (can be seen in pinned specimens).
Redescription (Figs. 1 A & 9A–C). Head interocular index in male 0.9, female 0.8. Antenna with 45 (42– 47) flagellomeres in male, 30 (29–31) in female; proximal flagellomeres short filiform and scale-covered, 1–2 in male, 6–7 in female; remainder submoniliform – moniliform (Fig 5 C), each ascoid with 7–8 branches. Maxillary palps 1.4x head width at compound eyes.
Head capsule dark brown with piliform scales creamy white on frons and lateral areas of dorsum, grading into dark brown in the centre of dorsum, between antennae. Mouthparts with shining creamy-white scales. Antennal scape and pedicel with piliform scales creamy-white on anterior side, darker brown posteriorly; basal flagellomeres black-scaled in male, but creamy-white in female; non-scaled flagellomeres dark brownish-black.
Tegulae with both piliform and lamellar scales, creamy-white; mesoscutum with lamellar scales, in centre dark brownish-black with purple reflections, lateral margins shining white. Coxa, femur with shining creamywhite scales; fore-tibia white but with row of black scales along anterior side, mid-tibia white, hind-tibia greyish, black dorsally; fore- and mid-tarsus black with 3 white bands, hind tarsus black.
Abdomen grey scaled, paler beneath, with dark brownish scales along pleural region.
Forewing length of male 2.9 mm (2.6–3.1), female 3.3 mm (2.7–3.7). Maculation (Fig. 1 A) with strong purplish-bronze reflections. Three shining white fasciae: a short subcostal basal streak in the middle of the wing, contiguous with the white dorsum of the head above the eyes when at rest; a strong transverse band at mid-length, almost straight and parallel-sided; a small triangular area of white scales in the apex. The apical quarter of the wing, beyond the transverse band, is spangled with irregular white scales, often forming short rows along the veins; also a series of 3 or 4 small white patches on both costa and termen of this area. Fringes largely dark brownish-black, but often white tipped along the termen and at the apex.
Hindwing with 2 frenular bristles; dark brownish-black with purple or bronzy reflections, fringes dark brownish-black.
Male abdomen and genitalia. [G925] (Figs 9 A–C). Dorsum of A1 contains a trace of a transverse sclerite. Exit area of S5 gland sexually dimorphic; in male (Fig. 6 C) situated near posterior margin of sternite; an oval raised cuticular dome, 0.05 mm diameter, with a distinctive surface of tightly packed flattened papillae, but lacking any piliform scales. T8 reduced but only slightly in relation to the preceding tergites. A discrete pair of elongate lunular-shaped remnants of S8 present, lying along the antero-lateral concave margins of sclerite 9, bearing about 20 long fine setae. Sclerite 9 short, about 0.8x length of S6 along ventral mid-line; dorsal arms widely separated, with truncate apices, anterior concave margin not strongly thickened. Valvae fused to each other along a conspicuous suture in the mid-line, and to the posterior edge of sclerite 9, together forming an unique rigid semicircular structure in ventral view; valva arm narrow, curved dorsally and reinforced by a strongly thickened, melanised ventral margin, expanding to a forked apex, the ventral branch slightly extruded, tapering to a blunt point bearing a tight cluster of about 6–8 short setae with fine tips abruptly angled inwards, dorsal branch broader, with a single terminal sinuous seta; inner surface of valva bearing at least 20 fine setae towards the apex, the most ventral one long and sinuous. Median plate fan-like, 0.4 of sclerite 9. Tergum 10 a simple semicircular lobe, convex dorsally; ventral surface with a pair of transversely elongated mounds of dense coarse curved setae. Phallus moderately long, 2.5x length of S6, gonopore terminal, ventral bulb minimal.
Female abdomen and genitalia. Segment 5 gland (Fig. 6 D) of standard sabatincoid form, a raised protuberance bearing 7–8 long piliform scales, the aperture surrounded by a small area of flattened papillae similar to those of the male. Segment 9 with a broad band of scattered macrosetae around its posterior half, sclerotisation restricted to a very narrow ring around posterior margin, slightly wider ventrally than dorsally. Segment 10 lateral sclerites semicircular, height equal to width. Spermathecal duct very short, barely projecting beyond the rim of the papilla.
Remarks. This species so closely resembles both T. phalaros and T. nigrocornis (especially the former) that misidentification is likely in the field. Pinned male specimens can be discriminated by their unique semicircular valves. It is by far the most widespread species of Tasmantrix. The distribution (Fig. 18), which extends from the tropical Eungella Range at 21°S to temperate Elizabeth Beach at 32°S, thus spanning nearly 1400 km, prompted a morphological investigation of geographical variation. However, no evidence of any consistent regional pattern could be detected. In the absence of any molecular phylogeographic evidence to the contrary, the entire distribution range is here treated as a single species.
This species has been observed swarming on flowers of Clayoxylon australe (by A. Turner, reported Meyrick 1902) and amongst the tall moss, Dawsonia superba (by D. Lees, pers. comm.). In my experience, it appears to be most abundant immediately after rain.
Distribution (Fig. 18). Eastern Australia: in coastal rainforest from Finch Hatton Gorge, Eungella Range, Qld, 21°04´S to Elizabeth Beach, NSW, 32°20´S. Collected between 23 August and 11 January.
description: Published as part of Gibbs, George W., 2010, establishment of five new genera from Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand, pp. 1-48 in Zootaxa 2520 on pages 22-23, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.196244