The Male Genitalia of the New Zealand Thyrididae, Pyralidae, Galleriidae, and Phycitidae.

By Alfred Philpott, Hon. Research Worker in Lepidoptera, Cawthron Institute, Nelson.

Tegumen weak, narrow, fused with vinculum; uncus a small, weak-pointed process at right angles to tegumen. Gnathos absent. Aedeagus long, stout, tubular, ductus ejaculatorius entering at about middle, apex with a small stout thorn-like process directed ventrally and a pair of scobinate lateral structures. Harpes completely fused basally, forming a deep pouch, from the inner side of which arises a pair of chitinous plates; these plates evidently act as guides or supports to the aedeagus and are very probably really a part of the juxta, which has become fused with the harpes. Vinculum with short saccus and short lateral round-pointed arms.

Pyralis farinalis L. (Fig. 4).

The meal moth appears to be distributed throughout New Zealand, but it is not often met with outside of bakeries or graneries.

Tegumen short, broad; uncus short, broad, rounded. Gnathos with arms directed backwards to near base of tegumen, thence turning abruptly downwards and fusing centrally to end in sharp hooked apex. Aedeagus short, apical third sharply bent, ductus ejaculatorius entering at ⅔ and ending in stout curved well chitinised penis. Harpes broad, ventral margin bent obliquely upwards beyond middle and running to rather narrow apex; a rather long editum present. Vinculum narrow; saccus not developed.

Galleriidae.

The two well-known wax moths, Galleria mellonella L. and Meliphora grisella Fabr. have been established in New Zealand for many years. They are both common also in Australia.

Galleria mellonella L. (Fig. 5).

Tegumen very broad, fused with vinculum; uncus truncate with lateral angles produced into short points. Gnathos absent. Aedeagus very short, curved, apex with very complicated structure lying within membranous sleeve (anellus?), ductus ejaculatorius entering half way along organ. Juxta a large convex more or less rounded plate. Harpes very broad, apex broadly rounded, lower margin produced into a point beyond middle, sparsely clothed with short weak hair within. Vinculum with short, pointed saccus.

Meliphora grisella Fabr. (Fig. 6).

Tegumen broad, fused with vinculum; uncus divided into a pair of ventrally directed points. Gnathos absent. Aedeagus longer than in Galleria mellonella, straight, ductus ejaculatorius entering much

nearer base, a pair of spoon-shaped structures on anellus near apex. Juxta a rounded plate with lower margin much more strongly chitinised. Harpes broad, much narrowed on apical half, incurved lower margin with small irregular process at about half, sparsely haired within. Vinculum with moderate rounded saccus.

Phycitidae.

The Phycitids of New Zealand are all, with one exception—Delogenes limadoxa Meyr.—found in other countries. D. limadoxa occurs abundantly in subalpine regions in the middle of the South Island and is therefore probably truly indigenous. The distinctive feature of the genitalia, as compared with the three preceding families, is the presence of a well-developed gnathos.

Sporophyla oenospora Meyr. (Fig. 7).

Eighth sternite narrowed, with a pair of dorso-lateral bunches of long hair-scales. Tegumen long; uncus broad, scoop-like. Gnathos a pair of plain bands, arching caudally, fusing in the centre and projecting ventro-caudally in the form of a hooked process. Aedeagus short, simple, tubular. Juxta a rounded plate, excavated apically. Harpes simple, clothed with backwardly-directed short hair on apical ⅓, upper margin folded in at apex. Vinculum not fused with tegumen; saccus broad and moderately long.

Crocydopora cinigerella Walk. (Fig. 8).

Eighth sternite with paired tufts of hair as in Sporophyla oenospora. Tegumen as in oenospora, but broader. Gnathos with apical hook shorter. Aedeagus swollen basally and apically, with a lateral pair of dense short pointed brushes of hair on anellus near apex. Juxta as in oenospora. Harpes simple, rather broad, upper margin deeply excavate on apical ⅓. Vinculum not fused with tegumen; saccus moderately long and broad, but considerably narrowed apically.

Plodia interpunctella Hubn. (Fig. 9).

Plodia and the two following genera, Ephestia and Delogenes, are remarkable for the modification of the eighth segment, both tergite and sternite being affected.

Eighth tergite very weakly chitinised except for a narrow T-shaped median area; eighth sternite membranous except for a narrow band round anterior margin; on the conjunctiva is a pair of brushes of stout short hair-scales. Tegumen with lateral arms wide apart; uncus rather narrow, apex rounded. Gnathos of usual type, but not extending far caudally. Aedeagus stout at base, gradually attenuated to apex, ductus ejaculatorius entering at base; near the apex of the aedeagus and lying between it and the base of the harpes are a pair of small crescentic chitinous plates, perhaps representing the transtilla. Juxta a small heart-shaped plate. Harpes broad, narrowed basally, rounded apically, upper margin produced into a point near apex, densely clothed within with fine long hair. Vinculum with moderately long broad saccus slightly narrowed to apex.