Page:Transactions NZ Institute Volume 15.djvu/37
with 12 veins, 8 and 9 stalked, 11 coalescing with 12, before costa. Hindwings with 8 veins, 5 from above angle of cell, 6 moderately approximated to 7, 7 and 8 stalked, cell closed.
A very distinctly characterized genus, of the general type of Thinasotia, but with vein 11 of the forewings running into 12 before reaching costa, vein 5 of the hindwings rising from the transverse vein above the angle of cell, and the hindmargin of forewings twice indented above middle. The venation of all the New Zealand species is perfectly constant. Three species have been described from South America, and one from Australia; nine are here given, so that the genus apparently reaches its maximum of development in New Zealand. The species are all rather small insects, with broadly triangular forewings, generally rather elegantly marked, the markings consisting typically of two slender transverse lines, a white or metallic discal spot, and generally three black spots on lower part of hind margin. The larva feeds in moss. The imagos are often overlooked, and probably many more will be discovered.
The species here described may be thus distinguished:—
| A. Discal spot obsolete | 1. pyrsophanes. |
| B. Discal„ spot„ distinct | |
| 1. Discal spot black | 9. elaina. |
| 2. Discal„ spot„ wholly white | |
| a. Hindwings dark fuscous | 8. helioctypa. |
| b. Hindwings„ grey or white | |
| i. Discal spot with three projecting teeth | 3. astrosema. |
| ii. Discal„ spot„ with„ one projecting tooth | |
| * Hindwings grey | 4. lepidella. |
| ** Hindwings„ clear white | 5. leucoxantha. |
| 3. Discal spot more or less leaden-metallic | |
| a. Hindwings white | 6. metallifera. |
| b. Hindwings„ grey | |
| i. First transverse line strongly dentate above inner margin | 2. chrysochyta. |
| ii. First„ transverse„ line„ regularly curved | 7. auriscriptella. |
1. Dipt. pyrsophanes, n. sp.
Male, female.—13½–16 mm. Head ochreous or brownish-ochreous. Palpi light yellowish-ochreous, externally more brownish. Antennæ dark fuscous. Thorax rather dark purplish-fuscous. Abdomen dark purplish-fuscous, with a light yellowish ring near base. Legs clear whitish-ochreous. Forewings triangular, very broad posteriorly, costa very gently arched, apex rounded, hindmargin oblique, indentations moderately deep; ochreous-brown, almost wholly suffused with dark purplish-fuscous except narrowly along hindmargin and more broadly at apex and anal angle, and finely irrorated with grey, especially towards costa and disc beyond middle; a