Asymphorodes

Asymphorodes is a gelechioid moth genus in subfamily Agonoxeninae of the palm moth family (Agonoxenidae), whose taxonomic status is disputed. Alternatively, the palm moths might be a subfamily of the grass-miner moth family (Elachistidae), with the Agonoxeninae becoming a tribe Agonoxenini.

Asymphorodes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Division:	Ditrysia
Superfamily:	Gelechioidea
Family:	Agonoxenidae (disputed)
Subfamily:	Agonoxeninae (disputed)
Genus:	Asymphorodes Meyrick, 1929
Type species
Asymphorodes valligera Meyrick, 1929
Diversity
Some 80 species

Formerly, this genus was included in the cosmet moths (Cosmopterigidae). They are found in southern Polynesia as well as the Hawaiian and the Solomon Islands, and are notable for their adaptive radiation on the Marquesas Islands.[1]

Description

These small moths come in a diverse range of more or less subdued colors and in their natural range can usually be distinguished by their wing venation: In the forewings, vein 1b is forked and vein 1c missing; veins 2 and 3 neither run parallel nor approach at the end, and vein 5 does not emerge from a common stalk with veins 6-8. In addition, like in some related moths the scape is short and bears a comb.[1]

The male genitals are generally similar to those of cosmet moths, but this may be a symplesiomorphy. The vinculum is variously developed and the valvae thus attach variously far from the tegumen, though often quite closely. The gnathos is typically two-armed, but one of the arms may be underdeveloped or even missing altogether. The right manica is vestigial or missing, while the left one is set tightly against the aedeagus. Most characteristically though, the eighth sternal and fourth to seventh abdominal segments are modified, the former forming epitygmata ("genital flaps"). Like in some related moths, the males also have a tuft of hairs on the hindwing underside, which can be folded into a pocket in the wing cell. The uncus (in males) and signum (in females) are usually absent. As regards other features of the female genitals, the ovipositor is long while the ostium is usually well sclerotized and protrudes, but may be recessed into a deep pit in the seventh sternal segment.

Species

Species of Asymphorodes include:[1]

Asymphorodes acerba Meyrick, 1929 Asymphorodes acritopterus J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes acrophrictis Meyrick, 1934 Asymphorodes admirandus Meyrick, 1934 Asymphorodes adynatus J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes aenigma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes albicoma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes amblysoma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes aporema J.F.G. Clarke, 1987 Asymphorodes aporia J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes astathopis (Meyrick, 1934) (formerly in Limnaecia) Asymphorodes balanotis Meyrick, 1934 Asymphorodes bipunctatus J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes brevimacula J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes canicoma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes chalcocoma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes chalcopterus J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes chalcosoma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes chalcozona Asymphorodes chrysophanes J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes cicatricula J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes circopis Meyrick, 1929 Asymphorodes cirsodes Meyrick, 1929 Asymphorodes coesyrias Meyrick, 1929 Asymphorodes culminis J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes cuneatus J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes diamphidius J.F.G. Clarke, 1986

Asymphorodes didyma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes diffidentia J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes dimorpha (formerly in Hyposmocoma) Asymphorodes emphereia J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes ergodes Meyrick, 1934 Asymphorodes favilla J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes flexa (Meyrick, 1921) Asymphorodes fractura J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes hemileucus J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes holoporphyra Meyrick, 1934 Asymphorodes homosoma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes honoria J.F.G.Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes hypostema J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes interstincta Meyrick, 1929 (may include A. poliopterus) Asymphorodes lenticula J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes leptotes J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes leucoloma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes leucoterma Meyrick, 1929 Asymphorodes lucerna J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes lucidus J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes macrogramma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes mediostriatus J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes melanosoma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes mesoxanthus J.F.G.Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes monoxesta Asymphorodes montgomeryi J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes myronotus Meyrick, 1929 Asymphorodes nebrias J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes nephocirca Meyrick, 1929

Asymphorodes nigricornis J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes nuciferae J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes ochrogramma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes oculisignis Meyrick, 1934 Asymphorodes paraporia J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes phaeochorda Meyrick, 1929 Asymphorodes phaeodelta J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes phalarogramma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes plectographa Meyrick, 1929 Asymphorodes plemmelia J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes poliopterus J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 (may belong in A. interstincta) Asymphorodes pollutus Meyrick, 1929 Asymphorodes porphyrarcha Meyrick, 1929 (= A. xestophanes) Asymphorodes regina J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes remigiata J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes semileuteus J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes seminiger J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes sericeus J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes sphenocopa Meyrick, 1929 Asymphorodes spintheropus (Meyrick, 1934) (formerly in Stagmatophora) Asymphorodes spodogramma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes triaula (formerly in Hyposmocoma) Asymphorodes trichogramma J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes trigrapha J.F.G. Clarke, 1986 Asymphorodes valligera Meyrick, 1929 (= A. ingravescens) Asymphorodes xanthostola Meyrick, 1934

Footnotes

1. Clarke (1986)

References

• Clarke, John Frederick Gates (1986): Pyralidae and Microlepidoptera of the Marquesas Archipelago. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 416: 1-485. PDF fulltext (214 MB!)