J. F. GATES CLA, The Lepidoptera Rapa Island SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY • 1971 NUMBER 56 .-24 f O si % r 17401 •% -390O i 112100) 0 is -•^ i BLAKE*w 1PLATEALP I5 i I >k =(M&2l2Jo SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY NUMBER 56 j. F. Gates Clarke The Lepidoptera of Rapa Island SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS CITY OF WASHINGTON 1971 SERIAL PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION The emphasis upon publications as a means of diffusing knowledge was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. In his formal plan for the Insti- tution, Joseph Henry articulated a program that included the following statement: "It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge not strictly professional." 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UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PBINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1971 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price $4.75 Contents Page Introduction 1 The Island 5 Food Plants 11 The Fauna 12 Species Previously Recorded 12 Species Newly Recorded 13 Species and Subspecies Described as New 13 Endemicity 21 Acknowledgments 21 Disposition of Specimens 27 Systematic Arrangement 27 Family Nymphalidae 27 Family Sphingidae 27 Family Arctiidae 27 Family Noctuidae '. 28 Family Geometridae 52 Family Lathrotelidae 58 Family Pyralidae 61 Family Alucitidae % Family Tortricidae 99 Family Olethreutidae 124 Family Garposinidae 134 Family Gelechiidae 137 Family Cosmopterigidae 144 Family Momphidae 162 Family Glyphipterigidae 164 Family Yponomeutidae 167 Family Epermeniidae 174 Family Heliodinidae 176 Family Gracillariidae 182 Family Tineidae 188 Family Lyonetiidae 222 BibUography 228 Index 275 m ABSTRACT Clarke, J. F. Gates. The Lepidoptera of Rapa Island. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, number 56, 282 pages, 1971.—One hundred thirty species of Lepidoptera are recorded from Rapa Island, of which 77 were previously unreported. Of these, 47 species and 2 subspecies are described as new to science. The adults or genitalia, or both, of all species are figured. Hosts are recorded where known. J. F. Gates Clarke The Lepidoptera of Rapa Island Introduction doptera. Available names have been used, although it is well known that revisionary studies will lead to The first lepidopteron known from Rapa is a specimen changes in the names of some species. of Anatrachyntis incertulalla (Walker), now in the Comparatively few species from Rapa have been British Museum, collected 18 April 1883 by J. J. figured (Poulton and Riley, 1928; Collenette, 1928; Walker and previously recorded in the literature by Clarke, 1958). In most cases only the adult or the Walsingham (1907, p. 515) as Stagmatophora genitalia of one sex, or none at all, have been illustrated. {Proterocosma) tridigitella. It was not until 1925, Even in this work one or the other sex for a few species when members of the British Saint George Expedition has not been figured because of the lack of examples. made collections on this island, that any considerable For the male genitalia of the Cosmopterigidae one knowledge of the fauna was acquired. As a result of new term is proposed. The structure in question occurs this expedition 53 species of Lepidoptera were recorded in the articulation between the anellus and harpe, and in the literature. In July of 1934 the Mangarevan Ex- may be paired or single. It is not clear whether the pedition, from the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Hono- structure is part of the anellus or a basal projection of lulu, Hawaii, visited the island but there is no published the harpe, but when the parts are disarticulated it record of Lepidoptera collected on Rapa at that time. sometimes remains attached to the anellus and other In 1963 from 6 September to 15 December, my wife times to the harpe (Figures 122, 124). It is generally and I made collections on Rapa, facilitated by a grant- digitate or may be modified in several ways. For this in-aid from the United States Office of Naval Research. structure I propose the name prospicuus. This project has been further aided by Smithsonian The color descriptions are based on Ridgway, 1912, Research Foundation Grant SG 0636056, and the re- Color Standards and Color Nomenclature. Obviously, sults of our expedition are recorded in the following all colors and hues are not represented in Ridgway, but pages. I have adhered as closely as possible to his standards. This paper is based on the study of 4,990 specimens, Where necessary I have endeavored to use a more de- exclusive of pertinent types. scriptive term. At the outset it was my intention to deal only with In this paper I am presenting, for the first time, maps the Microlepidoptera of Rapa, but in order to bring of the distribution of some of the genera and species together in one place a record of all species of Lepi- herein recorded. By no means should these maps be doptera that are presently known to occur on this is- considered as representing the total distribution of land, I have included the Macrolepidoptera. Aside these taxa, but rather a record of what collectors have from a few remarks, I have not attempted to expand found to date. When we consider the relatively few the information on the butterflies or larger moths but specimens that have been taken we must realize that have confined detailed treatment to the Microlepi- our knowledge of these animals is very imperfect in- deed. On the other hand, the distribution patterns of such species as Vanessa itea and of the genus Tanaoc- /. F. Gates Clarke, Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, tena present a very clear picture of the area presently Washington, D.C. 20560. occupied by them. Moreover, the distribution maps of 1 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY FIGURE 1.—Rapa Island showing collecting localities. Praeacedes thecophora and Decadarchis flavistriata, to level 12,000 feet in a few effortless paragraphs. There name but two, demonstrate with what great facility is no geological evidence to support Meyrick's conten- some species and genera may be dispersed over the tion that a land mass of 400 miles in length existed in world. Of the 7,000 islands in the Pacific and those in the vicinity of Rapa, but it is interesting to note the the Indo-Australian region we know comparatively conviction with which his proposal was made (1926, little, and our meager knowledge of these vast areas can p. 271): only give us a very slight indication of what will even- tually be discovered, what relationships really exist, and I am satisfied that the extent and character of this endemic fauna postulates former conditions very different from those what the widely scattered points of origin of the Pacific now existing, .... A rise of 12,000 feet in the sea bottom Fauna really are. of the South Pacific is required to show these results, but I The distribution maps are based on specimens in the entertain no doubt that such an elevation must have existed British Museum (Natural History), the Rijksmuseum since the Eocene period, because it is absolutely the only ex- van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden, and the Smithsonian planation possible. Such a rise would . convert Rapa into an elongate island some 400 miles in length .... Institution. The peculiarities of the microlepidopterous fauna, Meyrick further states (1929, 490): revealed by the specimens collected by members of the Its continued existence as a denned and isolated unit over Saint George Expedition (1924-1925), induced Mey- a considerable period of time entitles it to a name for purposes rick to postulate his theory of the existence of of discussion and if it has not previously obtained this recogni- "Palaeonesia," in which he lowers and raises the sea tion, I suggest that of Palaeonesia. NUMBER 5 6 FIGURES 2, 3.—2, Embarkation from Papeete, Tahiti, 1 September 1963, on "Manureva." Thelma Clarke seated; Mr. Gaston Allain, Administrator, Tubuai (Austral) Islands, on gangplank. 3, Rugged southwest coast of Rapa. SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY FIGURES 4, Haurei Bay and harbor entrance from slope of Perau. Village of Haurei at upper right. 5, Village of Haurei from Point Teakauraee. NUMBER 5 6 Despite Meyrick's apparent error with regard to the view of recent discoveries, it seems that the most logical existence of "Palaeonesia" it was his fascinating theory means of dispersal is through wind currents over long that stimulated us to undertake our own expedition to periods of time. The chance arrival, however remote, the island.