Morphology and reclassification of the Australasian, Melanesian and Polynesian Glaucocharis Meyrick (Lepidoptera : Crambinae : Diptychophorini)

Abstract

The unique holotype of Glaucocharis stella Meyrick, 1938 of New Zealand (BMNH coll.) is neither a member ofthe Pyraustidae as described by Meyrick, nor a scopariine as indicated by Hudson (1939). It is a diptychophorine crambid congeneric with Pareromene Osthelder, 1941. Although the latter name has been widely used for this extensively distributed genus since 1965, the Rules of Priority dictate that Glaucocharis must (unfortunately) take precedence over Pareromene. The present work deals with the species of Glaucocharis in Australasia, Melanesia and Polynesia. All published species of Pareromene from this region are transferred to Glaucocharis (57 new combinations) and three new synonymies are made: gurri Gaskin, 1971 (= stella Meyrick, 1938), diargema (Turner, 1905) [= alypophanes (Turner, 1904)], and leucogramma (Turner, 19 13) [= torva (Lucas, 1898)l. Sixteen new species are described: Glaucocharis pauli (Dauan I., N. Queensland); margretella (Riau Archipelago); brandti, classeyi, comparella, ediella, hagenella, neotafanella, papuanensis, rossi, rothschildi, and tafanella (Papua New Guinea and adjacent islands such as Woodlark, New Ireland and New Britain); and clandestina, fehrei, fijzensis, and robinsoni (Fiji Is). Tribe Diptychophorini Gaskin, 1971 is redefined on the basis of new findings and nomenclatural changes. The morphologies of male and female genitalia are described and discussed, since they are largely used as the basis for the generic distinctions and species group divisions within Glaucocharis. The genus Glaucocharis is redescribed, and the major characters distinguishing it from other genera in the tribe are given. The zoogeography of Glaucocharis within the region is described briefly, but a detailed analysis of distributions in all regions will be given elsewhere.