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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.

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.

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.

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:

• 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 Archived 2012-03-27 at the Wayback Machine (214 MB!)

• Agonoxeninae
• Fauna of the Marquesas Islands
• Moth genera