A new species of flightless, jumping, alpine moth of the genus Thyrocopa from Hawaii (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae: Xyloryctinae)

Abstract

A new species of brachypterous, flightless, jumping alpine Thyrocopa moth, T. kikaelekea, is described from Hawaii Island. This new species is similar to T. apatela (Walsingham), another flightless species from Maui Island. Thyrocopa kikaelekea is hypothesized not to be the sister taxon to T. apatela, instead representing an independent loss of flight. Copyright © 2008 Magnolia Press.