Description of the male of the endemic New Caledonian species<i>Aenetus cohici</i>(Lepidoptera: Hepialidae)

Aspects of larval feeding and tunnelling were described for seven species of the woodboring genus Aenetus. The species were studied in Australia, New Caledonia, and New Zealand. A sequential pattern oflarval feeding involving transfer from a fungal based diet to callus tissue in live trees, previously known for A. virescens, was confirmed for A. cohici and inferred for A. dubs and A. paradiseus. A specialised "transfer" morph linking the two feeding stages in A. virescens was also confirmed for A. cohici and two unidentified species. The wood-boring habit involved entry into the host above ground level and the construction of a tunnel which extends into and then down the stem. Tunnels were often located on the lower surface of leaning branches or stems. Tunnel entrances were open to the host surface, but overlain by a silk-/frass web. Bark and underlying tissue were removed from around the tunnel entrance and a callus growth resulted, which the larva consumed. The evolutionary history of arboreal tunnelling in the Hepialidae was investigated using biogeographic analysis ofgeneric distribution. It is argued that evolution and variation in arboreal tunnelling resulted from specialised recombinations of generalised ancestral characters. It is suggested that the study of arboreal tunnelling can provide a source of useful characters for systematic analysis of phylogenetic relationships within Aenetus. The potential systematic value of tunnel characters is illustrated for A. virescens.

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Description of the male of the endemic New Caledonian speciesAenetus cohici(Lepidoptera: Hepialidae)

Abstract: Some external features and the genitalia of the male of Aenetus cohici (Viette) are described and figured. The male genitalia of A. cahici are compared with those of some other Aenetus species.

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References 5 publications

Ghost-moths of the world: a global inventory and bibliography of the Exoporia (Mnesarchaeoidea and Hepialoidea) (Lepidoptera)

Ghost-moths of the world: a global inventory and bibliography of the Exoporia (Mnesarchaeoidea and Hepialoidea) (Lepidoptera)

Life cycle of the wood-borerAenetus virescens(Lepidoptera: Hepialidae)

Evolution of arboreal tunnelling by larvae ofAenetus(Lepidoptera: Hepialidae)

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