51. Megalorhipida leucodactylus (Fabricius, 1794) (Plate 3, Fig. 12)

Pterophorus leucodactylus Fabricius, 1794; Entomologia systematica emendata et aucta, 3: 346.

Pterophorus defectalis Walker, 1864; List of specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum, 30: 943.

Pterophorus congrualis Walker, 1864; List of specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum, 30: 943.

Pterophorus oxydactylus Walker, 1864; List of specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum, 30: 944.

Aciptilia hawaiiensis Butler, 1881; Annals and Magazine of natural Hist ory, 7: 408.

Trichoptilus ochrodactylus Fish, 1881; Canadian Entomologist, 13: 142.

Trichoptilus centetes Meyrick, 1886; Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 1886: 16.

Trichoptilus compsochares Meyrick, 1886; Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 1886: 16.

Trichoptilus adelphodes Meyrick, 1887; Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 1887: 266.

Trichoptilus ralumensis Pagenstecher, 1900; Zoologica, 29: 239.

Trichoptilis derelictus Meyrick, 1926; Transactions of the Entomological Society London, 74: 276.

Megalorhipida palaestinensis Amsel, 1935; Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin, 20: 293.

TL: Virgin Islands.

Distribution: India (Bihar, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu), Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Brazil, Cameroon, Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Galapagos Islands, Gambia, Gilbert Islands, Guadeloupe, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Maldives, Malawi, Malaysia, Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, New Guinea, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Rep. South Africa, Reunion, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Thomas, St. Vincent, Surinam, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, U.S.A., Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wake Island, Yemen.

Host: Larvae feed on seeds of Boerhavia diffusa and B. repens (Nyctaginaceae) . Other recorded hostplants include Acacia neovernicosa ( C. vernicosa) ( Fabaceae), Boerhavia coccinea, B. erecta, B. chinensis, Commicarpus tuberosus, Okenia hypogaea . ( Nyctaginaceae), Amaranthus sp. ( Amaranthaceae), Mimosa tenuiflora (Fabaceae), Lagenaria siceraria (Cucurbitaceae), and Scaevola frutescens (Goodeniaceae) .

Illustrations: Wing venation, male and female genitalia (Gielis 1993: figs 85, 145, 208).