Austropsyche Banks

(Figs 49–101)

Austropsyche Banks 1939, 496. Type species Austropsyche victoriana Banks 1939, by monotypy.

Diagnosis. Austropsyche is distinguished from Diplectrona and Arcyphysa gen. nov. mainly by the mesal processes on the coxopodites. As on the head of Diplectrona, the anterolateral warts, if divided at all, are divided by only a poorly defined suture; in Austropsyche the posterior portion is usually more or less fragmented. The forewings (Figs 49, 50, 76–79) resemble those of Diplectrona and Arcyphysa in each having cell ac lanceolate and hind wings each with Sc and R1 curved towards the leading margin, but only slightly; the median cell length is equal to or about 2/3 that of the discoidal cell. In male genitalia, Austropsyche, in common with Diplectrona, may have sclerotised spines associated with the phallus; these are absent in Arcyphysa .

Description. Head (Figs 70–75) dorsally with 5 setal warts, anterolateral pair often incompletely divided, posterior part fragmented or at least irregular in appearance. Antennae with median suture on segments (Fig. 80). Maxillary palpi (Figs 51, 81) with segment 5 very long, equal to length of rest of palp, segment 3 about twice length of 4, but scarcely longer than 2, segments 2, 3 and 4 flattened, expanded and rounded distally (Fig. 81). Forewing (Figs 49, 50, 76–79) fork 4 equal to 5, A1+2+3 curving proximally so cell ac is lanceolate, not parallelsided, discoidal cell length equal to or about 2/3 length of median cell; hind wing median cell open, subcosta and radius running parallel to near middle of discoidal cell where they are connected by short cross-vein, and then separating, radius bending behind, but not so much as in Diplectrona so as scarcely to approach discal cell and space not narrowed, costal area rather broader than in allied genera, not narrowed near middle, and with an oblique costal cross-vein before middle. Abdomen with lateral filaments (Fig. 83) on segment V about length of segment or 0.75x length; paired reticulate-walled internal sacs (Fig. 82) within abdominal segments VI and VII generally 1.5– 2x length of segments. Male genitalia characterised by mesal process on coxopodite of gonopods (e.g., Figs 52–53, 59–60, 62, 66, 68–69).

Remarks. In their unpublished MS redescribing Banks’ types, Ross and Morse (personal communication 1975) commented on the ‘unusual extensile slender apical portion’ of the phallus of Austropsyche victoriana, on how in this respect Austropsyche differs from any other Diplectroninae genera. This structure is apparent in some of the museum specimens of Au. victoriana, but not in all, and is not seen in any other species in the genus; possibly it depends on state at time of preservation, or method of preservation. On the basis of other character states, two distinct groups are recognised, referred to here as the Au. victoriana Group, including Au. victoriana, Au. bifurcata (Kimmins, in Mosely & Kimmins 1953), and Au. kaputar sp. nov.; and the Au. acuta Group, comprising Au. acuta sp. nov. and Au. ambigua sp. nov. Placement of a 6th species, Au. morana sp. nov., is enigmatic; it appears to combine some male genitalic features of both groups, but in other features is highly autapomorphic.

Distribution. Found from the Grampians of south-western Victoria to south-eastern Queensland; no species of Austropsyche is known to occur in Tasmania.