Prophylactis molloyax Hilton, Young & Kallies, 2025

5.4.1.4. Prophylactis molloyax Hilton, Young & Kallies sp. nov.

Figures 7 H View Figure 7 , 8 G, H View Figure 8 , 12 D View Figure 12 , 13 A View Figure 13 , 14 D, S 1 D, S 2 E View Figure 14

Description.

Metallic beige-gold heliozelids (Fig. 8 G, H View Figure 8 ). Wingspan of 6.5-8.5 mm (7.5 ± 0.7 mm, n = 10) in females and 7-7.5 mm (n = 2) in males. — Head: Beige with gold sheen. Eyes red. — Thorax: Beige-gold, metathorax darker, grey-brown in females, brown in males. — Forewings: Dorsal surface metallic beige-gold with silver sheen; ventral surface grey-brown. Males with a triangular patch of black androconial scales on the ventral side of the forewing, extending from just below the costa to Cu and from the base to nearly half length of the wing. — Hindwings: Dorsal surface grey-brown; ventral surface light grey-brown; males with an elliptical patch of similar black androconial scales present above the midline on the dorsal side of the hindwing, extending from just distal of the base to the basal 1 / 4, and anterior margin with a prominent straw-coloured androconial brush. — Abdomen: Brown dorsally, cream ventrally. In females, abdomen modified to form a V-shaped pollen-collecting structure (Figs 12 D View Figure 12 , S 1 D), approximately twice as long as wide; inner surface covered with spines and scales that project medially and anteriorly meeting at the midline and to which pollen attaches; central plate covered with striations and spines. — Female genitalia (Fig. 13 A View Figure 13 ). — Male genitalia (Fig. 14 D View Figure 14 ). Tegumen emarginate at the middle, with tiny, rounded uncus reaching to the posterior edge of the tegumen; gnathos strongly reduced to a narrow sclerotised band. Pectinifer about 1 / 3 of valva length, pecten covered with 17 long sensilla. Juxta elongate triangular, slender and sharp at the base. Phallus weakly tapered at the base. Phallus apex forming a well-sclerotised hook; phallocrypt with one sharp subapical spine pointing cephalad.

Diagnosis.

Female P. molloyax sp. nov. have a V-shaped scale-lined pollen-collecting structure that distinguishes it from all species except P. heterophyllax sp. nov. and P. clavatallax sp. nov. Males are easily distinguished from all other Prophylactis , including the non-pollinator group Prophylactis species also on found on B. molloyae J. Dumm. , by the presence of dark brown patches of androconial scales on the ventral side of the forewing and dorsal side of the hindwing. Prophylactis heterophyllax and P. molloyax occur sympatrically, and knowledge of hostplant or DNA barcoding can be used to distinguish females of these two species. Prophylactis clavatallax sp. nov. occurs further east, only near Bremer River and Cape Arid.

Etymology.

The species name is derived from its hostplant species name “ molloyae ” and the suffix “ - allax ”.

Distribution and Biology.

Prophylactis molloyax sp. nov. was found at several locations inland from Waroona in the west of its range to Mt Lindesay National Park in the east, Nannup in the north and to Walpole in the south (Fig. S 2 E). The moth is found on Boronia molloyae , which grows along streams between Gingin and Albany in south-western Australia ( Duretto et al. 2013). Prophylactis molloyax sp. nov. was observed wherever its hostplant is in flower between mid-October and early November. The turbinate flowers of B. molloyae are visited almost exclusively by P. molloyax sp. nov. and an undescribed non-pollinator group Prophylactis species, suggesting a probable obligate pollination relationship with the pollinator species.

Material examined.

All specimens were swept from Boronia molloyae . — Holotype ♀ ( MMP 005419 in molecular phylogeny, Fig. 8 H View Figure 8 ): “ 28 October 2014, - 33.80283 ° 115.72695 °, Hayley Formation Rd, 20 km N of Nannup , WA, DA Young ” | “ On Boronia molloyae ” | “ Holotype ♀, Prophylactis molloyax sp. nov., Hilton et al. 2025 ” | “ MMP 005419 ” ( WAM) . — Paratypes (86 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂): - 33.80267 ° 115.72483 °, Cundunup Hill, Halley Formation Rd, 13 km N of Nannup, 08 / 11 / 2013, DA Young (11 ♀♀): - 34.97460 ° 116.72712 °, Bibbulmun Track, Walpole, 16 / 10 / 2014, DA Young (16 ♀♀); same data as holotype (15 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂, MMP 005420 in molecular phylogeny, genitalia slide AK 900); Federal Gully, 16 km E of Waroona, 31 / 10 / 2014, DA Young (14 ♀♀, 1 ♂); - 32.93778 ° 116.03913 °, Willowdale, 14 km E of Yarloop, 31 / 10 / 2014 DA Young (10 ♀♀); - 32.99080 ° 116.09185 °, Tallanalla, 22 km E of Harvey, 31 / 10 / 2014, DA Young (19 ♀♀, MMP 005421 in molecular phylogeny, genitalia slide AK 901); - 32.98250 ° 116.07417 °, Nanga Swamp, Lane Pool Reserve, 4 / 11 / 2019, M Health & DA Young (1 ♂); same data except 2 / 11 / 2019, DJ Hilton & DA Young (1 ♀).