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This tribe, together with the Perizomini and Operophterini, has an
unusual set of structures in the male genitalia (Pierce, 1914) where a process
from the base of the valve costa anterior to the transtilla forms a prominent
arm dorsally and a ventral arm that extends down towards the juxta, impinging on
a central constriction of it, the juxta virtually having an hour-glass or
flask-like shape.
The dorsal arms, or labides, remain independent or usually only
partially united in the Eupitheciini, but are fully united in the other two
tribes. Pomasia Guenée is exceptional in the Eupitheciini in having the
labides fused into a slender spine in most of the species.
The uncus tends to be small or absent in the Eupitheciini but strong in
the other two tribes. The subscaphium is well developed, with lateral zones of
small spines or scobination (the falces of Vojnits 1987a, b) in all three
tribes, but perhaps particularly so in the Eupitheciini.
Coremata are usually present between the valves and the eighth segment,
their position variable. Occasionally there are further pairs more anteriorly on
the abdomen. Coremata are not recorded in the Perizomini and Operophterini
(Pierce, 1914). The eighth sternite is characterised by presence of a pair of
longitudinal rods, usually free at the apex, termed octavals by Pierce. Similar
structures are present in the Operophterini on at least the distal margin of the
segment. In many eupitheciine genera the apodemes of the second tergite are
enlarged, sometimes considerably elongated, in both sexes.
In the female genitalia the bursa usually contains general spining,
rarely a definite signum. In the other two tribes there are one or two definite
signa.
The tribe Asthenini may also be related, though the structures Pierce
(1914) refers to as labides are not entirely similar to those of the tribes just
discussed, particularly with regard to the interaction of a ventral arm with the
juxta. The uncus is entirely lost. Genera from Poecilasthena Warren
onwards in the treatment following, could be placed in Asthenini (e.g. as by
Nielsen, Edwards & Rangsi (1996)) but these lack the definitive feature for
the tribe given by Pierce (1914): a strong process from the valve sacculus. Such
processes are, however, seen in some segregates of Chloroclystis auctorum such
as Axinoptera Hampson and Bosara Walker.
A number of other tribes recognised by Pierce are stated by him to
possess labides. These are homologous features may represent a synapomorphy to
unite a large number of mainly Holarctic tribes together, possibly in a
sister-relationship to the Trichopterygini as discussed earlier on Trichopterygini.
Vojnits (1987a, b) proffered a rather narrow concept of the tribe
Eupitheciini. This was criticised by Mironov (1990) who referred back to the
comments of Pierce on the characters, particularly of the subscaphium on the
anal tube, discussed by Vojnits, and noted that they were distributed more
widely in the Larentiinae as discussed earlier in this section. Nevertheless
Mironov still proposed a distinct subtribe Chloroclystina on the basis of
anastomosis or fusion of veins Sc and R1 in the forewing, these being free in
Eupitheciina. Division of Eupitheciini on this basis is probably premature: a
more intensive morphological survey of the whole tribe is required to justify
such a division.
The larvae of many of the genera are flower-feeding, and some are
predatory as discussed on Larentiinae.
Patocka (1981) noted characters of the pupa shared by Asthenini,
Eupitheciini, Operophterini and Perizomini, supporting the relationship of these
tribes suggested by adult characters. Both Operophterini and Asthenini are older
names than Eupitheciini.
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