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This tribe is typified by the genus Lomographa Hübner, with
numerous Holarctic species and a few tropical ones. A number of S.E. Asian
genera may be referable to the tribe but morphological evidence to support this
is at best weak. This problem is also encountered in the New World (Rindge,
1979) and is paralleled by the situation in the Caberini (see
Caberini).
However, there is a major assemblage of Indo-Australian tropical genera
that can be defined on a number of apomorphic features, so this will be
discussed first. Then the affinities of Lomographa to it and other genera
tentatively included in Baptini here will be assessed.
The features of this group are found particularly on the valve of the
male genitalia: a broad, immaculate costal zone, often with a marginal process
or angle; a central zone of long setae that become denser and often longer
towards the apex of the valve and towards the ventral margin of the valve; this
ventral margin is, however, much less setose, and extends convexly round the
apex of the valve following the central zone of long setae that also curves;
between the setose zone and the ventral zone a row of (or just a few) peg-like,
short, broad setae is often found.
The setation pattern of the valve bears some similarity to that of the see Ourapterygini, but this group differs in having a strong gnathus.
It is weak or absent in the genera suggested here to be Baptini. Other features
held in common with the Ourapterygini include: lack of a fovea in the male
forewing (except in Borbacha Moore;
); presence of socii in the
male genitalia (many, but not all genera). A transverse comb of setae on the
male third sternite is present in Ourapterygini but absent in Baptini.
Coremata are present at the base of the valve in many genera. The male
antennae range from strongly bipectinate to ciliate or prismatic. Prismatic, or
finely ciliate antennae are characteristic of most Lithinini, and are seen in Lomographa
(Holloway, 1987) and some other genera of the Baptini as treated here.
The majority of genera included in Baptini here accord with these
general features. Lomographa itself shows the valve setation feature to a
moderate degree in the type species, the European bimaculata Fabricius,
and this species also has general spining rather than a signum in the bursa
copulatrix, a feature seen in some, but not all Bornean species currently in the
genus. Therefore, in the pages following, Lomographa will be treated
first, followed by Tasta Walker and then the Indo-Australian generic
assemblage strongly defined by presence of an angled or irregular valve costa
and/or peg-like setae at the ventral border of the general setal field: Hypulia
Swinhoe, Rhynchobapta Hampson, Nothomiza Warren, Yashmakia Warren,
Parasynegia Warren, Synegia Guenée, Platycerota Hampson, Eurychoria
Prout and possibly Bulonga Walker, Curbia Warren and Eurytaphria
Warren.
The final genus referred to Baptini here, somewhat tentatively, is Borbacha.
Reasons for its inclusion will be given in the generic description.
The Neotropical Palyadini (Warren, 1894; Hulst, 1896) have elongate
valves in the male genitalia as in Synegia and allies above, and the
setation is also comparable, angular processes from the valve costa and larger
peg-like setae have not been observed. The socii are often strongly developed,
rigid, digitate structures. Hulst noted the absence of a frenulum in the two
genera he included: Palyas Guenée and Phrygionis Hübner the
latter revised by Scoble (in press). This absence is correlated with expansion
of the humeral lobe of the hindwing which is angular, almost falcate. Other
genera attributable to the Palyadini on this feature will be listed by Dr Scoble
in a forthcoming publication.
The representation of the Synegia group in the Neotropics is
unclear, but the genus Hypoplectis Hübner probably belongs to it (see
Scardamiini).
Lomographa species feed as larvae most frequently, but not exclusively, on the
family Rosaceae. There are some weak indications of a preference for
Aquifoliaceae in the major group of genera treated here. The records of species
in the major group show some preference for forests on wet or acid soils in the
lowlands, or montane forests. The tree genus Ilex (Aquifoliaceae) also
shows preference for such habitats in Malaysia (Corner, 1988).
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