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Ectropis Hübner
Type species: crepuscularia Denis & Schiffermüller,
Palaearctic.
Synonyms: Boarmia Stephens (type species crepuscularia;
praeocc. Boarmia Treitschke); Tephrosia Boisduval (type species crepuscularia;
Coenobita Gistl proposed as unnecessary replacement name).
Recent publications by Sato (e.g. 1980, 1984a, 1986, 1992) have
established a strict definition of this genus and some new synonymies for
Indo-Australian species.
The facies is distinctive, with multiple oblique, rather fine, dark
fasciae on a pale ground, fawn, pale yellow or white. The fasciae are mostly
strongly crenulate or, nearer the margin, interrupted at the veins. The inner
component of the double postmedials is darker and more prominently dentate where
it interacts with veins M3 and CuA1 on both wings, and the forewing submarginal
tends to be distinctly darker just anterior to M3, on either side of M2. Females
are larger, more suffused with dark scales, and with the fasciation tending to
be less broken. The male antennae are fasciculate, with prominent tufts of
ciliae. A fovea is present but small. Most species have a setal comb on the
third sternite.
The male genitalia have the uncus simple, triangular to finely tapering,
the gnathus vestigial. The valve is simple, narrow, tapering, the cucullus only
weakly developed; long, hairlike setae are present at the base of both interior
and exterior of the valve. The juxta is constricted over the central part of its
length, extending distally into a sclerotised, scobinate annellar ring. The
aedeagus vesica is tubular, partially finely scobinate, in some species with a
sclerotised spine or lobe developed from near the base.
The female genitalia have the ovipositor lobes and apophyses very
elongate and telescopic as in Cleora Curtis. The anterior apophyses also
tend to be elongated. The ductus is short, the distal part of the bursa ovate,
with a large, dentate mushroom-like signum, the spines on the margin elongate.
Sato (1979, 1984a) noted diagnostic setal features of larva and pupa.
The host-plant range of many species is extensive (see E. bhurmitra below).
The genus is widespread in northern temperate
latitudes but also moderately diverse in the Indo-Australian tropics. The taxa
are mostly montane apart from bhurmitra
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