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Myrioblephara
Warren
Type species: rubrifusa Warren, N.E. Himalaya.
Synonym: Prorhinia Warren (type species pingasoides Warren
(N.E. Himalaya) syn. n.
This and the next six genera are probably closely related, sharing a
number of morphological characters. Sato (1984a) included two of them in his Aethalura
McDunnough group. The genus-group names Necyopa Walker and Ectropidia
Warren have priority over Diplurodes Warren but taxa referable to
them have all been assigned to Diplurodes in the past (Holloway, 1976).
Holloway (1991) made a preliminary segregation of species between Diplurodes,
Ectropidia and Necyopa: in the treatment here these are restored as
full genera. Three new genera are described to embrace species excluded by the
stricter definition of Diplurodes, and a further one for a species
misplaced in Ectropis Hübner.
In all except Necyopa (where they are bipectinate) the male
antennae are fasciculate. In most genera there are pairs of intersegmental
coremata on the male abdomen, unusual in the Boanniini. The signum in the female
genitalia, when present, is a transverse flange with a smoothly curved margin.
The ovipositor is elongate, extensile in some species but not to the extent seen
in Ectropis Hübner or Cleora Curtis. In the male, abdominal
sternite 3 lacks a setal comb, and the forewing is without a fovea in Diplurodes,
Ectropidia and two of the new genera.
In Myrioblephara the male coremata tend to be reduced to a pair
between segments 6 and 7, though the type species has rudimentary ones between 7
and 8; the type species of Prorhinia has weak pairs in both positions. In
the male genitalia the uncus is short, broad, often bifid. The gnathus is
strong. The juxta is usually an elongate, straplike sclerotisation. The valve
costa is either broad, uniformly and strongly setose, apically protrusive (both
generic type species) or shortened and somewhat separated as a distinct arm (two
of the new Bornean species). The sacculus usually bears a rod-like process,
apically setose and directed towards the apex of the valve: from the base of
this a narrow band of sclerotisation runs across the valve to near the base of
the costa.
These genitalic structures show diverse modification amongst the
species, and the definition and extent of the genus needs further study. A swarm
of species in New Guinea (e.g. M. flexilinea Warren, M. mollis Warren,
M. muscosa Warren, M. subtrita Warren) lacks coremata in the male
abdomen and has genitalia that do not conform very closely to the definition
above. In facies they are similar to the two commoner Bornean species. Sato
(1993) transferred a number of Himalayan species to Myrioblephara.
Sato (1984a) noted that the larva of a Japanese species had setae D1 on
A2-5 and A8 raised basally, creating small dorsolateral angles to the
outline. The colour is an irregularly mottled and banded ligneous brown (Sugi,
1987). The host-plant was Quercus (Fagaceae).
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