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This tribe is erected to embrace the complex of genera discussed by
Fletcher (1974) as relatives of Zamarada Moore. Fletcher grouped these
genera on the grounds of common possession of a long, slender process arising
from the base of the dorsal margin of the valve. They include mostly small
species, relatively brightly coloured, often with areas of the wings
translucent.
Fletcher stated a fovea to be present on the male forewing in some of
the genera. It is situated between the fold of vein CuP and the posterior vein
of the cell (CuA), but in the African genera Pycnostega Warren and Xenostega
Warren it occurs between the fold of CuP and the anal vein. In the
Palaearctic Stegania Guenée and the Oriental Hydatocapnia Warren
it is basal, marked by a ridge or weak flap along the fold of CuP, and is not
strongly carinate. In Peratophyga Warren it is subbasal, bounded most
strongly basally by a spur of sclerotisation from CuA that curves round to
continue as a slight thickening along CuP to contain an elongate, kidney-shaped
zone with numerous curved (concave distad) carinae (Fig 1); on the ridge of each
carina is a row of slight punctations. A similar fovea occurs in the Oriental
genera Ninodes Warren and Pristostegania Warren, though the
carinae are weaker in the former and not apparent in the latter. It is unclear
whether these three fovea types are homologous in more than their position
anterior to CuP. All other genera lack a fovea.
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In all genera the fore wing radial veins are reduced in number. A
putative American member of the tribe, Protitame McDunnough, was
indicated by Forbes (1948: fig. 5) to have lost R1, whereas he suggested
a similar reduction in Macariini occurred through fusion of R1 and R2. Reduction
of radial veins is also seen in most Eutoeini, though there are taxa in both
these other tribes with the full complement of five: Probithia and Calletaera
jotaria in Eutoeini; Hypephyra, and Iridoplecta in Macariini.
The genus Orthocabera Butler also has the full complement, but the dorsal
process of its divided valve suggests it may be best placed with the Cassymini.
The male antennae vary from bipectinate to ciliate. The male abdomen has
the transverse setal comb on the third sternite. The eighth segment is usually
unmodified (Cassyma Guenée, Syngonorthus Butler, Auzeodes Warren
and Danala Walker are exceptions). The genitalia usually have coremata at
the valve bases, but they vary from weak to very long, sometimes doubled. The
gnathus varies from weak. to strong, usually with an expanded zone distally. The
uncus is often rather broad, sometimes apically bifid in some sections of Peratophyga.
The dorsal process of the valve, long, slender, sinuous or angled,
usually with an apical spine, is, as Fletcher (1974) suggested, the most
definitive feature for the tribe. Some Macariini, such as the genus Semiothisa,
have a similarly narrow process, but this is probably a homoplasious
condition as the two tribes differ in, other important features: macariines
lack a corema on the valve; cassymines have normal chaetosemata and lack
horn-like setae from the uncus. Foveal structure in the two groups is also
different.
The ornamentation of the aedeagus vesica is various, from scobination
only to possession of one or a few massive cornuti.
No definitive features have been located in the female genitalia. The
signum is mushroom-like, stellate in shape, with further spines on the ‘cap’
of the mushroom in some genera. In others it is strongly modified.
Characters indicative of groupings of genera within the tribe are few: a
double corema is seen in Auzeodes, Danala and Syngonorthus; these
three genera also share an unusual type of signum; a massive furca-like
structure is present in Cassyma, Syngonorthus, and Heterostegane Hampson;
filiform, ciliate male antennae are common to all the genera just listed but
infrequent elsewhere in the tribe, and the dorsal process of the valve is
separated from the basal part and appears to articulate with the tegumen and
gnathus in all except Heterostegane.
The tribe is most diverse in the Oriental tropics. There are a few
African genera, mentioned above, and Zamarada shows very high diversity
in Africa (Fletcher, 1974). New World genera referred to Abraxini by Forbes
(1948), such as Heliomata Grote & Robinson, Protitame and four
genera of white species marked with dark grey (Ballantiophora Butler, Berberodes
Guenée, Gyostega Warren and Leuciris Warren), may also be
better placed in Cassymini (See
Scardamiini). The Palaearctic genus Lomaspilis
Hübner should also be included (D. Stuning, pers. comm.).
There are few biological data. These will be noted for individual
genera.
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