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Thalatha
Walker
Type species: sinens Walker.
This
genus has been applied to a number of Indo-Australian tropical species but is
probably best restricted to the type species and perhaps the Japanese T.
japonica Sugi. Holloway (1979: 422) discussed several of the Australasian
taxa with reference to Molvena Walker. The taxa dinawa Bethune-Baker
(New Guinea), ekeikei Bethune-Baker (New Guinea), kebeae Bethune-Baker
(New Guinea), psorallina Lower (Queensland) and an undescribed species
from Seram form a natural group distinct from Thalatha having, in the
male genitalia, very broad valves with a strong sacculus and harpe, extensive
long setae externally on the valve, a strong, horseshoe- shaped juxta and a
small, globular aedeagus vesica with a row of moderate slender cornuti. Two
further species are separated in a new genus below.
All
Thalatha in the old sense have convergent apodemes on the basal sternite
of the abdomen and lateral rods to sternite 8. In T. sinens there is no
corema basally on male sternite 8. The male valve has a strong harpe set on a
base beyond the centre of the valve somewhat distinct from the rest of the
sacculus. The harpe extends almost to the apex of the valve. The sacculus has a
row of long bristles in the centre of the basal half of its dorsal margin. The
aedeagus vesica is long, curved, tapering from a sharp, finely scobinate basal
expansion, with a zone of coarser scobination at the distal end of the taper. In
the female genitalia the bursa is pyriform on a slender ductus that is deeply
notched and finely setose at the ostium; lateral to the ostium are broad patches
of longer setae with heavily sclerotised bases.
The
forewing facies of sinens has diagnostic features as noted below.
The
larva is described below. Both this and the next genus have, in common with Craniophora,
Oleaceae as recorded host-plants.
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