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Euplexidia
Hampson
Type species. noctuiformis
Hampson, N.E. Himalaya.
This genus contains
a number of species with the Phlogophora/Euplexia type of forewing
facies, in this case often developed to form a pale 'Y' in the medial zone of the
forewing.
The genus was
redefined and reviewed by Yoshimoto (1987b). The basal trifine hair pencils are
present and the basal sternite is typical of the 'higher trifines'. A definitive
feature of the male genitalia is a dorsally directed costal process on the
valve. The corona is absent, and the harpe is reduced or absent. The aedeagus
vesica is moderately long, simple, scobinate. The apex of the valve is bifid or
spurred in a number of species.
In the female
genitalia the ductus bursae is well sclerotised, the ventral margin of the
ostium plate-like, often bilobed. There is a small appendix bursae; the bursa
lacks signa but is generally scobinate.
The genus is most
diverse in the Himalayan region and in Taiwan, but there are endemic species,
morphologically distinctive, in Sumatra and Borneo.
The genus may be
allied to Tracheoides Prout, which contains two species, T. tamsi
Prout (Buru, Sulawesi) and an undescribed taxon from Sulawesi (slide 13967).
These have a similar 'Y' shaped development of the reniform and orbicular but
have forewings a more intense green and hindwings with a bright yellow ground
colour. The male genitalia also show loss of harpe and corona; the undescribed
species has a weak costal process and an apical spur to the valve. But there are
also distinctive modifications: the peniculus of the undescribed species has
narrow external processes; tamsi has a subapical ventral spur to the
valve, and there is a globular structure on the tegumen just anterior to the
uncus. The aedeagus vesica of both is much as in Euplexidia, and trifine
hair pencils are present. Both species are montane.
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