|
Plecoptera Guenée
Type
species: reflexa Guenée,
India.
Synonyms:
Biregula
Saalmüller
(type species recens Saalmüller, Madagascar); Carteia
Walker
(type species nebulilinea Walker, Borneo); Plecopteroides Strand
(type species chalciope Strand, [Zaïre] Congo).
This
genus is tentatively associated with the Anobini, though it lacks some of the
features used to define the tribe on p. 275 such as, on the forewing, irregular
markings and a tuft of scales on the dorsum. Many species are characterised by a
straight, transverse forewing postmedial, and sometimes a straight antemedial,
but not by irregular blocks of dark colour, though sometimes the reniform is
darkened or there are small dark triangles antemedially or postmedially on the
costa. The hindwings can have a diffusely darker border, often edged anteriorly
by a narrower dark fascia over the posterior half. The male antennae are
fasciculate, sometimes biserrate. The third segment of the labial palps is much
shorter than the second, a feature seen in the other Anobini genera.
The male
abdomen is of the framed corematous type, though the apodemes of the tergite are
straight and well separated. The male genitalia have uncus variability similar
to that in other Anobini, including species with a strong dorsal process (e.g. recta Pagenstecher). The juxta is also very variable in form, being an
inverted ‘V’ in recens but a broad, rugose, bi-umbonate, circular plate in recta.
The valves have the margins more heavily sclerotised than the centre, but not to
such an extent as in other genera, and there is often a process such as a
digitate spine at the distal end of the central lacuna. The aedeagus vesica is
broad, convolute, but cornuti are only sometimes present.
The
female genitalia have the seventh sternite reduced; the ostium is situated
usually between its apex, the corners of the tergite and the eighth segment, but
sometimes is more closely associated with the last. The ductus is usually short,
broad but the corpus bursae can have a long, sclerotised neck with fluting (e.g.
reflexa). In recta the
ductus is longer, broad, sclerotised, tapering to a narrow junction with the
corpus bursae, also partly sclerotised. The corpus bursae is variable in size
and shape, sometimes irregular, rarely ornamented.
Gardner
(1941, 1947) and Bell (MS) reared the larva of reflexa
in
India. It is cylindrical, with the prolegs on A3 absent and those on A4
rudimentary. The head is yellowish green with rather long setae. The body is
light green with three white lines on each side between the dorsum and the
spiracles, the ground between these lines marbled yellowish. There is a broad
yellow-green band through the spiracles, bounded below by a subspiracular white
line. Each spiracle has a purple blotch just above it on the supraspiracular
white line, and these blotches coalesce into a band in places. The ventral
surface is an unmarked darker green.
The eggs
are laid beneath leaves, many on the same plant, sometimes in batches. The
larvae lie fully stretched at all times. The larva usually descends to the
ground to pupate in a slight but well woven cell or cocoon, covered with
fragments of soil or detritus.
The
larva of recta was considered by Bell (MS) to resemble that of Crithote
(see
below and p. 279).
The host
plants recorded by Gardner and Bell were Dalbergia and
Pterocarpus
(Leguminosae);
Robinson et al. (2001) listed several records on these hosts, but
also noted grass (Gramineae) and Populus (Salicaceae),
both unusual for the genus. However, it is evident from the records in New
Guinea for P.
violacea Pagenstecher
(see below) that, whilst most feeding is on Leguminosae, hosts from other
families are exploited on rare occasions.
<<Back
>>Forward <<Return to Content Page
|
