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Catocala Schrank
Type
species: nupta Linnaeus, Europe.
Synonyms:
Alura
Möschler
(type species caupona Möschler = Catocala,
Felder & Rogenhofer, Africa); Andrewsia Grote (type species belfragiana
Harvey,
N. America); Astiotes Hübner (type species dilecta
Hübner,
Europe); Blepharidia
Hübner
(1822; type species fraxini Linnaeus, Europe); Blepharonia Hübner
(type species pellex Hübner, Europe); Catabapta Hulst
(type species antinympha Hübner, N. America); Corisce
Hübner
(type species amica Hübner, N. America); Ephesia Hübner
(type species paranympha Linnaeus, Europe); Eucora Hübner
(type species neonympha Esper, Russia); Eunetis Hübner
(type species amasia Esper, Italy & Turkey, = puerpera
Giorna);
Hemigeometra
Haworth
(type species fraxini); Lamprosia Hübner
(type species amatrix Hübner, N. America); Mormonia Hübner
(type species epiona Hübner, N. America); Ulotrichopus Wallengren
(type species tortuosus Wallengren, S. Africa).
Mitter
& Silverfine (1988) grouped Ulotrichopus as
a clade within Catocala and stated that they are ‘linked by a great many
characters of partially overlapping distribution’, though only two were
clearly indicated as fixed synapomorphies: a simple (rather than bifid or
appendiculate) pretarsal claw; unique fusion of the ventral, membranous part of
the apical part of the valve (the valvula) entirely covering the outer surface
of the costa which is arched, framing the valvula. The larvae may also provide a
further synapomorphy in the form of a lateral fringe of filaments, though larval
data for the Audea clade are limited. A similar feature is seen in Erygia
Guenée
(p. 130).
Species
are generally large, with cryptic, finely etched bark-like markings on the
forewings, but striking hindwing pattern consisting of broad black bands on
flash coloration of red, orange, yellow or even blue. In the Ulotrichopus
clade
the forewings tend to be narrower and the flash coloration more muted, yellow or
whitish. The male antennae are fasciculate.
The
general features of the male and female genitalia have been described in the
tribal description and above, and are those that also contribute to the grouping
of Ulotrichopus within Catocala in
the analysis of Mitter & Silverfine; some were used in the definition of Catocala
by
Fibiger (2003). The larvae are of the ophiusine type (see p. 22) with lateral
fringes, but only slight reduction of the abdominal prolegs. The pupae generally
have a bloom (p. 23).
Catocala
is
extremely diverse throughout the Holarctic, where the species show specialism
each to a limited number of broadleafed tree taxa from nine families. This
paradox of combination of monophagy or oligophagy within a diversity of host
families is currently under investigation (Mitter & Silverfine, 1988); they
noted that the terminal group of Ulotrichopus clade
included three species recorded from Acacia (Leguminosae). This clade is essentially
tropical.
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