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Ophisma Guenée
Type
species: gravata Guenée.
This
genus contains two widespread Indo-Australian species of similar facies unequal
size that both occur in Borneo. The facies of both is described below, as is the
biology of the type species. The genus currently (Poole, 1989) also contains a
diverse array of African and Neotropical species and is in need of revision.
Holloway
& Miller (2003) suggested the genus may be related to the Achaea
/
Parallelia
complex
(see p. 53) as the male genitalia of the type species and pallescens
Walker
have costal and saccular processes to the valves as in that complex, and also a
large, single corema on the outside of the valve; the structure of the male
eighth abdominal sternite is also modified as in that complex, but only weakly
so. The uncus has a crest or (pallescens) a
superuncus, and the aedeagus and vesica are similar to those in Ophiusa,
but the tegumen lacks lateral processes (these occur in some members of the Achaea
/
Parallelia
complex),
and the genitalia as a whole show bilateral symmetry or only very slight
asymmetry (pallescens).
The
female genitalia of the type species are typically ophiusine, with the ostium
closely associated with a deeply bilobed antemarginal plate representing the
seventh sternite. The ductus is strongly curved, slender, slightly rugose
within, and the bursa is an irregular pyriform with a small patch of scobination
on one side.
The
biology of the type species is described below. The pupa has a powdery bloom.
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