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Lophothripa
Hampson
Type
species: vitea Swinhoe, India.
Synonym: Heteronota
Meyrick (type species
ochthias
Meyrick = vitea
Swinhoe, New Guinea).
This monobasic genus is tentatively transferred to the Ariolicini from the
Sarrothripini on the basis of characters of the male abdomen. The wing venation
is of the groundplan type, with M3 and CuA1 of the hindwing stalked. The
facies is not as colourful as in other members of the Ariolicini, as discussed
below. There are raised scales in the antemedial zone of the forewing, a
sarrothripine, rather than ariolicine feature.
The male abdomen has basal tymbal structures (Fig 363) of the elongate
ariolicine type, perhaps closest to those of
Sinna
and Gabala
Walker. The anterior margin of the eighth tergite is strongly bilobed, that of
the sternite only shallowly so. The valves of the male genitalia have a strong,
spine-like subbasal costal process set in a notch. Distal to the notch, the
dorsal half of the valve bears rows of peg-like setae as in other ariolicines.
The uncus is short, square, and the arms leading to the saccular shield each
have a dorsal blade-like process. There is a well developed saccus.
The female genitalia have a short ductus that narrows to the junction with the
bursa. The bursa is elongate, with a short, flocculent, thickened basal section
that contains some sclerotisation. The bursa structure is similar to that of the
next genus.
The biology of the only species is described below. The cocoon has a feature
seen also in
Dilophothripa, still retained in the Sarrothripini.
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