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Cispia Walker
Type species: punctifascia Walker.
The diagnosis for this genus is based primarily on the type species, as
some of the associated species with similar facies, such as fasciata Semper
(Philippines), have rather different male genitalia. The majority of species are
dull pale orange, with build and fasciation similar to the type species. They
could be confused with some species of aganaine Noctuidae (see Holloway, 1988),
but have strongly bipectinate male antennae, and fewer dark maculations at the
base of the forewing and on the thorax. The venation is much as in the
Lymantriini, but the forewing areole is larger, with R5 arising from it.
Tymbals are present in the male abdomen. The uncus is triangular,
broadly based, slightly shouldered. The vinculum is broad, angled laterally, and
with a tapering saccus. The valves are deep, apically slender, produced, with a
pocket- like structure centrally in the broad part. The aedeagus has an array of
short, triangular spines directed basad at its apex, with one much larger, more
symmetrical.
In the female, the ovipositor lobes are almost square, the
pseudopapillae prominent. The ductus is short, strongly sclerotised, laterally
scrolled (a colliculum), and with the ostium set towards the anterior margin of
a more or less circular plate. The bursa is ovate, without a signum.
In fasciata the male eighth segment has unusual lateral
triangular plates, the tegumen is produced distally into a pair of curved,
apically bifid processes, the saccus is small, and the valves are more setose,
rhomboidal, weakly bilobed distally and with an interior subcostal lobe.
The genus requires revision. Perhaps only the Indian species venosa
Walker and charma Swinhoe will prove to be truly congeneric. C. ochrophaea
Collenette (N.E. Himalaya, Peninsular Malaysia) is a grey and white species, and
C. joiceyi Collenette (New Guinea) resembles fasciata in facies. C.
dipyrena Collenette (Sulawesi) is an orange species with somewhat distinct
facies.
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