|
Streptophlebia Hampson
Type species: obliquistria Hampson.
Synonyms: Thylacoptera Hampson (type species albipuncta Hampson,
Palawan); Symphlebomis Hampson (type species antipolo Semper,
Luzon) syn. n.; Crinophora Kaye (type species bicellulata Kaye,
Philippines) syn. n.
This small genus is defined by the presence in the male of an elongate
patch of scent scales set in a fold associated with the cubital vein in the
forewing cell. Seitz (1912-1913) treated obliquistria and albipuncta as
congeneric; the Philippines taxa in Symphlebomis share a number of
features with the other two taxa, hence it seems more informative to unite them
within one genus.
In the forewings M2 and M3 share a common stalk, as do M3 and CuA1 in
the hindwing. These features are shown also in taxa of Amata and the next
genus. In the hindwing the cell is usually very short; in the forewing it is
large, sometimes open (obliquistria male), and with fusion of vein M1
with the more distal of the radial veins, in the type species. The other taxa
have different venation, depending on the position and orientation of the male
fold with scent scales.
In view of the limited material of albipuncta and obliquistria
(the singletons of each sex referred under obliquistria)), genitalic
examination was only undertaken on antipolo, in the form of its probable
synonym, bicellulata Kaye (Cebu). The male genitalia have simple, oval
valves, lacking the asymmetry and basal costal processes of Amata. The
tegumen lacks lateral processes. The aedeagus apex bears a few small spines but
the vesica has no cornuti. In the female genitalia the ostial area resembles
that of Amata, but is not set asymetrically; there are two signa,
opposed, transverse, spined flanges, perhaps indicative of affinities with Trichaetoides.
The genus contains one further species, palawana Kaye comb. n.
(Palawan) that, like antipolo, has the male fold of scent
scales set two-thirds distally on the cubital vein of the cell, with the
transparent patch posterior to CuA2 short rather than long as in obliquistria
and albipuncta. These latter have the scent scale fold in the basal
half of the wing.
The genus is thus restricted to northern Borneo and the Philippines.
<<Back
>>Forward <<Return
to Contents page
|
