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Eilema
Hübner
Type
species: caniola Hübner, Europe.
Synonyms
listed by Hampson (1900) and in the BMNH card index that are not treated under
the previous three genera (but see also Nielsen et al. (1996) and Leraut (1997): Aedoea Turner (type species monochroa
Turner, Australia); Capissa Moore
(type species vagesa Moore, India); Colinia
Agenjo (type species lurideola Zincken);
Collita Moore (type species griseola
Hübner, Europe); Dolgoma Moore
(type species reticulata Moore,
India); Eucreagra Felder (type species
arculifera Felder, South Africa); Gandhara
Moore (type species serva Walker,
Nepal); Kathia Moore (type species helvola
Hübner, Europe = depressa Esper);
Lophilema Aurivillius (type species sordida Aurivillius, Tanzania); Manulea
Wallengren (type species gilveola Ochsenheimer,
Germany = unita [Denis &
Schiffermüller]);
Prabhasa Moore (type species venosa
Moore, India); Simareea Moore
(type species basinota Moore, India); Systropha
Hübner (type species aureola Hübner,
Europe = sororcula Hufnagel) praeocc.; Tarika Moore (type species varana Moore, India); Wittia de
Freina (replacement name for Systropha Hübner);
Zadadra Moore (type species distorta
Moore, India).
This
genus and the synonyms listed include a miscellaneous assemblage of taxa,
probably brought together on similarities of facies and venation by, for
example, Hampson (1900) who listed 22 generic synonyms including the previous
three genera and synonyms. Hampson overlooked Brunia Moore, placing its type species as a synonym of the African Eilema
vicaria Walker, transferred to Ovenna Birket-Smith
by Birket-Smith (1965), who also overlooked Brunia but
restricted the synonymy of vicaria to
Africa. Nielsen et al. (1996) excluded
many of the genera listed above, partly following Birket-Smith (1965) who made
the last serious attempt to revise the complex. Leraut (1997) followed different
concepts and listed numerous synonyms under Eilema and Wittia.
Examination
of the male and female genitalia of the type species of most of these
genus-group names confirms the opinion of Birket-Smith (1965) that no current
arrangement is entirely satisfactory, encompassing what might be considered
natural groups of taxa. Birket-Smith (1965) redefined Eilema in a strict sense as having a strongly extended and looped
but flimsy vinculum supporting a highly folded diaphragm that often incorporates
hairs. Birket-Smith placed Teulisna as
sister-genus to his concept of Eilema. No
Bornean species fall within this concept, nor do any of the synonyms listed that
are based on Oriental species, most of which Birket-Smith revived as good
genera. Therefore the Bornean species that do not fall readily into Macotasa,
Teulisna, Thysanoptyx or Brunia are
placed in “Eilema” sensu lato with
taxonomic notes on their relationships if apparent, until a more comprehensive
survey of the IndoAustralian and Palaearctic faunas can be undertaken.
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