Prionapteryx Stephens, 1834

Bassi, Graziano, 2013, Notes on some Old World Prionapterygini Landry, 1995 (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea, Crambidae, Crambinae), with descriptions of new species, Revue suisse de Zoologie 120 (1), pp. 131-160 : 142-143

Prionapteryx Stephens, 1834

Prionapteryx Stephens, 1834: 316 ; type species: Prionapteryx nebulifera Stephens, 1834 , by monotypy.

Alloea Turner, 1947: 37; type species: Alloea xylochroa Turner, 1947, by monotypy.

Calarina Walker, 1866 b: 1769, 1770; type species: Calarina albirenella Walker, 1866, by monotypy.

Hypotomorpha Rebel, 1892: 252-253; type species: Hypotomorpha lancerotella Rebel, 1892, by original designation.

Loxophantis Meyrick, 1935: 570 ; type species: Loxophantis triplecta Meyrick, 1935 , by monotypy. Syn. n.

Nuarace Walker, 1863: 188; type species: Nuarace eugraphis Walker, 1863, by monotypy.

Pindicitora Walker, 1863: 134; type species: Pindicitora thysbesalis Walker, 1863, by subsequent designation.

Platytesia Strand, 1918: 255; type species: Platytes alikangiella Strand, 1918 , by monotypy.

DIAGNOSIS: Prionapteryx differs from Mesolia and Zovax in the male genitalia with a basal costal process on the valva and without coremata. The basal costal process is shared with Surattha , but the latter differs in having a strongly arched uncus and the phallus with a pointed tip. The female genitalia can be distinguished from those of Mesolia , Zovax and Surattha by the triangular papillae anales, the long, tubular 8th abdominal segment and by the very strongly developed intersegmental membranes between abdominal segments VII and VIII and abdominal segments VIII and IX.

REMARKS: The genus Prionapteryx includes 57 species (Nuss et al., 2012) since Błeszyński (1967: 92) synonymized in this genus a number of genera. Some of these species have to be returned to Surattha Walker since this name was revised as valid by Bassi & Mey (2011: 234).

On the other hand, Loxophantis has to be considered as a junior synonym of Prionapteryx as shown by the study of both external features and genitalia of the type species.

FIGS 18-23

Prionapterygini spp., male genitalia and sclerotizations of abdominal segment VIII, scale bar 0.5 mm. (18) Zovax venus sp. n., paratype GS 5350 GB. (19) Z. venus sp. n., paratype GS 5338 GB. (20) Z. whiteheadii Wollaston , lectotype. (21) Z. vangoghi Błeszyński , paratype 4360 GB, ZSM. (22) Mesolia meyi sp. n., holotype; phallus and juxta from paratype 5321 GB. (23) M. uniformella Janse, paratype, Umvuma, 20.XII.1917, AJT Janse legit, type TMSA 1591, GS 3065 GB.