Synochoneura Obraztsov, 1955

Wang, Xinpu & Li, Houhun, 2007, Review of the genus Synochoneura Obraztsov, with the description of a new species from China (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Zootaxa 1547, pp. 51-57 : 51-52

Synochoneura Obraztsov, 1955

Synochoneura Obraztsov, 1955 , Tijdschr. Ent., 98 (3): 151.

Type species. Eulia ochriclivis Meyrick, 1931 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. The genus Synochoneura is characterized by the following characters: forewing with all veins separate, R2 to termen, chorda weak; hindwing with Rs-M1 stalked almost to middle and M1-Cu1 connate; male genitalia with uncus slender, socius slender and dropping, terminal plate of gnathos blunt, valva with broad basal half, costa developed, sacculus distinctly sclerotized and with free termination, pulvinus developed, juxta expanded dorsally in middle, and vesica with sclerotized fold; female genitalia with apophyses posteriores provided with a broad basal plate, sterigma with a broad anterior portion, antrum weak, and signum dagger-shaped, without capitulum.

Discussion. In his description of the genus, Obraztsov (1955) assigned Synochoneura to Cnephasiini . Razowski (1987) transferred the genus to Archipini based primarily on the well developed costa of the valva in the male genitalia. Subsequently, Razowski (1993) transferred it to Euliini , a view shared by Kuznetsov (2001). Powell (1986) indicated that apomorphies of Cnephasiini are a spined uncus, a floricomous ovipositor, and a band-shaped, dentate signum. Because all known species of Synochoneura lack these characters, assignment to Cnephasiini is problematic. Moreover, species of Synochoneura lack a foreleg hairpencil in the male and have a large signum in the female, so assignment to Euliini is questionable. The large dagger-shaped signum, well developed pulvinus, and differentiated ductus and corpus all indicate that Synochoneura is likely a generalized member of Archipini , as proposed by Razowski (1987).

Synochoneura is close to Terthreutis , sharing the following characters: uncus curved with a few bristles, socius slender and dropping, and transtilla narrowed at the middle. It differs from Terthreutis by the sacculus having a free termination, the pulvinus being distinct, the vesica possessing a sclerotized fold, and the apophyses posteriores with a broad basal plate. It is possible that the sclerotized fold in the vesica, the large daggershaped signum, and the broad basal plate of the apophyses posteriores represent autapomorphies for Synochoneura .

Biology. Adults have been collected from mountainous regions at elevations between 900–2150 m in May, June, July, and August. The early stages are unknown.

Distribution. China.