Geometra Linnaeus, 1758

Han, H-X., Galsworthy, A. C. & Xue, D-Y., 2009, A survey of the genus Geometra Linnaeus (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Geometrinae), Journal of Natural History 43 (13 - 14), pp. 885-922 : 889-890

Geometra Linnaeus, 1758

Geometra Linnaeus, 1758 , Syst Nat (ed. 10) 1:519. Type species: Phalaena papilionaria Linnaeus, 1758 , by subsequent designation by ICZN, 1957. [Europe].

Hipparchus Leach, 1815 , in Brewster, Brewster’s Edinburgh Encyclopaedia 9:134. Type species: Phalaena papilionaria Linnaeus, 1758 , by subsequent designation by Curtis, 1830.

Holothalassis Hübner, 1823 , Verz bekannter Schmett: 285. Type species: Phalaena papilionaria Linnaeus, 1758 , by monotypy.

Hydrochroa Gumppenberg, 1887 , Nova Acta Acad Caesar Leop Carol 49:328 (key). Type species: Geometra glaucaria Ménétriès, 1858 , by subsequent monotypy. [ Russia]: mouth of Ussuri River .

Leptornis Billberg, 1820 , Enumeratio Insect. Mus G. J. Billberg: 90. Type species: Phalaena papilionaria Linnaeus, 1758 , by subsequent designation by Prout, 1908.

Loxochila Butler, 1881 , Proc Zool Soc Lond 1881:615. Type species: Tanaorhinus smaragdus Butler, 1880 , by original designation. Northeast Himalayas.

Megalochlora Meyrick, 1892 , Trans Entomol Soc Lond 1892:93(key), 95. Type species: Chlorochroma sponsaria Bremer, 1864 , by subsequent designation by Fletcher, 1979. [ Russia]: East Siberia, Bureja Mountains; Ema estuary.

Terpne Hübner, 1822, Syst-alphab Verz: 38–41, 44, 47, 48, 51, 52. Type species: Phalaena papilionaria Linnaeus, 1758 , by subsequent designation by Grote, 1902.

Description

Antennae bipectinate, rami gradually shorter towards tip or apically simple in male, simple filiform in female. Frons rounded, protruding. Labial palpus stout, third segment slightly elongated in female. Thorax and abdomen with dorsal crests absent. Hind tibia of male often dilated, with hair-pencil and terminal extension; both male and female with two pairs of spurs.

Wing pattern. Wings green, usually with blue-green tinge. Forewing with apex falcate, blunt or pointed; hindwing with apex rounded. Both fore- and hindwings with outer margin smooth, dentate or wavy, sometimes forewing emarginate under apex, or with a tail process on vein M 3 on hindwing. Antemedial and postmedial lines usually white, thin to stout, angled or straight, linear or dentate; submarginal line indistinct, weak or composed of white patches between veins, occasionally straight and wide. Discal spot usually not distinct. Underside similar to upperside, but much paler, sometimes without streaks.

Venation. Frenulum developed. Length of cell less than half length of wing. Forewing: R 1 free, R 2–5 and M 1 arising from upper angle of cell; M 3 and CuA 1

separate. Hindwing: Sc+R 1 not touching cell; Rs free, M 3 and CuA 1 separate; A 3 present.

Male genitalia ( papilionaria group only). Uncus obsolete. Socii developed, slightly too strongly sclerotized, usually tapered. Gnathos with median process rod-like. Valva membranous with blunt apex. Sacculus with sclerotized terminal process. Saccus sometimes protruding or not developed. Transtilla a pair of large membranous processes, not joined in the middle. Coremata usually present and weak, sometimes absent. Aedeagus often stout, sclerotized posteriorly, blunt or tapered.

Sternite 3 with a pair of setal patches. Segment 8 modified, tergite often developed, membranous, blunt, protruding; sternite often with sclerotized process or hollowed at middle. Ansa with base bearing long setae.

Female genitalia ( papilionaria group only). Ovipositor sclerotized and smooth, not papillate. Areas around ostium often wrinkled and sclerotized, lamella vaginalis not distinct. Ductus bursae usually very short with distinct V-shaped antrum. Corpus bursae usually long and large, signum usually present, various, but most frequently bifid.

Biology (based on papilionaria )

Head of larva dorsally only slightly notched, even segment T1 lacking the diagnostic projections of most other Geometrinae . Dorsum of abdominal segments with typical warts and humps. Brownish coloured in late autumn and winter, green in spring time (crypsis) ( Hausmann 2001).

Where known, mainly feeding on Fagaceae and some species of Rosaceae , Betulaceae , Corylaceae and Salicaceae ( Scoble 1999) .

Distribution

Mainly distributed in the Palaearctic region, a few in South East Asia. If elements of Tanaorhinus were eventually included, distribution would extend eastward to New Guinea.

The papilionaria species group

Male genitalia of papilionaria group with uncus undeveloped, socii well developed, valva with distinct sacculus and saccular terminal process, gnathos with a wellsclerotized median process, transtillae inflated in the shape of a pair of boxing gloves.