Rhopalovalva rhombea, Zhang, Aihuan & Li, Houhun, 2010

Zhang, Aihuan & Li, Houhun, 2010, Two new species of Rhopalovalva Kuznetsov (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) from China, Zootaxa 2718, pp. 64-68 : 65

Rhopalovalva Kuznetsov, 1964

Razowski (1989) identified two putative autapomorphies for Rhopalovalva , i.e., the presence of a hairy lobe situated at the distal end of the sacculus and the presence of a pollex on the cucullus. Based on the examination of specimens of Rhopalovalva from China and a comparison with characters provided by Razowski (1989), we confirm that the dorsally directed hairy lobe at the distal end of sacculus is an autapomorphy; no similar structure was observed in any other genus within Eucosmini . However, the presence of a pollex on cucullus is not convincing since it is absent in some species of Rhopalovalva (i.e., R. rhombea , sp. nov., and R. triangulata , sp. nov.). Hence, the hairy lobe of the sacculus is recognized as the only convincing autapomorphy.

Based on the newly discovered Chinese species, the definition of Rhopalovalva requires some modification: the uncus can be slender, clubbed, or Y-shaped; the cucullus is varied, often with a ventral process or spine (i.e., “pollex” of Razowski); and there are two funnellike or hornlike signa in the corpus bursae of the female genitalia.

This genus is probably closely related to Acroclita Lederer, 1859 and Rhopobota Lederer, 1859 on the basis of the stalked R4 and R 5 in the forewing, but no other characters unite these genera. Rhopalovalva is also similar to some Enarmoniini with a falcate apex of the forewing (e.g., Aglaogonia Horak , Ancylis Hübner ), the sacculus in the form of a subbasal triangular or elongate lobe (e.g., Ancylis , Ancylophyes Diakonoff ), and the keellike signum in the female genitalia ( Ancylis , Ancylophyes , Helictophanes Meyrick ). However, other characters argue against this placement, including many feature of the genitalia. Horak (2006) proposed that Rhopalovalva Kuznetsov is a close relative of Fibuloides Kuznetsov , but Rhopalovala lacks both a bifurcate uncus and the bi-pronged sclerite anteriorly in the ductus bursae characteristic of Fibuloides . In our study, only Rhopalovalva triangulata , sp. nov., has a Y-shaped uncus, which is like that in some species of Gibberifera Obraztsov ; however, most other species have a clubbed uncus. No other characters link these genera.

As presently defined, Rhopalovalva is comprised of 11 species (listed below), including two described herein, all of which are restricted to the Palaearctic and Oriental regions.