Eudonia Billberg, 1820

Li, Weichun, Li, Houhun & Nuss, Matthias, 2012, Taxonomic revision of the genus Eudonia Billberg, 1820 from China (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Scopariinae), Zootaxa 3273, pp. 1-27 : 2-3

Eudonia Billberg, 1820

Eudonia Billberg, 1820: 93 . Type species: Phalaena mercurella Linnaeus, 1758 .

Boiea Zetterstedt, 1839: 995. Type species: Phalaena mercurella Linnaeus sensu Zetterstedt, 1839 . Dipleurina Chapman, 1912: 507 . Type species: Phalaena crataegella Linnaeus, 1767 . Witlesia Chapman, 1912: 507 . Type species: Eudorea pallida Curtis, 1827 .

Malageudonia Leraut, 1989: 20 . Type species: Witlesia malgassicella Marion, 1956 . Vietteina Leraut, 1989: 36 . Type species: Vietteina ivelonensis Leraut, 1989 .

Diagnosis. Eudonia is characterized by having a broad and short uncus and lacking the free distal process of the sacculus and cornutus in the male genitalia; by the ductus bursae always membraneous anterior to the elongate colliculum, and the corpus bursae with a signum and an appendix bursae in the female genitalia. Within Eudonia , morphology of species is very uniform. Characters of the wing pattern and female genitalia are most suitable for diagnosis of species. From other scopariine genera occurring in China, Eudonia can be easily distinguished from Cholius Guenée by the typical scopariine wing pattern elements. Genitalia are slightly disparted from other closely related Chinese genera: the male genitalia are easily distinguishable from Scoparia Haworth , Hoenia Leraut and Caradjaina Leraut , e.g., by the absence of the free distal process of sacculus, from Dasyscopa Meyrick by the absence of corema at the vinculum as well as from Micraglossa Warren by the presence of an appendix bursae attached to the corpus bursae of female genitalia.

General characters. Forewing length 5.0–11.0 mm. Head globular; frons flat. Ocellus and chaetosema present. Labial palpus porrect, with long downwards scales on ventral side of first and second segments. Maxillary palpus upright, distally brushlike. Antenna ciliated white ventrally. Forewing with the typical scopariine pattern, which is white in general, covered with grey and black scales in most species, with some ochreous scales in some species; proximal discoidal stigma and cubital stigma placed on outer side of antemedian line (collectively called antemedian stigmata); distal discoidal stigma X- or 8-shaped; postmedian line usually bending towards distal discoidal stigma, then curved outwards; subterminal line generally incurved, thus nearly X-shaped together with postmedian line. Hindwing white to pale brown.

Male genitalia: Uncus broad and short. Gnathos slender or broad and short. Valva broad and short or narrow and long, setose. Sacculus weakly sclerotized, free distal process absent. Juxta usually ovate. Phallus long and thin; opening of ductus ejaculatorius at base of phallus; cornutus absent.

Female genitalia: Apophysis posterior and apophysis anterior long and thin. Tergite eight usually shorter than apophysis anterior. Ductus bursae long and thin, always membraneous before colliculum, varied in length and shape. Corpus bursae rounded or ovate; signum often present, ovate or stripelike, usually composed of small thorns and surrounded by granules; appendix bursae present, situated at anterior or median area of corpus bursae.

Biology. Larvae are known to feed on mosses or lichens ( Nuss 2005). Larva of Eudonia pallida has the habit of spinning silken web or tube, and staying at the web or tube when not feeding ( Heckford 2009). Adults of Eudonia are nocturnal and can be attracted by artificial lights.

Distribution ( Fig. 1 ). Eudonia is represented on all continents including subantarctic islands ( Nuss 1999). In China, most species are distributed in the region of summer monsoon, which is shown by map herein.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Localities of the genus Eudonia spp. in China (excluding E. mercurella (Linnaeus) whose detailed locality is unknown). a. E. singulannulata sp. n.; b. E. rectilineata sp. n.; c. E. wolongensis sp. n.; d. E. truncicolella (Stainton); e. E. lacustrata (Panzer); f. E. apicifusca Sasaki; g. E. lijiangensis sp. n.; h. E. promiscua (Wileman & South); i. E. zhongdianensis sp. n.; j. E. inouei Sasaki; k. E. furva sp. n.; l. E. hexamera sp. n.; m. E. microdontalis (Hampson); n. E. persimilis Sasaki; o. E. owadai Sasaki; p. E. magna sp. n.; q. E. albilinea Sasaki; r. E. tibetalis (Caradja); s. E. duospinata sp. n.; t. E. cavata sp. n.; u. E. puellaris Sasaki; v. E. gigantea Sasaki; w. E. taiwanalpina Sasaki; x. E. umbrosa Sasaki.