Ethmia lineatonotella (MOORE, 1867)

Kun, A., 2004, A Review Of The Ethmia Lineatonotella Species Group, With Description Of Two New Species (Lepidoptera, Ethmiidae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 50 (4), pp. 337-351 : 338-339

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.12586651
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03916306-FF8A-FFE3-FD84-0302DF68A3E3
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Ethmia lineatonotella
status

Treatment

The Ethmia lineatonotella View in CoL species group

The well documented Palaearctic species, Ethmia lineatonotella (MOORE, 1867) was placed to the E. assamensis species group by SATTLER (1967). This relegation was based on certain external morphological features and the rather similar distribution patterns of the taxa. The hereby defined Ethmia lineatonotella species group is rather compact from a taxonomic point of view, one of the most easily recognizable lineages of the genus, comprising the largest known Ethmia species. The group can be characterised by the following morphological and biogeographical characters (Table 1).

Wingspan 40–50 mm. Antenna filiform; scape yellowish with black scales, flagellum yellowish, with brown scales distally. Labial palp yellowish, with black rings on medial and apical segments, proboscis yellowish ( Fig 16 View Figs 16–21 ). Frons and vertex yellowish with black scales on top (apically). Thorax yellowish with characteristic arrangement of six black spots ( Fig. 21 View Figs 16–21 ); tegulae white with a pair of black spots at base. The most typical external feature is the presence of long blackish horizontal striae nearly parallel with fore wing costa. The number of these striae is a specific feature: E. lineatonotella has four streaks, E. trifida has three, E. palawana only one while they are reduced to a single dot in E. thomaswitti and lacking in E. galactarcha . Hind wing of males with strong costal brushes ( Fig 17 View Figs 16–21 ); cilia yellow. Fore legs and mid legs pale yellow with black rings. Hind leg yellow with black rings; abdomen orange-coloured.

The basic structure of the male genitalia is very homogeneous ( Figs 6 View Figs 6–7 , 8 View Figs 8–9 , 10 View Figs 10–11 , 12 View Figs 12–13 , 14 View Figs 14–15 , 18–20 View Figs 16–21 ). Uncus sclerotized, very long, bipartite ( Fig. 20 View Figs 16–21 ). Posterior part of gnathos absent, anterior part broad with small spines ( Fig. 19 View Figs 16–21 ). Anellus sclerotized, labis well developed. Valva wide, bean-shaped, covered with bristles, cucullus with short, strong, acute, variably curved process; sacculus wide. Dorsal margin of aedeagus convex, sclerotized; vesica with cornutus on the side.

In the female genitalia the ovipositor is ( Figs 7 View Figs 6–7 , 9 View Figs 8–9 , 11 View Figs 10–11 , 13 View Figs 12–13 , 15 View Figs 14–15 ) heavily sclerotized, the papillae anales are conical, setose. Posterior apophyses thin, anterior apophyses cuneiform, acute. Antrum with sclerotized ventral ring connected with two lateral, quadratic plates. Ductus bursae long, tubular, helicoid. Corpus bursae rather big, spherical, signum very large, trilobate, covered with more or less uniform teeth.

According to our recent knowledge, the group contains five species ( E. lineatonotella MOORE, 1867 , E. galactarcha MEYRICK, 1928 , E. palawana SCHULTZE, 1925 , E. trifida sp. n., E. thomaswitti sp. n.): four of them occur exclusively in the Oriental Region and only E. lineatonotella , the most widespread taxon of the group, penetrates into the south-eastern parts of the Palaearctic Region ( KUN & SZABÓKY 2000, MORIUTI 1989). The biology of the species is unknown, no host plant was reported yet. An interesting mating couple of E. lineatonotella male and a geometrid female was observed and reported ( KISHIDA, 1985).