Eueupithecia Prout, 1910

Hausmann, Axel, Chainey, John, Heard, Tim A., Kay, Fernando Mc & Raghu, S., 2016, Revision of the genus Eueupithecia Prout, 1910 from Argentina (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Sterrhinae), Zootaxa 4138 (2), pp. 392-400 : 393

Genus Eueupithecia Prout, 1910

Type species. Eueupithecia cisplatensis Prout, 1910 by monotypy. Until recently, the genus Eueupithecia Prout, 1910 had been considered to be monotypic ( Scoble 1999; Scoble & Hausmann 2007).

Genus diagnosis. Females with frenulum developed as one single stout bristle, similar to that of the male. So far, this was known only from male geometrids (sister genus Euacidalia , however, exhibits transitions to that same unusual character). Male antennae ciliate-fasciculate, in female filiform, in the type species very shortly ciliate. Palpi very small in both sexes. Proboscis absent in the type species, very short in E. vollonoides sp. n.. Male hindtibia and tarsus narrow, without spurs, in female with two spurs. Venation of forewing with one single, long areole, R3+R4 usually connate with R5, arising from tip of areole; hindwing with Sc+R1 and Rs distinctly stalked. In male genitalia valva simple, tegumen smooth, aedeagus with two large cornuti. In female genitalia papillae anales and lateral lobi large, apophyses anteriores vestigial, ductus bursae short, with a small ‘colliculum’, corpus bursae with two smoothly sclerotized posterior sclerites, signum absent.

Differential diagnosis against Euacidalia Packard, 1873 with currently 12 described species of which eight seem to be restricted to North America and Mexico (possibly extending their range to other countries of central America), two others occurring slightly further south ( E. externata (Walker, 1863) from Dominican Republic and E. oroandes (Druce, 1893) from Guatemala), and the last two having their type localities further south: E. angusta (Warren, 1906) from Peru (with synonym oriochares Prout, 1922 ), E. rosea (Warren, 1897) from Surinam. Euacidalia species with male antennae ciliate-setose or ciliate-fasciculate, female antennae filiform or ciliate setose, palpi short or medium-sized, proboscis well developed, male hindtibia in some species strongly dilated and tarsus weak or vestigial, in other species normal but hindfemur strongly dilated. Female hindtibia with two spurs. Female frenulum consisting of 3–6 stout bristles, sometimes almost appearing to be fused. Venation of forewing of Euacidalia with double areole, R3+R4 connate with R5, arising from tip of second areole; hindwing with Sc+R1 and Rs distinctly stalked (examined in E. orbelia ). E. oroandes in male genitalia differing from Eueupithecia by distinctly forked tip of valva, lateral stout bristles from tegumen tip of aedeagus with 4 rows of microcornuti, base of aedeagus with a rectangular, furrowed sclerite. In male genitalia differing by smaller papillae anales and lateral lobes, apophyses anteriores developed, antrum broader, alate, ductus bursae long, corpus bursae with spinulose sclerites. Variation of morphological traits in the genitalia of the different Euacidalia species still awaits further study. See also differential diagnoses and genetic data under Eueupithecia vollonoides sp. n..