Eupithecia Curtis, 1825

Mironov, Vladimir G. & Galsworthy, Anthony C., 2012, A generic level review of Eupithecia Curtis and some closely related genera based on the Palaearctic, Nearctic and Oriental fauna (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentiinae), Zootaxa 3587, pp. 46-64 : 60-62

Eupithecia Curtis, 1825

Eupithecia Curtis (1825) British Entomology 2: 64. Type species: (Phalaena) absinthiata Clerck.

Tephroclystia Hübner [1825] (1816) Verzeichniss bekannter Schmetterlinge. (21), 323. Type species: Geometra subumbrata [Denis & Schiffermüller].

Dyscymatoge Hübner [1825] (1816) Verzeichniss bekannter Schmetterlinge. (21), 324. Type species: Phalaena innotata Hufnagel.

Tarachia Hübner [1825] (1816) Verzeichniss bekannter Schmetterlinge. (21), 324. Type species: Geometra castigata Hübner. [Junior synonym of Eupithecia subfuscata Haworth ].

Leucocora Hübner [1825] (1816) Verzeichniss bekannter Schmetterlinge. (21), 325. Type species: Phalaena (Geometra) succenturiata Linnaeus.

Arcyonia Hübner [1825] 1816, Verzeichniss bekannter Schmetterlinge. (21), 325. Type species: Phalaena venosata Fabricius.

Eucymatoge Hübner [1825] (1816) Verzeichniss bekannter Schmetterlinge. (21), 325. Type species: Geometra togata Hübner. [Junior synonym of Eupithecia abietaria Goeze ].

Hypepirritis Hübner [1825] (1816) Verzeichniss bekannter Schmetterlinge. (21), 329. Type species: Geometra modicata Hübner , [1813] 1796. [Junior synonym of Eupithecia impurata Hübner ].

Zygmena Boie (1839) in Germar, Zeitschrift für Entomologie, 1, 391. Type species: Larentia hospitata Treitschke, 1828 . [Junior synonym of Eupithecia lanceata Hübner ).

Lepiodes Guenée [1858] (1857) in Boisduval & Guenée, Histoire naturelle des insectes: species général des lépidoptères. 10 (2), 359. Type species: Lepiodes infectaria Guenée.

Epicaste Gumppenberg (1887) Nova Acta Academiae Caesarea Leopoldino-Carolinae, 49 (4), 334, 339. [Junior homonym of Epicaste Kinberg (Vermes) ]. Type species: Eupithecia fenestrata Millière.

Pena Walker (1863) List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum: Lepidoptera heterocera. 27, 130. Type species: Pena costalis Walker.

Eurypeplodes Warren (1893) Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1893 (2), 382. Type species: Eurypeplodes irambata Warren, 1893 .

Dochephora Warren (1895) Novitates zoologicae 2 (2): 108. Type species: Dochephora bullata Warren.

Sebastia Warren (1895) Novitates zoologicae, 2 (2), 112. [Junior homonym of Sebastia Kirby, 1892 ( Lepidoptera : Arctiidae )]. Type species: Sebastia maleformata Warren.

Phaulostathma Warren (1900) Novitates zoologicae, 7 (2), 166. Type species: Eupithecia disformata Dognin.

Stenopla Warren (1900) Novitates zoologicae, 7 (2), 166. Type species: Stenopla virescens Warren.

Dolichopyge Warren (1900) Novitates zoologicae, 7 (2), 173. Type species: Dolichopyge bifasciata Warren.

Thysanoctena Warren (1904) Novitates zoologicae, 11 (2), 535. Type species: Sebastia dormita Warren.

Trichoclystis Warren (1904) Novitates zoologicae, 11 (2), 535. Type species: Trichoclystis peregrina Warren.

Dietzea Schütze (1956) Zeitschrift der Wiener Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 41, 308 [Originally as subgenus]. Type species: Eup[ithecia] semigraphata Bruand.

Petersenia Schütze (1958) Entomologische Zeitschrift, Frankfurt , 68 (5), 51 [Originally as subgenus]. Type species: Cidaria graphata Treitschke.

Bohatschia Schütze (1960) Mitteilungen der Münchener Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 50, 11 [Originally as subgenus]. Type species: Euphit[ecia] venosa L. [sic] (= Phalaena venosata Fabricius ).

Delaeveria Schütze (1961) Mitteilungen der Münchener Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 51, 62 [Originally as subgenus]. Type species: Eupith[ecia] gueneata Millière.

Catarina Vojnits & De Laever (1973) Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, 19 (3–4), 427. Type species: Eupithecia suboxydata Staudinger.

Propithecia Vojnits (1985) Acta zoologica hungarica, 31 (4), 407. Type species: Propithecia kristenseni Vojnits. [Junior synonym of Eupithecia rosalia Butler ].

Heteropithecia Vojnits (1985) Acta zoologica hungarica, 31 (4), 412. Type species: Heteropithecia atacama Vojnits.

Neopithecia Vojnits (1985) Acta zoologica hungarica, 31 (4), 415. Type species: Neopithecia akerbergsi Vojnits. [Junior synonym of Tephroclystia spurcata Warren ].

Lamelluncia Mironov (1990) Entomologicheskoe Obozrenie, 69, 661 [Originally as subgenus]. Type species: Eupithecia haworthiata Doubleday.

Unavailable names (incorrect subsequent spellings): Tephroclystis: Meyrick (1892) ; Euphitecia: Carnelutti & Michieli (1958).

Description [Type species Eupithecia absinthiata Clerck ]. Adults (fig. 9). Labial palpi variable in length and shape, with separate tufts of scales at the base under eyes. Frons with tuft of tight-fitting scales directed forwards. Head with double collar of scales behind eyes. Antennae normally filiform and ciliated in both sexes, but in the males of some South American species ( Rindge, 1987, 1991) and also species of the “ lanceata ” group bipectinate or fasciculate. Fore wing venation: R1 long, not uniting or anastomosing with Sc; areole with or without oblique transverse vein. Hind wing venation: M3 and CuA1 arising separately from cell (figs. 11 and 12). Hind leg with two pairs of tibial spurs. Apodemes of the second tergite short, relatively broad, usually broadened to apices with oblique outer margin. Metathorax without crests of scales. Fore wing variable in shape, usually relatively broad with evenly curved termen and narrowly rounded apex; ground colour very variable from white to brownish black (usually grey or light brownish); all transverse lines usually distinct, including a narrow medial; discal dot usually conspicuous and black, occasionally absent. Hind wing relatively broad, rounded or ovoid; ground colour usually paler, white, off-white or grey; transverse lines and discal dot usually distinct but paler than on the fore wing. Underside of wings usually paler with inconspicuous transverse lines, but in some species with very distinct pattern (eg. E. opistographata Dietze , and some other species of the “ ultimaria ” group). No sexual dimorphism in size, shape, colouration and pattern of wings.

Male genitalia (fig.20). Uncus usually membranous, broadest basally with a sclerotized, rigid, hook-like and pointed apex, with one or two tips (uniapical or biapical); in one species group (the “ haworthiata ” group) the apex is lost leaving the uncus completely membranous and spatulate. Anal tube setose in broadened apical part. Tegumen narrow. Valve variable in size and shape, usually relatively broad and shaped like the segment of an orange, with a thickened and sclerotized dorsal margin and with a ventral process or processes in some species, and very occasionally a dorsal process; sacculus usually thickened and lightly sclerotized. Setation of valves normally very consistent and characteristic, with strongly attached, regularly placed, curved setae lying in the plane of the valve from the ventral to the dorsal edge of the valve. Vinculum variable in shape, but always protruding. Coremata always present, attached to vinculum. Labides elongate, relatively broad; anterior arms of labides curved, normally at the apices with digitiform, membranous papillae of varying length and shape covered with setae; the posterior arms forming two large, setaceous, curved papillae, connected with each other by a short basal band. Juxta ‘hourglass shaped’, broadest transversely, oval or reniform; calcar bilobed, usually narrow, well curved and slightly broadened apically. Aedeagus variable in size and shape, usually shorter or equal to length of valve; ductus ejaculatorius usually arising from anterior half of aedeagus. Vesica of aedeagus armed with one or more variously shaped cornuti (horn-like, tubular, irregular, dentate or flat and twisted) and sometimes with a patch of small spines. Sternite A8 (and occasionally tergite A8) modified with patches of sclerotization, sometimes extending as processes at the posterior edge of the sternite.

Female genitalia (fig. 26). Bursa copulatrix membranous to strongly sclerotized; variable in size and shape (globular, subglobular, pouch-like, pear-shaped, etc.), in some species with membranous diverticulum at base. Bursa copulatrix usually covered with numerous spine-like signa, which can be variable in position. Ductus seminalis attached to corpus bursae or ductus bursae in widely varying positions. Colliculum usually well defined, sclerotized, collar-like or plate-like. Antrum from membranous to heavily sclerotized (as in species-group “ centaureata ”). Sinus formed by two narrow branches from basal part of anterior apophyses; these branches are often prominent with more or less enlarged apices, but are sometimes reduced in size. Lamella antevaginalis lacking. Tergite A8 variable in size and shape (quadrate, rectangular or trapezoid), sometimes with a sclerotized tip or membranous hollow in the middle of posterior margin. Anterior and posterior apophyses very variable in length and width, with expanded and flattened apices in some species. Papillae anales normal, variable in shape, usually setaceous, but in some species covered with numerous pointed spinules.

Species included

More than 1,300 species worldwide ( Parsons et al. 1999).