Mellilla, GROTE, 1873

Scoble, Malcolm J. & Krüger, Martin, 2002, A review of the genera of Macariini with a revised classification of the tribe (Geometridae: Ennominae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 134 (3), pp. 257-315 : 281

MELLILLA GROTE

(Figs 13, 117)

Mellilla Grote, 1873 . Type species: Mellilla chamaechrysaria Grote, 1873 , a junior synonym of Fidonia xanthometata Walker, 1862 . USA.

Gonilythria Gumppenberg, 1887 . Type species: Lythria rilevaria Packard, 1876 . [Listed as junior synonym of Mellilla Grote by Parsons et al., 1999.]

Description

Head. Antenna of male bipectinate. Chaetosemata with perhaps some sign of a weak extension across head.

Wings (Fig. 13). Small: brown forewings and orange hindwings.

Male genitalia (Fig. 117). Uncus triangular, evenly setose, not horned. Gnathos large, V-shaped, with strong medial element. Valva divided into costa and sacculus, but with no special modifications.

Pregenital abdomen of male. Sternum A8 not modified.

Female genitalia. Bursa copulatrix very long, corpus bursae not expanded anteriorly; signum present. (Illustration in McGuffin, 1972: fig. 197c.)

Diagnosis. The male genitalia are similar to those of Isturgia , but the wing shape and size differ from those in Isturgia more strongly than do those of Bichroma and Enconista , which are synonymized with Isturgia in this work.

Distribution. The single species occurs in North America from New Jersey to South Carolina, west to Nebraska and south to Texas (Covell, 1984). It was recorded from Pelee Island, Ontario in Canada by McGuffin (1972), who provided illustrations of wing venation, legs, genitalia, antenna and whole moths.

Foodplants. Gleditsia triacanthos Linnaeus is recorded by McGuffin (1972); Covell (1984) gives a more general statement of feeding on locust trees.

Comments. The moths are active by day and at night (Covell, 1984).

Number of species. One.