Epichostis Meyrick, 1906

Yuan, G. X. & Wang, S. X., 2009, Checklist of the genus Epichostis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae) of the world, with descriptions of 11 new species from China, Journal of Natural History 43 (35 - 36), pp. 2141-2165 : 2142-2144

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1080/00222930903034957
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/44439A38-E528-FFA5-F7AA-FE2CFCE4FB37
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Epichostis Meyrick, 1906
status

Treatment

Genus Epichostis Meyrick, 1906

Epichostis Meyrick, 1906: 404 .

Type species: Epichostis elephantias Meyrick, 1906 .

Generic characters

Head smoothly scaled; antenna about four-fifths length of fore wing, without pecten; labial palpus upturned, third segment as long as second. Fore wing elongate triangular, apex protruding; M 2 and M 3 proximate at base, R 4 absent, R 5 to apex. Hind wing more or less trapezoidal; CuA 1 connate with M 3 basally, M 3 parallel with M 2, M 1 close to Rs at base, apart distally. Male abdomen terga II–IV sclerotized longitudinally at middle, and tergum IV with a sclerotized rectangular plate varying slightly in shape among species ( Figure 1A–L View Figure 1 ).

Male genitalia

Tegumen short and broad. Uncus slender and forked. Gnathos narrowly banded; anteromedian part weakly sclerotized, arched backward in some species. Valva elongately narrow, or broadly short; costa with a large dilated dorsoproximal process; sacculus simple, variable in length. Vinculum broadly band-shaped. Juxta often tightly bond to aedeagus and sometimes shed easily with aedeagus in dissection; lateral lobes present. Aedeagus stout; cornuti consisting of a bunch of strong or fine spines.

Female genitalia

Anterior apophysis slightly longer than half length of posterior apophysis. Ductus bursae long and slender; antrum sclerotized weakly; ductus seminalis from near base of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae membranous; signum present.

Biology

The biology of the genus is not well known except the flight period of the adults.

Distribution

The distribution of Epichostis is limited to Sri Lanka, India and China based on the present known data.

Key to the species of Epichostis Meyrick in China

1. Fore wing without discal stigma.................................. 2 Fore wing with a distinct black discal stigma........................ 8

2. Fore wing with one or two large black dorsal patches................. 3 Fore wing with one large black diffusion beyond middle of cell......... 6

3. Fore wing with one elongate triangular dorsal patch extending from base to distal 1/7 ( Figure 2B View Figure 2 )....................... E. magnimacularis sp. nov Fore wing with two large black dorsal patches....................... 4

4. Sacculus narrow, with a small dorsal process beyond middle and a distinct apical process...................... E. wufengensis sp. nov. ( Figure 3A View Figure 3 ) Sacculus broad, without any process.............................. 5

5. Sacculus concave at dorsal 2/3, about same width, blunt at apex ( Figure 3C View Figure 3 ).......................................... E. tympanias (Meyrick) Sacculus concave at about dorsal 3/5, narrowed distally, narrowly pointed at apex ( Figure 3D View Figure 3 )........................ E. proximitympanias sp. nov.

6. Valva narrowly pointed at apex ( Figure 3F View Figure 3 )...... E. termiprotrusa sp. nov. Valva blunt obliquely at apex.................................... 7

7. Valva elongate oval, costa arched conspicuously ( Figure 3E View Figure 3 ).................................................... E. termitruncatula sp. nov. Valva elongate rectangular, costa arched slightly ( Figure 6A View Figure 6 )....................................................... E. wenxianica sp. nov.

8. Sacculus narrow, without process; valva narrowly elongate ( Figure 6D View Figure 6 )................................................. E. setilata sp. nov. Sacculus broad, with distal or dorsal process; valva broad............. 9

9. Valva truncate apically.........................................10 Valva rounded apically.........................................11

10. Sacculus with curved and pointed process directing upward ( Figure 6B View Figure 6 )................................................ E. hamatilis sp. nov. Sacculus with straight distal process extending outward ( Figure 6C View Figure 6 )................................................ E. jiangkouensis sp. nov.

11. Sacculus with basal 3/5 straight dorsally, with a triangular dorsal process distally ( Figure 6E View Figure 6 )............................... E. deltata sp. nov. Sacculus roundly concave at dorsal 1/3, distal 2/5 narrowed gradually to pointed end ( Figure 6F View Figure 6 )........................ E. subrotunda sp. nov.

Checklist of the species of Epichostis on a worldwide basis