Lacosoma Grote, 1864

Laurent, Ryan A. St & Kawahara, Akito Y., 2019, Reclassification of the Sack-bearer Moths (Lepidoptera, Mimallonoidea, Mimallonidae), ZooKeys 815, pp. 1-114 : 22

Lacosoma Grote, 1864 Figs 20, 56, 111, 112, 163, 164-165; Suppl. material 3: Plate 1

Type species.

Lacosoma chiridota Grote, 1864.

Diagnosis.

Lacosoma is one of the most speciose genera of Mimallonidae , and displays a great deal of variation. They can easily be recognized by their genitalia (see Apomorphies below), but are externally more variable. Externally, Lacosoma are some of the smallest Mimallonidae in overall size, most species have crenulated wing margins and pink, salmon, and gray coloration. The general shape and size of Lacosoma species is more diagnostic than any one other external character. The combination of the general characters of small size, falcate forewings, and crenulated margins allow for the recognition of most species in the genus. Few Central American species display straight wing margins (such as L. elassa (Franclemont) and L. morgani Herbin), but are of the usual size and coloration for Lacosoma in general. The more uniquely colored species display the typical falcate wing shape and crenulate wing margins. Examples of uniquely colored species include those that are all pink: L. maldera Schaus; nearly all black: L. syrinx (Druce) and L. briasia Schaus (Fig. 163); and pink and yellow: L. valera Schaus and L. valeroides Herbin and C. Mielke.

Apomorphies.

(1) Subuncus projections extend from ventral margins of tegumen, extended outward most usually as a simply triangular protrusion (Fig. 20a), but in some Central American species (for example L. elassa , L. morgani ) these projections are more elongated and bent; (2) Gnathos projected ventrally below uncus, connecting to complex dorsal projections of juxta, together forming intricate sclerotizations with variable projections (Fig. 20b; Suppl. material 3: Plate 1, 6: 0, 6: A).