Pseudopostega frigida (Meyrick, 1906)

Stonis, Jonas R., Remeikis, Andrius, Solis, M. Alma & Karsholt, Ole, 2021, Diagnostics and updated checklist of Oriental Pseudopostega (Opostegidae) including the matrona species group with a new, extralimital species discovered in the Mediterranean, Zootaxa 4933 (3), pp. 341-360 : 344-346

The frigida group

Externally, species are characterized by dark markings (a spot or fascia) on the costal margin of the forewing; a frontal tuft that is pure white to golden cream or dull yellow ( P. myxodes ), or orange-ochre ( P. subviolacea ). In the male genitalia, the uncus possesses two slender, short or long lateral lobes; the gnathos is a large plate with a distinctive, wide, spiny caudal process; and the vinculum has a distinctive, long, rod-like juxta ( Fig. 1 ). In the female genitalia, apophyses are long; anal papillae are modified into a single, round, oval or triangular element ( Fig. 1 ) (see Discussion); the signum is absent ( P. myxodes ), weakly developed, indistinctive ( P. subviolaceae , P. similantis ), or well-developed, lamellar ( P. frigida ).

From other groups of Oriental Pseudopostega , the frigida group is distinguished by the combination of costal markings of the forewing, and a spiny gnathos.

Distribution. Currently the group is comprised of five species distributed in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, and Taiwan.

Remarks. Previously, P. subviolacea was left unplaced in a species group ( Puplesis and Robinson 1999), but upon re-examination of the female genitalia of P. subviolacea we newly attribute this species to the frigida group because the anal papillae are modified into a single element, a character shared with other species in the frigida group.

The presence of modified anal papillae in the female genitalia makes the group distinctive (see Discussion).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pictorial diagnostic tool for identification of Oriental Pseudopostega species groups (Note: the morphological structures are drawn in different scales). * – except for P. similantis with an indistinctive dorsal spot; ** – formerly the nigrimaculella group; *** – Mediterranean P. matrona sp. nov., described below