Tolpia Walker, 1863

Han, Hui Lin & Kononenko, Vladimir S., 2023, A review of the genus Tolpia Walker, 1863 in East Asia with descriptions of five new species (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Hypenodinae, Micronoctuini). Taxonomic study of Micronoctuini. Contribution VII, Zootaxa 5227 (5), pp. 549-567 : 550

Genus Tolpia Walker, 1863

Tolpia Walker, 1863 . List of the Specimens of lepidopterous Insects in the collection of the British Museum, 28: 49. Type-species: Tolpia conscitulana Walker, 1863 by monotypy, Malaysia, Borneo, Sarawak.

References: Nye 1975:485 ( Ophiderinae ); Poole 1989: 964 ( Ophiderinae ); Fibiger 2007: 9; 2008:104; 2010:78; 2011:126 ( Micronoctuidae )

Diagnosis (after Fibiger 2007 with some changes). The genus Tolpia together with Disca Fibiger, 2007 and Pollex Fibiger, 2007 form the subtribe Pollexina . The description and complete diagnosis of the subtribe and genus Tolpia have been published by Fibiger (2007) (within the revision of the Pollexinae). Here we present the differential diagnosis of Tolpia with respect to closely related genera. It is possible to identify all three genera from external characteristics, but the determination of species requires examination of the genitalia. Wingspan: 11–17 mm, on average larger than those of Disca and Pollex. In Tolpia species the reniform spot is represented by an elongated black or brown streak, whereas in Disca the reniform is narrow, well-marked, ovoid, and outlined by dark brown; in Pollex the reniform spot is broader and usually has a bright yellow or greyish-white centre. In the male genitalia of Tolpia the ampulla is bent, either narrow or broad, and the pollex is short and thumb-like; in Disca the ampulla is smoothly rounded or ovoid, and the pollex is a quadrangular hump; in Pollex the ampulla is long and narrow, clublike or stick-like, and the pollex is extremely long and usually finger-like.

In the present treatment the genus Tolpia comprises 35 species (including five species described here and four taxa of uncertain taxonomic position), placed in seven species-groups. With only a few exceptions, the speciesgroups and species can be recognised only by genital characters. A complete checklist of the genus with the typelocality for each taxon is presented below, following keys for identifying species in the odor , unguis, peniculus , conscitulana and crispus species-groups.

The genus Tolpia has a predominantly Southeast Asian distribution. The genus is most diverse in the subtropical forests and tropical rainforest in India, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The northernmost limit of distribution of Tolpia in East Asia is Southwest China, where the genus is represented by five species ( T. hainanensis Fibiger, 2010 , T. paraunguis Fibiger, 2010 , T. unguis, T. qiongensis sp. n., T. subhainanensis sp. n.) ( Fibiger et al. 2011; Han et al. 2012 and present study).