Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823

Kumari, Shabnam, Bandyopadhyay, Uttaran, Uniyal, Virendra Prasad, Chandra, Kailash & Hausmann, Axel, 2024, Integrative taxonomic review of the genus Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823 and its allied genus Tanaotrichia Warren, 1893 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) from the Western Himalaya, Zootaxa 5519 (1), pp. 59-89 : 64-66

Genus Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823

Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823 , Verzeichnis bekannter Schmetterlinge: 300. Type species: Phalaena calabra Petagna, 1786 .

Pellonia Duponchel, 1829 , in Godart & Duponchel, Histoire naturelle des Lépidoptères ou Papillons de France, 7 (2): 109. Type species: Phalaena vibicaria Clerck, 1759 .

Delocharis Butler, 1883 , Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London: 172. Type species: Delocharis herbicolens Butler, 1883 .

Apostates Warren, 1897 , Novitates zoologicae, 4: 214.

Leptosidia Hampson, 1903 , Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 14: 653. Type species: Leptosidia araearia Hampson, 1903 .

Genus description ( Prout 1913; Hausmann 2004; Cui et al. 2019; Rajaei et al. 2022a)

Adults are medium to large sized with 20–40 mm wingspan; antennae filiform in female, quadripectinate in male with long branches gradually decreasing in length towards the tips [ Fig. 3a : (i)]. Frons slightly convex or protruded. Labial palpi short, stout, forwardly or upwardly directed and hardly reaching the frons. Proboscis well developed. Foretibia with or without median epiphyses [ Fig. 3a : (iv)]. Midtibia with paired terminal spurs. Hindtibia [ Fig. 3a : (v)] with or without hair pencil (variable in length) at the femoro-tibial joint; a pair of terminal tibial spur and either a single or paired median spur in male while all the four spurs present in female; a single ‘pseudospur’ (of unknown function) is often present as a densely scaled, club or rod-shaped projection with rounded tip.

Forewing with two areoles [except R. solitaria (Christoph, 1887) ], vein R1 originating from the apex of 1 st areole at its junction with the 2 nd areole, veins R2–R4 stalked, arising from the apex of the 2 nd areole just above the origin of R5 ( Rajaei et al. 2022a); apex acute or falcate; outer margin obliquely straight or slightly curved; usually pale ochreous to yellow or ochreous-grey or brown with either darker, sometimes suffused or tinged with rose-red to deep rose-red transverse lines. Hindwing with Sc basally curved, Rs and M1 shortly stalked, M3 and CuA1 separate ( Rajaei et al. 2022a). Apex round; outer margin rounded, sometimes slightly protruded at M3; mostly paler than the forewing with markings more or less similar as of forewing. Underside paler and with rose-red to reddish or ochreous-grey to brown suffusion or irrorations with markings mostly similar to the upper side.

Male genitalia: Uncus elongated, slender, apically broader, setose, distal margin with a central concavity of varying depths, sometimes weekly sclerotised; the overall shape and characters diagnostic at the species level. Gnathos triangular, strongly sclerotised and medially elongated.Valva shape diagnostic, especially the characteristics of costal and distal margins; sacculus sclerotised, folded ventrad over the valva. Posterior margin of 8 th abdominal sternite bilobed and diagnostic. Aedeagus thin, elongated and curved; vesica membranous without cornuti or sometimes with small sclerotised patch having minute scobinations.

Female genitalia: Papillae anales either rounded or ovally-elongated; ductus bursae sclerotised, sometimes strongly curved or bent, length (in comparison to corpus bursae) and shape diagnostic; corpus bursae rounded or oval, often with diagnostic signum; shape of the 7 th sternite variable and diagnostic.

Immature stages: Larvae extremely long and slender; slightly tapered anteriorly with the face and sides of the head flattened; feed on low plants. Pupa slender, broadened anteriorly, and with elongated cremaster; a terminal pair of long and stout setae (D2) and three pairs of smaller and recurved setae before it ( Prout 1913; Patočka 2003).

Distribution: Palearctic (chiefly), Oriental and Neotropical regions ( Prout 1913; Suludere 1988; Ramos-González et al. 2018; Cui et al. 2019; Sihvonen et al. 2020; Rajaei et al. 2022a)

Diagnosis: Adults of Rhodostrophia and Tanaotrichia are easily distinguishable from other genera in the tribe Cyllopodini Kirby, 1892 . Both genera possess quadripectinate antennae in males and filiform in females, and they share similar basic schemes of wing venation and markings ( Fig. 3b : FW, HW) ( Prout 1913, 1938). Rhodostrophia has forewings with an acute or slightly falcate apex, vein R1 originating from the apex of 1 st areole; and hindtibia [ Fig. 3a : (v)] of male with either a single or paired median spur and a pair of terminal spurs. Whereas in Tanaotrichia , the forewing is comparatively broader, vein R1 originates before the apex of 2 nd areole [ Fig. 3b : FW]; hindtibia lacks median spurs altogether, bears a single functional terminal spur accompanied by a short, stout, scaly tuft and a long, well-developed hair pencil concealing all the spurs [ Fig. 3b : (ii)].

Male genitalia in Rhodostrophia are characterised by a long, membranous, sometimes slightly sclerotised, apically dilated and bilobed uncus; costal margin of valva curved, strongly sclerotised and ventro-distal regions distinctly modified. Corpus bursae in female genitalia with a sclerotised signum, often shaped as paired elongated sclerites. However, in Tanaotrichia , the uncus is sclerotised, somewhat flat, with a broad apex ( Fig. 40 ), signum in the corpus bursae of female genitalia as a double-ridged, longitudinal band-like with sclerotised scobination ( Fig. 62 ).

Species account

Figures

FIGURE 3. Diagnostic features of the genus Rhodostrophia (R. tristrigalis) and Tanaotrichia (T. prasonaria trilineata, type species of the genus). 3a. Head and leg features of the male of R. tristrigalis. i) Quadripectinate antennae, eye and labial palpi. ii) Lateral view of the antennae, ventral dentation. iii) Ventral view of the antenna. iv) Foretibia with an epiphysis. v) Hindtibia with a hair pencil arising from the femorotibial joint. 3b. T. prasonaria trilineata, type species of the genus Tanaotrichia. i) Foretibia with an epiphysis. ii) Hindtibial characteristics (hair pencil, a median ‘pseudo spur’ and terminal tibial spur accompanied with a small and compact hair tuft). FW) Forewing venation. HW) Hindwing venation.

FIGURES 34–47. Male genitalia images of Rhodostrophia and Tanaotrichia spp. 34–41. Male Clasping organ (CLA). 34. R. borealis, 35. R. cinerascens*, 36. R. herbicolens, 37. R. pelloniaria, 38. R. stigmatica, 39. R. tristrigalis, 40. T. prasonaria trilineata. 41–47. Male aedeagus. 41. R. borealis, 42. R. cinerascens*, 43. R. herbicolens, 44. R. pelloniaria, 45. R. stigmatica, 46. R. tristrigalis, 47. T. prasonaria trilineata. *Specimens and genitalia slide at ZSM-SNSB, Munich; slides and photos prepared by Dr Axel Hausmann.

FIGURES 48–62. Male genitalia images of Rhodostrophia and Tanaotrichia spp. 48–54. Male 8th Abdominal Sternite. 48. R. borealis, 49. R. cinerascens*, 50. R. herbicolens, 51. R. pelloniaria, 52. R. stigmatica, 53. R. tristrigalis, 54. T. prasonaria trilineata. 55–62. Female genitalia images of Rhodostrophia and Tanaotrichia spp. 55. R. borealis, 56. R. cinerascens*, 57. R. herbicolens, 58. R. pelloniaria, 59. R. stigmatica, 60. R. tristrigalis, 61. R. vinacearia, 62. T. prasonaria trilineata. *Specimens and genitalia slide at ZSM-SNSB, Munich; slides and photos prepared by Dr Axel Hausmann.