Eulithis Hübner

CHOI, SEI-WOONG, 2001, Phylogeny of Eulithis Hübner and Related Genera (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), with an Implication of Wing Pattern Evolution, American Museum Novitates 3318, pp. 1-40 : 34-35

Eulithis Hübner

Figures 2I, J , 3A–G, I , 12D, E , 13G , 15C, D

Eulithis Hübner, 1821 , Index Exot. Lepid.: [3]. Type species: Petrophora diversilineata Hübner, 1813 , Samml. Exot. Schmett. 1: pl. [206], fig. 14, by monotypy.

Euphia Hübner, 1816 , Verz. Bekannter Schmett.: 336. Type species: Petrophora diversilineata Hübner, 1813 , by subsequent designation (Fletcher, 1966, Entomol. Gaz. 17: 15). Synonymized by Fletcher, 1966: 15.

Lygris Hübner, 1825 , Verz. Bekannter Schmett.: 335. Type species: Phalaena populata Linnaeus, 1758 , Syst. Nat. (ed. 10) 1: 525, by subsequent designation (Prout, 1905, Trans. London Entomol. Nat. Hist. Soc. 1904: 53). Synonymized by Herbulot, 1964: 376.

Steganolophia Stephens, 1829 , Nom. Br. Insects: 44. Type species: Phalaena prunata Linnaeus, 1758 , Syst. Nat. (ed. 10) 1: 526, by monotypy [a junior objective synonym of Eulithis , see Ferguson, 1983]

Neolexia Hulst, 1896 , Trans. Am. Entomol. Soc. 23: 256, 278. Type species: Neolexia xylina Hulst, 1896 , Trans. Am. Eentotmol. Soc. 23: 278, by original designation. Synonymized by Ferguson, 1983: 101.

Phylace Hulst, 1896 , Trans. Am. Entomol. Soc. 23: 256, 277. Type species: Phylace luteolata Hulst, 1896 , Trans. Am. Entomol. Soc. 23: 277, by original designation. Synonymized by Ferguson, 1983: 101.

DIAGNOSIS: Species of Eulithis have yellow, white, or brown wings with a contrasting central fascia (figs. 1–3). The central fasciae of the forewing are band­shaped, or indistinct comprising many oblique lines (e.g., E. convergenata ). Male sexual tufts are present on the underside of forewing, originating from the basal part of the anal vein. The male genitalia (figs. 12D, E, 13G) are distinguished by the well­developed anellus lobe with long and dense apical hairs, scobinate diaphragma, slender valva with a saccular process, and the presence of cornuti patches on the vesica.

BIOLOGY: Host plants of several Palearctic Eulithis are known: E. prunata and E. mellinata on Ribes ( Saxifragaceae ); E. testata on Betula ( Betulaceae ), Populus and Salix ( Salicaceae ); and E. populata on Vaccinium ( Ericaceae )(Skinner, 1984). In North America, E. diversilineata and E. gracilineata feed on Vitis and Parthenocissus ( Vitaceae ); E. propulsata on Ribes ( Saxifragaceae ); E. destinata and E. flavibrunneata on Salix ; and E. xylina on Alnus ( Betulaceae ), Salix , Rosa , Amelanchier and Potentilla ( Rosaceae ), Symphoricarpos ( Caprifoliaceae ), Ribes (McGuffin, 1958) . In Japan, E. convergenata feeds on Acer ( Aceraceae ), Alnus , and Carpinus ( Betulaceae ); and E. ledereri on Vitis , Parthenocissus , and Schizophragma ( Saxifragaceae ) (Sato and Nakajima, 1987).

DISTRIBUTION: The genus is Holarctic. Two species, E. testata and E. populata , occur widely from Europe throughout Asia and to North America. In Palearctic, two species are widespread ( E. prunata and E. pyropata ); two occur in western ( E. mellinata , E. roessleraria ); and four in eastern ( E. convergenata , E. ledereri , E. albicinctata , E. pulchraria ). In North America, about 11 species are known: widespread ( E. propulsata ); northern ( E. destinata , E. flavibrunneata ); western ( E. xylina , E. luteolata ); eastern ( E. diversilineata , E. gracilineata , E. molliculata , E. explanata , E. serrataria , E. testata ).

DISCUSSION: The Holarctic genus Eulithis is here redefined by three synapomorphies: the scobinate diaphragma, the narrowed basal part of the anellus lobe, and the cornuti grouped in two patches. The monophyly of Eulithis was first defined by Choi (1997) based on nine apomorphic characters, mainly of the male and female genitalia. Differences between the present analysis and the previous one are due to the inclusion of ten additional species from North America. The character analysis revealed substantial morphological variability within the genus: male antenna (bipectinate in E. luteolata , E. xylina ) (fig. 4); the shape of the apical streak on the forewing; the shape of the male eighth sternite; the shape and length of the saccus; the costa of the valva; the wall of the ductus bursae; and the signum of the corpus bursae.

SPECIES INCLUDED (* indicates unexamined taxon):

albicinctata (Püngeler, 1909)

= eminens (Prout, 1937) NEW SYNONYMY convergenata (Bremer, 1864)

destinata (Moschler, 1860)

= schistacea (Warren, 1901) NEW SYNONYMY *ssp. harveyata (Taylor, 1906)

*ssp. triangulata (Packard, 1873) diversilineata (Hübner, 1812)

explanata (Walker, 1862)

flavibrunneata (McDunnough, 1943) gracilineata (Guenee, 1858)

ledereri (Bremer, 1864)

= inurbana (Prout, 1937) NEW SYNONYMY luteolata (Hulst, 1896)

mellinata (Fabricius, 1787)

molliculata (Walker, 1862)

peloponnesiaca (Rebel, 1902)

* perspicuata (Püngeler, 1909)

* phylaca (Dyar, 1916)

populata (Linnaeus, 1758)

propulsata (Walker, 1862)

prunata (Linnaeus, 1758)

= arctica (Strand, 1901) NEW SYNONYMY *ssp. teberdensis (Alberti, 1969)

pulchraria (Leech, 1897)

pyropata (Hübner, 1809)

= sugitanii (Prout, 1937) NEW SYNONYMY *ssp. elegans (Inoue, 1955)

roessleraria (Staudinger, 1870)

*ssp. pseudoledereri (Schwingenschuss, 1939) serrataria (Barnes & McDunnough, 1917) testata (Linnaeus, 1761)

xylina (Hulst, 1896)

ssp. speciosa (Hulst, 1896)

Figures

Fig. 2. Adults of ingroup taxa. A. Ecliptopera (= Gandaritis) atricolorata; B. Lobogonodes multistriata; C. Eustroma (= Antepirrhoe) fasciatum; D. Eustroma (= Antepirrhoe) atrifasciatum; E. Evecliptopera illitata; F. Eustroma reticulatum; G. Eustroma aerosum; H. Eustroma melancholicum; I. Eulithis ledereri; J. Eulithis explanata.

Fig. 3. Adults of ingroup taxa. A. Eulithis diversilineata; B. E. testata; C. E. propulsata; D. E. populata; E. E. luteolata; F. E. destinata; G. E. xylina; H. E. (= Gandaritis) pyraliata; I. E. mellinata; J. E. (= Gandaritis) powellata.

Fig. 12. Male genital capsule. Scale bar = 1 mm. A. Lobogonodes multistriata; B. Eulithis (= Gandaritis) pyraliata; C. E. (= Gandaritis) powellata; D. E. luteolata; E. E. propulsata.

Fig. 13. Male aedeagus. Scale bar = 1 mm. A. Eustroma (= Antepirrhoe) semiatratum; B. Ecliptopera (= Gandaritis) atricolorata; C. Eustroma aerosum; D. Gandaritis sinicaria; E. Chartographa (= Callabraxas) ludovicaria; F. Eulithis (= Gandaritis) powellata; G. E. explanata.

Fig. 15. Female genitalia. Scale bar = 1 mm. A. Eustroma (= Antepirrhoe) semiatratum; B. Evecliptopera illitata; C. Eulithis luteolata; D. E. explanata; E. E. (= Gandaritis) powellata.