Ortopla Walker

Behounek, G., Han, H. L. & Kononenko, V. S., 2013, Revision of the genus Ortopla Walker, [1859] with description of two new species from Southeast Asia (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Pantheinae). Revision of Pantheinae, contribution X, Zootaxa 3746 (2), pp. 240-256 : 241-242

Genus Ortopla Walker , [1859] 1858

Ortopla Walker , [1859] 1858, List of the Specimens of lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum 16: 156. Type-species: Ortopla iarbasalis Walker , [1859] 1858, ibidem 16: 157, by monotypy. Lectotype: male, Borneo: Sarawak (OUMNH, Oxford), designated (as type) by Swinhoe, 1900, Catalogue of Eastern and Australian Lepidoptera Heterocera in the collection of the Oxford University Museum 2: 122.

= Oromena Moore, 1882 in Hewitson & Moore, Description of new Indian Lepidopterous Insects from the Collection of the Late Mr W.S. Atkinson: 160. Type-species: Briada relinquenda Walker, 1858 , List of the Specimens of lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum 15: 1802, by original designation, but cited by Moore as B. reliquenda , an incorrect subsequent spelling. Holotype female, [ India: North Hindustan (BMNH)].

= Koptoplax Hampson, 1891 , Illustrations of Typical Specimens of Lepidoptera Heterocera in the Collection of the British Museum 8: 33, 126. Type-species: Koptoplax lindsayi Hampson, 1891 , ibidem 8: 33, 127, pl. 154, fig. 17, by monotypy. Type (s), India: Nilgiri distr., South slopes (BMNH).

References: Nye 1975: 354; Poole 1989: 745; Holloway, 2009: 7, 2011: 266. Note: The genus Ortopla was not included in Hampson’s Noctuidae Catalogue (Hampson 1903–1913) nor in Seitz’s Oriental Noctuidae Atlas (Warren 1911–1913).

Diagnosis. Medium sized moths, wingspan 40–57 mm. Frons smooth, rounded. Eyes large, rounded, without hairs, surrounded with lashes. Proboscis fully developed. Antennae of male strongly fasciculate, densely ciliated, those of the female less fasciculate, ciliated. Labial palps large, upcurved, in male covered with dense hairs; their shape variable in different species, in some species female palps larger than those of male. Vein M 2 in hindwing present, arising from middle of cell. Legs with three regular rows of setae. Forewing large, triangular, in males of two species ( O. iarbasalis and O. lindsayi ) with prominent angled triangular extension on middle of costa. Those two species and O. nulliusinverba are sexually dimorphic: the female differs from the male by wing pattern. In other species sexual dimorphism is also expressed in the shape of the antennae and more contrasting wing pattern in female. Forewing colouration brown or grey-brown; wing pattern characteristic for the genus, formed by darkbrown waved or dentate lines. Hindwing yellowish-brown or yellowish grey suffused with dark, with medial band, broad terminal band and prominent tornal mark. Foretibia strongly tufted. In the male genitalia uncus strong, massive; scaphium massive, heavily sclerotised, terminating in a circular excavation opposite subscaphial area of sclerotisation. Tegumen twice long as vinculum, paratergal sclerites plate-like, indistinct; juxta inverted shield-like or triangular arrow or plate-like; valva simple, without processes, with narrow sacculus and parallel margins, apically rounded. Aedeagus with tubular tapering vesica, bearing patch or fine scobination medially. Female genitalia simple: ovipositor quadrangular; apophyses anteriores equal or half of the length of the posteriores ones, both pairs thin, weak; antrum weakly sclerotised; ductus bursae relatively long, tubular, membranous; corpus bursae sack-like, membranous.

Distribution. The genus includes seven species distributed exclusively in the Oriental region from India and Sri Lanka to Southwest China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines.