Classification of the Palaearctic Notodontidae
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Classification of the Palaearctic Notodontidae The family Notodontidae or Prominent Moths have an almost worldwide distribution (being absent from the Arctic regions and New Zealand) and comprises some 3,000 described species. The family Notodontidae is part of the superfamily Noctuoidea, which is the largest superfamily in the Lepidoptera, including more than 65,000 described species. The Noctuoidea are characterized by the presence of a metathoracic tympanal organ of the adults and the presence of two MD setae on the larval metathorax (Kristensen 1998: 355). There are two major differences in the adult wing venation which divides the Noctuoidea into two categories: those with "quadrifid" and those with "trifid" medial forewing venation. The Notodontidae belong to the latter category of the trifid Noctuoidea together with the smaller families Oenosandridae, Doidae, Thaumetopoeidae and Dioptidae, which are often treated by some authors as subfamilies of the Notodontidae. In the present work the Thaumetopoeidae are recognized as a distinct family, which is linked probably to the Lymantriidae and excluded from the Notodontidae. The other families listed above are not Palaearctic. Fig. 6. Internal view of the tympanum of Antheua simplex (Notodontidae, Phalerinae) (from Kristensen 2001, fig. 19.2). ac = accessory tympananum, aepm = anapre epimeron, ct = counter-tympanic membrane, epm = metepimeron, n = nodular sclerite, ph = metascutal phragma, pn = metapostnotum, sb = subalare, sc = '\ "-., $01 metascutum, scl = metascutellum, t = tympanum, tps ·o M$02 = tergopleural suture of first abdominal segment. \ -~ L1 .--- / L2 The majority of the Noctuoidea, including the large family Noctuidae, are quadrifid in their wing venation. An exception is found in the phylogenetically interesting subfamily Platychasmatinae of the Notodontidae, which shows quadrifid venation of the forewings. The Platychasmatinae are actually accepted as a Fig. 7.1horaic and first three abdominal segments oflarval Notodontidae subfamily of the Notodontidae but Kiriakoff 1963: (from Miller 1991, fig. 455). 33 recognized them as Noctuidae. ,,\.R) ,o\.R~\.R~ tM , ..\.sc.l <D\.R~ ------l1 \.R~ tM. 6\.~) ,~~~ ,.\.~~ :,\.c~ :'> .. \.c~;-\-1-~~ ....--------==== ~7\?. -\-~0 . Figs. 8, 9. Trifid forewing venation of Notodonta ziczac (from H eath & Emmet 1979, fig. 4) and quadrifid venation of Platychasma virgo (from Miller 1991, fig. 527). 7 Miller 1991: 172 listed several synapomorphies to support the Subfamily: Scranciinae Miller, 1991: 182, 194 monophyletic nature of the Notodontidae: ''Adults: Sclerotized Type-genus: Scrancia Holland, 1893 apices of tibial spurs with margins serrate; metascutal bulla present, teardrop-shaped; vein ~stalked with R3_5, no accessory Miller 1991 established in the Dudusinae the tribe Scranciini cell present; pleuron of female segment 8 partially membranous; with African and Asian genera. These are narrow-winged a ventral, invaginated, glandular region present in membrane moths including such genera as Gargetta and Porsica. Both between papillae anales and ostium; males with a terminal tuft genera have similarities to the Ceirinae but the larvae of the of long hairlike scales; scale apices simple or serrate. Larvae: Scranciinae feed on Euphorbiaceae (as far as is known) and mandibular cutting edge smooth; body evenly covered with not on Monocotyledones as the Ceirinae do. They have greatly secondary setae, larger setae or sometimes verrucae present elongated anal prolegs and reduced prolegs on A3 and A4. at primary setal locations; MD setae bisetose on A1; seta X The male genitalia of Scranicinae are less modified as in the located in E area near anterolateral corner of anal shield, or a Dudusinae. The Scranciini are arised here to a subfamily, placed verruca in that position; crochets uniordinaL" between the Dudusiinae and the Ceirinae. In the present work The male antennae are usually bipectinate, those of the the Scranciinae include 20 species. The subfamily is distributed female are pectinate or filiform. The forewings display, in many in Africa, Asia, the Papuan region and in South China reach to species, a median tooth-like tuft of scales projecting from the its northern boundary. dorsum. The abdomen ending in many species with a tuft of scales or hairs. The male genitalia are characterized by the presence of a pair of well-developed socii and pleated sacculus, Subfamily: Ceirinae Matsumura, 1929: 79 enclosing long hair-like androconia. The 8th abdominal segment Type-genus: Ceira Walker, 1865 often have numerous modifications, because males of many species use it to grasp the female during copulation. These This homogenous, well-defined subfamily of "bamboo modifications, particularly of the 8th sternites, are in many cases moths" has a yellowish ground-colour of the wings, imitating of taxonomic value for identification of the species. old bamboo-leaves. The hostplants of the larvae are the Monocotyledones, such as grasses, bamboo, palms. They are The eggs of all groups of the Notodontidae are hemisperical long and smooth in shape, greenish to brownish in colour with smooth chorions that lack the conspicuous sculpturing making them well adapted to their hostplants. Some imagines often seen in other Lepidoptera. Some European Notodontid of the Ceirinae (Ramesa, Pydnella) are reported as tear drinkers - eggs are illustrate in Doring (1955) _ (Banziger 1988). The Subfamily is diverse in South China and is represented in the Palaearctic region by 134 species. The Notodontid larvae can be recognized by the presence of subfamily is distributed in Africa, the Oriental and the Papuan two MD setae on A1; other Noctuoidea have only one MD regions. seta. Many larval notodontids have the anal prolegs modified as stemapods, sometimes with eversible distal glands. The pupae of the Central European Notodontidae are Subfamily: 317 described and illustrated in Patocka & Turcani (2005). Cerurinae Butler, 1881: Type-genus: Cerura Schrank, 1802 Miller 1991 gives a subfamilial classification and recognized nine subfamilies within the Notodontidae. With some The Cerurinae were included by Miller 1991 in the Notodontinae, modifications and additions I follow his concept and recognize but they represent a distinct subfamily, defined by the external appearance of the whitish ground coloured adults, often with the following subfamilies in the Palaearctic region and use them in the present work: characteristic black pattern. This makes it easy to recognize a member of the Cerurinae. The larvae are well known and characterized by the "humped" methathorax and by the paired Family: anal appendages. They are oligophagous on Salicaceae and Flacourtiaceae. The pupation takes place in a strong cocoon Notodontidae Stephens, 1829: 39 on the trunk of its foodplant or a nearby wooden post. The Type-genus: Notodonta Ochsenheimer, 1810 small subfamily is distributed worldwide. In the Palaearctic region 37 species occur. Subfamily: Dudusinae Matsumura 1929: 406 Type-genus: Dudusa Walker, 1865 Subfamily: Dicranurinae Duponchel, 1845:86 Tarsolepidinae Kiriakoff, 1950: 104; (Tarsolepis Butler, 1872) Type-genus: Dicranura Reichenbach, 1817 Stauropinae, Matsumura, 1929: 406; (Stauropus Germar, 1812) Fentoniinae Matsumura, 1929: 78; (Fentonia Butler, 1881) This subfamily is represented by larger species in Asia and HeterocampinaeNeumoegen &Dyar, 1894: 183, 200; (Heterocampa America. They are externally characterised by the prominent Doubleday, 1841) anal brush and the presence of large ocelli on the head. The larva has modified anal prolegs. Their hostplants are The Dicranurinae are closely related to the Cerurinae, but the mostly Aceraceae, Sapindaceae and Fagaceae as far as long - pectinated antennae have a simple tip and the ground known. Banziger 1988 reported tear-drinking adults in colour of the forewings is usually not white. The larvae are often Tarsolepis. 35 species are present in the Palaearctic region. modified with elongated anal prolegs sometimes resembling 8 .