Ectropinae Hering, 1937

Taberer, Tabitha R., 2023, Revision of the family Chrysopolomidae Aurivillius, 1895 (Lepidoptera: Zygaenoidea) with the description of three new genera, Bonn zoological Bulletin 72 (1), pp. 1-23 : 7-8

Subfamily Ectropinae Hering, 1937

Annals of the Transvaal Museum 17: 236–237.

The subfamily Ectropinae contains mostly small, beige species. In the male genitalia, they possess completely separated anterior processes of the transtilla, a simple juxta and most species also have a narrow valve (with the exception of Ectropona species) as well as a longer and larger vesica of the phallus, and are very distinct from the Chrysopolominae . Members of Ectropinae are smaller in size and Hering (1937) also observed that in wing venation, the basal portion of r 4+5 is mostly absent in Ectropinae but well-developed in Chrysopolominae .

Zolotuhin et al. (2014) transferred the tribe Achroceridini (containing Strigivenifera and Achrocerides ) from Chrysopolominae to Ectropinae , based on reasoning that Ectropa possessed “gnathos-like sclerites” in the male genitalia similar to Strigivenifera and Achrocerides . This is problematic for a number of reasons. Firstly, Zolotuhin et al. (2014) did not include any representatives of Ectropinae in their study believing that a priori, it was the “least important” group for their analyses as members of Strigivenifera were close in terms of genital morphology; it should be noted that at this point in their review, Strigivenifera was still in the subfamily Chrysopolominae . It is also important to consider that all Chrysopolomidae genera possess a gnathos-like transtilla and hence it is probable that Zolotuhin et al. (2014) were referring to the shape of this character being similar in Ectropa , Achrocerides and Strigivenifera and not the presence of the structure itself. If this were the case, the homologous and thus interchangeable use of the terms “gnathos-like sclerites” and “transtilla” in this particular section make it incredibly confusing for the reader and misinterpretations may occur as a result. In order to clarify this issue, the terminology of the genital structures as referred herein are clearly defined and an annotated figure is provided in Fig. 1 . The genus Diquishia was then described within the tribe Achroceridini in Kurshakov & Zolotuhin (2016), again based on observed similarities with Strigivenifera genitalia.

The results of the phylogenetic analyses coupled with further morphological investigations suggest that Strigivenifera , Achrocerides , and Diquishia belong in the Chrysopolominae and are herein transferred back to the subfamily.

Kurshakov & Zolotuhin’s (2013a) review of the genus Ectropa and description of Ectropona provided an excellent contribution to the knowledge of what was previously a monotypic genus, but through further phylogenetic and morphological investigations in this present study, the existence of two further genera has become apparent. Firstly, Ectropa was recovered in two clades with very large pairwise distances in the phylogeny as discussed above. One clade comprised the type species of the genus, E. ancilis Wallengren, 1863 , and E. alberici Dufrane, 1945 in the other. Externally, E. ancilis has characteristically scalloped hindwings (as also seen in E. adam Kurshakov & Zolotuhin, 2013 ) whilst the hindwings of E. alberici are only scalloped at the tornus, similarly to the distinct genus Ectropona ; the forewings of E. alberici are also more rounded than those of E. ancilis . Ectropa alberici is noticeably larger in size and the wings bear a grey, mottled appearance with only extremely faint postmedial lines compared to the well-defined postmedial lines of E. ancilis . In the male genitalia, the clasping apparatus of E. alberici is considerably larger, possessing a far narrower and more elongate uncus and a rectangular, plate-like posterior process of the transtilla. The anterior processes of the transtilla of E. alberici are considerably longer and more developed than in E. ancilis , and the juxta is formed into a shield-like structure compared to the simple juxta of the latter. These morphological characters, coupled with the high divergences found in the DNA barcodes, suggest the existence of a derived member of the subfamily, and thus a new generic name is introduced: Muscectropa gen. n.

Ectropona was the only genus to be recovered as paraphyletic within the Ectropinae , a paratype of E. dargei Kurshakov & Zolotuhin, 2013 , the type species of Ectropona , with the BOLD process number LIMBC760-11, clustering separately to three specimens of West African E. revelli Kurshakov & Zolotuhin, 2013 . Further morphological investigations revealed the male genitalia of E. dargei (as well as E. aarviki Kurshakov & Zolotuhin, 2013 and E. kubwe Kurshakov & Zolotuhin, 2013 ) to be extremely simplified in comparison to all other Chrysopolomidae, wherein the transtilla lacks apical processes and is comprised of a flat, triangular posterior process and the valve is triangular. The male genitalia of E. revelli (and E. larsa Kurshakov & Zolotuhin, 2013 ), however, has a very elongate, pointed posterior process of the transtilla and two short, anterior processes. Perhaps the most distinctive feature to separate E. revelli and E. larsa from the other three Ectropona species is the presence of a saccular process on the valve. Externally, the moths are similar in appearance although the forewing discal spot of E. revelli and E. larsa is more ovoid or kidney-shaped compared to the rounded discal spot of all other members of Ectropona . Whilst Kurshakov & Zolotuhin (2013a) noted the presence of the saccular process in E. revelli and E. larsa and not in other members of Ectropona , the phylogenetic results here strongly suggest these two taxa belong in their own distinct genus; hence, based on the evidence presented above, a new generic name is established for these two species: Pseudectropona gen. n.

The placement of the monotypic Madagascan genus Vietteopoloma within the Ectropinae is herein maintained. Although not represented in the phylogenetic analyses, Vietteopoloma shares several similarities in both the external and genital morphology which support its position within this subfamily. The fore- and hindwing pattern and shape is highly reminiscent of Ectropa , and the moth is similarly small in size. In the male genitalia, the two posterior processes of the transtilla are completely separated, which is unique within the Ectropinae , although the anterior processes are also separated which is typical of the subfamily. The shape of the phallus is somewhat reminiscent of Ectropa , being extremely narrow, strongly sclerotised, and evenly curved whilst the narrow valve which points dorsally at the apex is similar to Ectropa and Chrysectropa .

The following list comprises the genera and species contained within Ectropinae , with brief genus re-descriptions and diagnoses:

Figures

Fig. 1. Terminology of Chrysopolomidae genitalia, showing representatives from subfamily Ectropinae (left) and subfamily Chrys- opolominae (right).