Bleptina Guenée

The inclusion of a number of Oriental species in the New World genus Bleptina Guenée (listed by Poole (1989)) is unjustifiable, as there is no obvious relationship. Those discussed below relate more to Bertula and allies, and share some facies elements with species such as B. crucialis Felder & Rogenhofer and B. delosticha Swinhoe. They are therefore placed in Bertula. Owada (1987) transferred Japanese species to Bertula from the concept of Bleptina applied to the Oriental fauna at the end of the 19th Century by, for example, Hampson and Leech. Owada (in Inoue et al., 1982) was the first to state that all such Oriental species are better placed in Bertula.

These Oriental ‘Bleptina’ mostly have pale linear fasciation and a pale discal lunule to both surfaces of the forewing, together with a pale submarginal zone near the apex of the wing similar to that of Adrapsa Walker. However, they resemble Bertula and allies by having a dark discal lunule and orbicular spot close together on the hindwing underside, rather than just a discal lunule (which is frequently pale). The labial palps of males are strongly recurved, with the apex of the third segment extending beyond the anterior margin of the thorax as in Bertula and allies.