Epieurybrachys Kato

Adult characteristics

The antennae are bipectinate in both sexes; ocelli, chaetosemata, maxillary palps and haustellum are all absent (Common 1970). The forewing veins in all genera except Agamopsyche Perkins arise directly from the cell. The family has been divided into two subfamilies on the basis of presence or absence of vein R₃ in the forewing (Kato 1940), an unsatisfactory system as one of the character states must be plesiomorphic. Krampl & Dlabola surveyed the male genitalia of some of the taxa and indicated that there was some uniformity of basic construction within the family.

Early stages

The eggs are disc.like (Common 1970). Kato (1940) described the larva of the Japanese Epiricania hagoromo Kato. In the full-grown larva the head is extremely small and retractile. The upper surface and margin of the ovate, flattened body is covered with a waxy secretion that is shed between the formation of a silken pad and the resumption of spinning the complete cocoon at pupation. The thoracic legs are small, with a sharp claw. The abdominal prolegs have a circlet of 16-20 minute crochets. The hooks and crochets enable the larva to cling to the flying or jumping host, onto the dorsal surface of which it has spun silken threads.

The cocoon is oblong with a convex surface dorsally and an anterior transverse rift.