Mithuna Moore

Type species: quadriplaga Moore, India.

The type species and fuscivena Hampson were two of the three originally included in the genus by Hampson (1900), but in different sections, differing in that fuscivenahas bipectinate (rather than ciliate) male antennae and five veins in the radial sector branching system, rather than four, but with R2 more basal in the system (Fig 1h). The male genitalia indicate they are probably not congeneric. The type species has a robust, broadly based uncus, a strongly hooked saccular process to the valve, an oblong saccus and an aedeagus vesica with two spiny cornuti. M fuscivena has a small, digitate uncus, a straight saccular process, an acute, triangular saccus, and an aedeagus vesica with a single very large cornutus. The female of quadriplagahas the combined ductus and bursa elongate, narrow, flimsy, and slightly expanded at each end. In a strict sense, probably only the new species below and M. arizana Wileman (Taiwan) can be included with the type species as a natural grouping for Mithuna.

Fig 1h: Mithuna quadriplaga Moore