Nola Leach

Type species: palliola [Denis Schiffermüller] (= cucullatella Linnaeus), Austria.

Synonyms:

• Aradrapha Walker (type species partitalis Walker, S. Africa)
• Argyrophyes Grote (type species cilicoides Grote, U.S.A.)
• Automala Walker (type species semidolosa Walker, Borneo)
• Celama Walker (type species liparisalis Walker = bifascialis Walker, Borneo)
• Celamoides van Eecke (type species pseudastigma van Eecke, Java) syn. n.
• Chlamifera Hübner (type species palliola [Denis & Schiffermüller])
• Deltapterum Hampson (type species peguense Hampson, Burma)
• Epizeuctis Meyrick (type species innocua Butler, Taiwan)
• Idiocyttara Turner (type species tornotis Meyrick, Australia)
• Lebena Walker (type species trinotata Walker = triquetrana Fitch, N. America)
• Lira Billberg (unnecessary replacement name for Nola)
• Minnagara Walker (type species fasciata Walker, Moluccas)
• Necla Walker (type species canioralis Walker, Borneo)
• Neonola Hampson (type species mesosticta Hampson, Borneo)
• Pisara Walker (type species opalina Walker, Borneo)
• Roeselia Hübner (type species cucullatella Linnaeus, Europe).

Species in this genus typically have reduced forewing and hindwing venation as in Manoba, though in some taxa (e.g. the type species of Pisara and Neonola) the radial sector venation is further reduced to R1 and a bifurcation representing the rest. The male antennae are bipectinate or fasciculate, the latter condition occurring in most Bornean species.

The genus is most clearly defined on features of the male genitalia (Franclemont, 1960; Holloway & Miller, 1995): loss or extreme reduction of the uncus; absence of scaphial structures; cleavage of the valves into two longitudinal sections, the more ventral one bearing the harpe but also often having a small spine near its apex (e.g. Fig 108). The apodemes of the eighth segment are present on the tergite and often also the sternite, and usually more separated than in Manoba.

The female genitalia are typical of more advanced members of the subfamily, with two horn-like invaginations forming the signa of the corpus bursae, sometimes reduced to one or to adjacent scobinate domes (Figs 96, 97).

The genus is extremely widespread and diverse, but its true extent will only be gauged when taxa currently assigned to it have this placement supported by dissection of the male genitalia. Host records (Robinson et al., 2001) include several instances of feeding on flowers, fruits and pods; one instance of gall-feeding has been noted (Itô & Hattori, 1982).

Several further genus-group names placed as synonyms of Nola by Poole (1989) and Nielsen et al. have either been referred to under Meganola or Manoba or have not been checked in the light of the more strict definition above. These latter are:

• Cryphimaea Turner (type species poliophasma Turner, Queensland, Australia)
• Neocleta Turner (type species empyra Turner, Western Australia)
• Nestiodes Turner (type species eremnopa Turner, New South Wales, Australia)
• Stenola Möschler (type species bistriga Möschler, Puerto Rico).

Poliothripa Hampson Gen. rev. (type species niphostema Hampson (praeocc.) = steniphona van Son, S. Africa) should also be excluded; the genitalia of both sexes are distinct from those of Manoba.

A few trifine species that do not fall readily into Nola, Manoba or these other genera are treated under “Nola.