Eublemminae

The relationships of this group to the Aventiinae have been discussed on p. 81. It may well prove to be its sister-group, particularly through sharing a basal coil to the corpus bursae (regarded as an autapomorphy of Eublemmini by Fibiger & Hacker (2002) and by Fibiger & Lafontaine (2005)). It shares some facies features too, though not all species have the hindwing pattern as strong as, and similar to, that of the forewing (the Autoba Walker group (sensu Poole, 1989) of the type genus has a strong hindwing pattern). The phragma lobes between the first and second abdominal tergites are small.

Fibiger & Hacker (2002) and Fibiger & Lafontaine (2005) noted two other features that they considered autapomorphic for the subfamily: a semi-balloon-like juxta, heavily fused to the vinculum and the base of the valve; a ductus bursae with zones of sclerotisation basally and distally, with a membranous section in between. They noted the features of the male valve described on p. 82, but did not regard them as autapomorphies.

The first of these features, or something very similar, is seen in some Aventiinae such as Arasada (p. 118) and Hyposada (p. 121), and has the same effect on the facility with which the valves can be spread for mounting when dissected as noted by Fibiger & Hacker (2002), and also by J.N. Pollock (pers. comm.).

The moths can be relatively robust, with a broad thorax, but this is not universal. The pattern (e.g. in the Autoba group) can involve a strong, straight central fascia across the wings, that of the forewing being continued by that of the hindwing, and having a sharp angle subcostally, but this appears to be a modification of the medial fascia rather than the postmedial. The postmedial can appear as fine and irregular distal to the straight line, and only converges with it at the subcostal angle on the forewing.

The larvae lack prolegs on A3 and A4, and have a wide range of dietary requirements from defoliation to predation as discussed under Eublemma on p. 161. Beck (1992), supported by Fibiger & Hacker (2002), noted a potential larval apomorphy: enlargement of the MD and MSD setae of abdominal segments; these may be the longer setae referred to by Bell (MS) in relation to various larvae in Eublemma.

Fibiger & Lafontaine (2005) and Lafontaine & Fibiger (2006) included two tribes in their Eublemminae, Eublemmini and Pangraptini (see Holloway, (2005: 325)), but in neither instance did they justify this by a clear statement of synapomorphies. There are some weak similarities in facies characters between the Pangraptini (essentially the genus Pangrapta Hübner) and the expanded concept of the Aventiinae, such as extension of elements of the forewing pattern to the hindwing. The juxta is broad and rather rounded in the male genitalia of Pangraptini but is not intimately associated with the valve bases as in the Eublemmini. The ductus bursae lacks the features of sclerotisation at each end but not centrally, and the base of the corpus bursae is not coiled. The valve in the male genitalia of *Pangrapta *has many processes in a relatively basal position. The aedeagus vesica is relatively very much larger and often has cornuti. The eighth segment of the female is densely setose.

Any relationship of the Pangraptini to the Eublemmini, if it occurs at all, must therefore be with the Aventiinae / Eublemminae / Saroba grouping as a whole, rather than with any component of it. They should therefore retain their full subfamily status as Pangraptinae, accorded by Holloway (2005), for the time being.