Epiblema
Male Genitalia
E.trimaculana group
Regarding the whole illustrated part as the valva, E.roborana is readily distinguished by 3 valval features: 1) neck as broad as valva at sacculus*; 2) cucullus short and broad; 3) ventral margin scalloped. In comparison, E.trimaculana/rosaecolana both have a narrowed neck, elongate cucullus and an evenly convex ventral margin; and they are very similar to each other. E.rosaecolana has a pointed cucullar lobe while in E.trimaculana this lobe is rounded. DIssection group give 4 further features which I have so far found unconvcincing - features for E.trimaculana given first: 1) sacculus* fairly narrow vs fairly broad; 2) cucullus parallel vs slightly tapering upwards; 3) prominence weakly curved vs strongly curved; 4) socii short vs long.
*Dissection group refers to the sacculus as the whole width of the base of the 'valva'; my understanding is that strictly the sacculus refers only to the ventral portion.
*Dissection group refers to the sacculus as the whole width of the base of the 'valva'; my understanding is that strictly the sacculus refers only to the ventral portion.
Epiblema trimaculana © Chris Lewis
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Epiblema rosaecolana © Chris Lewis
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Epiblema roborana © Chris Lewis
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E.scutulana group
Epiblema scutulana © Chris Lewis
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Epiblema sticticana © Chris Lewis
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Epiblema costipunctana © Chris Lewis
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Key to E.scutulana group
Sacculus with distinctly angular ventral margin > E.sticticana (fairly evenly rounded in all other Epiblema species except E.foenella)
Pulvinus* present; horn very small > E.costipunctana
Horn long and pointed, about as long as broad) > E.tetragonana ^
Dorsal margin of valva shallowly curved (angle formed between long axis of sacculus and long axis of cucullus distinctly obtuse)
> E.scutulana/E.cirsiana (these two are indistinguishable)
Dorsal margin of valva steeply curved (angle formed between long axis of sacculus and long axis of cucullus almost 90 deg) > E.cnicicolana ^
* a semicircular bristly pad adjacent to the horn; ^ based on drawings in Pierce & Metcalfe
Sacculus with distinctly angular ventral margin > E.sticticana (fairly evenly rounded in all other Epiblema species except E.foenella)
Pulvinus* present; horn very small > E.costipunctana
Horn long and pointed, about as long as broad) > E.tetragonana ^
Dorsal margin of valva shallowly curved (angle formed between long axis of sacculus and long axis of cucullus distinctly obtuse)
> E.scutulana/E.cirsiana (these two are indistinguishable)
Dorsal margin of valva steeply curved (angle formed between long axis of sacculus and long axis of cucullus almost 90 deg) > E.cnicicolana ^
* a semicircular bristly pad adjacent to the horn; ^ based on drawings in Pierce & Metcalfe
