Nocloini New Genus 5

Nocloini New Genus 5 contains the single peculiar species Nocloini New Genus 5 dissimilis (Barnes and McDunnough). This genus is characterized by a number of unique features of the male and female genitalia.

1) The spine-like cornuti of male vesica are very large and have strong, circular bases. Near the apex of the vesica two groups of particularly strong spine-like cornuti exist; a single, recurved spine on one side, and a group of strong, recurved spine-like cornuti opposite it. The bases of this second group are partially fused in a sclerotized, pleated region. The base of the vesica is covered with minute spinules and groups of spinules also occur near the bases of the two larger groups of spines and near the apex of the vesica.

2) The lateral apodemes of the male eighth abdominal sternum are distinctly present and are not reduced to small sclerotizations as they are in almost all other genera and species of the Nocloini.

3) The female genitalia are equally unique. The ovipositor lobes are small and very weakly sclerotized. The ovipositor is elongate as are the apophyses anteriores and posteriores. The ductus bursae is elonagate and is broadly joined laterally to a large, globular structure I am interpreting as the appendix bursae. The caudal third of the appendix bursae contains a strong sclerotization and the ductus seminalis arises from the caudal end of the appendix bursae. This sclerotization is found elsewhere in the tribe, but is never as large. The corpus bursae appears to be reduced to a small, stalked outpocketing of the cephalad end of the appendix bursae.

4) The outer ring of the frontal process poorly defined except along its dorsal margin. The outer margins are confluent with the outer margins of the front. The ventral margin of the frontal process is absent so that the frontal ring appears to be confluent with the clypeal margin. The central process is large and round. The large central process is the only visible portion of the frontal process unless the scales are brushed away from the front of the head. Therefore in most specimens the frontal process looks like a small, round, protuberance arising from the center of the frons.

The larva and its foodplants are unknown.