Noctuidae - Psaphidinae - Triocnemidini

 

Triocnemis Grote


Triocnemis Grote, 1881, Papilio, 1: 77.
Type species: Triocnemis saporis Grote, 1881. Monotypy.

Triocnemis is the first of three genera defined by a unique characteristic of the foretibial claw of the prothoracic leg.

1) In this claw there is a secondary tooth proximal to the main claw. In the normal claw in this tribe, and also in the Psaphidini and Oncocnemidini when the claw is strong, the claw may be continued as a rounded knife like ridge up the distal margin of the tibia. In these cases commonly there is a secondary claw arising from the distal end of the tibia. This form of a secondary claw in absent in Triocnemis, Triocnemidini New Genus 2, and Triocnemidini New Genus 3. Instead the secondary claw arises proximal to the main claw.

2) The eyesare not lashed from their rear margins.

3) The male valve simple with moderately larged and medially placed clasper. The valve is constricted toward apex and a corona is absent. Instead the apex of valve is clothed with dense spines.

4) The vesica of the aedoeagus has two parallel rows of spines, the outer row (left in figure) is denser than the inner row. The inner row of spines has large spines distally graduated to small spines proximally. There is no basal group of spines nor an apical spine. The outer group of spines is located in a slightly rugose region.

5) The ductus bursae of the female genitalia is long and unsclerotized. The corpus bursae is elongate with two plicae resembling a single row of bricks. The ductus seminalis arises from the distal region of the bursa.

It would be possible to unite the three genera Triocnemis, New Genus 2, and New Genus 3 on the basis of the shape of the tibial claw. The male genitalia are fairly similar if simple. The spining patterns of the vesica are different, but the transformations from one to the other are obvious. However, the female genitalia have major differences in the ovipositor lobes and the shapes of the bursa. More importantly, however, Triocnemis saporis has unlashed eyes, while the eyes of Triocnemidini New Genus 2 are strongly lashed. The eyes of Triocnemidini New Genus 3 show an intermediate condition. Because lashed eyes has been used in the past as a subfamily character, the three genera have been established for pragmatic reasons. However it should be remembered that the three form a single phylogentic grouping.


Larva undescribed but recorded from Polygonaceae.

Included Species


Triocnemis saporis