Syrastrenopsis Grünberg, 1914

Saldaitis, Aidas, 2014, A review of the genus Syrastrenopsis Grünberg, 1914 (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae), Zootaxa 3794 (4), pp. 525-535 : 525-527

Syrastrenopsis Grünberg, 1914

Entomologische Rundschau 31: 38.

TS: Syrastrenopsis moltrechti Grünberg, 1914: 38 , by monotypy.

Description. Moderately sized Lasiocampids showing minor sexual dimorphism and often having semitransparent wings with smooth outer margins. The wing pattern consists of two or three transversal, generally oblique dark fasciae on a lighter background.

Venation (fig. 1, after S. kawabei and S. moltrechti ). In forewing Sc free; R1 free, arising from basal third of R-Сu cell; (R2 +R3), R4 free but its foundation closed with a base of (R5 + M1) which is on a short branch; bases of M2 and M3 moved apart; only one anal vein present; R-Cu cell is without a trace of the M-branch. In hindwing humeral zone of the hind wing weakly developed; Sc anastomises with Rs forming a small, narrow humeral cell with a single ( S. kawabei ) or a paired ( S. moltrechti ) additional humeral vein; M1 free; M2+M3 basically closed; 3 anal veins developed but A1 as a fold; trace of M-branch is visible in R-Cu cell near a vein; discal vein well developed in both wings but weaker than other veins.

Fore tibia of both sexes with ellipsoid epiphysis but shorter in females.

Male genitalia with broad, flattened, leaf-shaped valvae which are divided into two lobes: upper one slender and strongly curved and lower one wide and flattened leaf-shaped to semilunar; uncus and gnathos absent; socii membranous, well developed; short aedeagus with rounded apical spur; vesica with zones of distinct scobination. Shapes of valvae, aedeagus and vesica can be used diagnostically to identify species.

Female genitalia with vaginal plates distinct, wrinkled; ductus bursae short to reduced; corpus bursae bagshaped, membranous without signum.

Bionomics. Larva flattened dorso-ventrally, with lateral thoracic lappets; thorax with transversal band covered with dark scales. Pupa in a silken cocoon, formed on the food plant, in tree crevices or under bark.

Strongly univoltine species with autumnal flight period, hibernating as eggs. Likely monophagous on oaks ( Quercus spp.) with members of the genus associated with deciduous forests. Both sexes are attracted to light.

Distribution. The range of the genus is widely disjunct. The species are distributed from the Russian Far East, Korea and Taiwan to the mountains of Northeastern, Central and Southern China to Northern India, Nepal and Thailand. The addition of two new species brings the total species in this genus to seven with all being very local and often known only from a very few specimens.