Trisophista, Meyrick, 1924

Agassiz, David J. L., 2019, The Yponomeutidae of the Afrotropical region (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea), Zootaxa 4600 (1), pp. 1-69 : 29

TRISOPHISTA Meyrick, 1924 stat. rev.

Trisophista Meyrick, 1924: 117

Type species: Trisophista doctissima Meyrick, 1924 .

Gershenson & Ulenberg (1998) sunk this genus as a synonym of Niphonympha Meyrick, 1914 on account of similarities in the male genitalia. However, Moriuti (1972) separates Yponomeutina from Niphonymphina on the basis of the maxillary palpus, which is 1-segmented in Yponomeutina and 3-segmented in Niphonymphina. The maxiallary palpus of Trisophista is 1-segmented which precludes Trisophista from Niphonymphina and so from the genus Niphonympha . In addition, Trisophista hindwing contains a hyaline patch with ridges ( Agassiz, 2017) whilst Niphonympha does not. Similarities between the genitalia cited by Gersheson & Ulenberg (1998) are likely a matter of convergence. However, the distinctness of this species and its genitalia merit retention of the genus Trisophista .