Hystrichophora Walsingham, 1879

Agassiz, David J. L., 2011, The Lepidoptera of Acacia domatia in Kenya, with description of two new genera and six new species, Journal of Natural History 45 (29 - 30), pp. 1867-1893 : 1879

Hystrichophora Walsingham, 1879

At first these species were thought to represent a new genus since they are so distinct from other Tortricoid species, but thanks to Leif Aarvik (pers. comm.) they were recognized as belonging to this genus, formerly known only from America ( Gilligan 2007).

These are comparatively large Tortricid moths with a distinctive wing shape, having a slightly sinuate termen. Head having labial palpus clothed with dense scales; proboscis short. Male genitalia very distinctive. Wing venation is shown in Figure 6. Fore wing with sinuate termen.

Male genitalia are strongly sclerotized, uncus bifid, valva reduced to a curved filament, sacculus large and heavily sclerotized, asymmetrical, aedeagus long, strong and curved.

Female genitalia with a pair of signa in the corpus bursae, usually shaped so that each has a right-angled cross section. The funnel-shaped antrum (sterigma sensu Horak (2006)) is also characteristic.

Life history

The three known species have larvae living within domatia of Acacia spp. ; it is likely that they are obligate domatium feeders.

Dr Marianne Horak (pers. comm.) advises that this genus belongs to the tribe Enarmoniini .