Achrocerides Hering, 1937

Taberer, Tabitha R. & Giusti, Alessandro, 2022, Revision of Achrocerides Hering, 1937 (Lepidoptera: Chrysopolomidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 59, pp. 24-37 : 26-27

Achrocerides Hering, 1937

Hering, 1937, Annals of the Transvaal Museum, 17: 241.

Re-description of genus: Moths of medium size, ground colour beige to tawny-brown, sparsely speckled with dark scale spots. Antennae bipectinate in male, filiform in female, ochreous yellow; head tawny brown, palps ochreous orange. Forewing rounded, with pale rounded discal spot, grey-brown post-medial line, kinked near outer margin at vein M1; postmedial area with a diffuse grey-brown triangular patch between veins R3 and M1; hindwing rounded with undulate margin at tornus, grey-brown medial line, speckled with dark scales in distal half; often with pale, diffuse grey-brown triangular patch on outer margin between veins M1 and M2. In the male genitalia, the paired posterior processes of transtilla are long, narrow, pointed apically, fused medially with a membrane; paired anterior processes narrow, moderately long, fused medially with a membrane. Valve broad basally, abruptly tapered medially, distally truncate or triangular with rounded apex. Juxta strongly sclerotised with bilobate base, with two long, apically pointed lateral processes. Phallus relatively long, ridged distally, membranous, with slight apical split; vesica very short, membranous.

Here, the female of A. theorini is described for the first time. A description of the male genitalia is provided by Hering (1937), although it is revised here based on additional specimens from a wide variety of localities.

Diagnosis: When comparing the external appearance of Achrocerides with other members of the subfamily Chrysopolominae , members of the genus share similarities with Chrysopoloma in particular the pale, rounded discal spot on the forewing. For instance, C. rudis is highly reminiscent of Achrocerides due to also possessing medial lines on the fore- and hind wing, as well as having dark scales on the wings. Despite this, the antennae of Achrocerides are yellow compared to the black antennae of Chrysopoloma species, and, in the male genitalia, Achrocerides possesses two long, narrow anterior processes of the transtilla whilst in members of the allied genus this process is single, broad and generally rounded. The genitalia of Achrocerides are most reminiscent of those of Strigivenifera showing two long, distally tapering juxta processes. Externally, however, Achrocerides lacks the defined brown wing venation of Strigivenifera whilst possessing speckled dark scales which are absent in the related genus.

Species content