Moths from Nam Nao, Thailand

[guldsmed]

Thx a lot.

I am not surprised, that the "Hexafrenum" is wrong, it does not look like a notodontid to me at all, but while looking for something else, I saw a picture on thaibugs.com, that was an exact match, and labelled with that name : http://www.thaibugs.com/wp-content/g...afrenum-sp.jpg

A misidentification at thaibugs then. To me it look like a noctuid or nolid maybe...

The Actornis I think is very likely to be be that genus, it is almost identical to the European species A. l-nigrum, that I know well from Denmark.

[guldsmed]

Found this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bettama...57605819766326 - remarkably similar to my "Netria multispina"...

[Painted Jezebel]

Yes, a good match. Now to confuse you!!!! In the Thai book, it is called Syntypistis pallidifascia, having been previously been known as Stauropus pallidifacia.

A large number of previous genera have been lumped together under Syntypistis, including Vaneeckeia, Taiwa, Stauropodopsis, Egonocia, Quadricalcarifera and Omestia. This is appears mainly due to the appearance of the larval stages, where known, which differ from Stauropus and Harpyia.

Schlintmeister states that the true classification of Syntypistis is not clear yet, and possibly should be divided into several subgenera, in which case, these above mentioned 'lumped' genera may make a reappearance, but only as subgenera.

[guldsmed]

Interesting info, there must be some way to differentiate the imagos of different genera, though? Or how are are species, where the caterpillar is unknown, assigned to genus?

Here in Denmark we have only one species of Stauropus and one of Harpyia and no Syntypistis, so it is a bit easier...

[guldsmed]

Some geometrids...

[Painted Jezebel]

Interesting info, there must be some way to differentiate the imagos of different genera, though? Or how are are species, where the caterpillar is unknown, assigned to genus?

Very fair question. Usually its is venation or examination of the male genitalia, or both. I think that there will be a lot of changes before the scientists ever agree. Tropical lepidoptera, particularly the moths is most definitely a 'work in progress'!

It may mean something to you, certainly not me, but Syntypistis male genitalia is described as "display a long uncus with gnathos, long and slender valves and an often diagnostic sclerotized 8th. abdominal segment. The socii are reduced or absent" (Schintlmeister, Moths of Thailand, Volume 5, 2007, p.126).

Personally, I'm none the wiser!!!!!

[guldsmed]

Thx, I am a bit wiser, I do not practice gentalia dissection/preparation, but have tried once in an entomology course at university and know many people who do it all the time.

I do not remember, what uncus (I think it means thorn) and gnathos are, but the valves are the lateral appendages of males (can be seen without dissection), and the next part does not refer to the genitals, but states that the 8th segment is hard. The socii is also something in the genitals, that I do not remember what is...

[guldsmed]

Did you have any opinion on the 3 geometrids?

Here are some more, one appeared before with a totally wrong I D (from thaibugs), here is a more likely one from Hong Kong Moths.