Marthantia, SCHAUS, 1923

25. MARTHANTIA SCHAUS, 1923 View in CoL

Marthantia Schaus, 1923 . Type species: Marthantia stelligera Schaus, 1923 . Ann. Carn. Mus. p. 83

Adults. ( Figure 3B View FIGURE 3 ) Head: male antennae simple filiform; antennal tuft absent; third segment of labial palpi short; ocelli present. Thorax: male prothoracic leg lacks scent organ; claws bifid. Wings: males 35 mm. Forewings with rounded apex; accessory cell present. Forewing pattern brown at the base, with antemedial black curvy lines, the discal area has white dashes, as well as the postdiscal and marginal area.Apex with a dark spot. Hind wings fuscous, costa and base indistinctly whitish. Abdomen: grayish brown; short caudal tuft. Male terminalia ( Figure 7A View FIGURE 7 ): eighth tergite with midplate; eighth sternite with two apical sclerotized apodemes; valvae with well-developed SSO; valvae membranous; costa a sclerotized rod with membranous apex; uncus with distal process membranous with hairs and setae. Socii sclerotized with a snake fang-like shape; costulae present (thin and long sclerotizations); juxta triangular. Aedeagus long and thick at the base (Y-shape); callosum foot-like; vesica with deciduous cornuti.

Diagnosis. Marthantia has a Noctuidae-like habitus and lacks antennal tufts, however it is readily identifiable as a nystaleine based on the male terminalia. The shape of the socii are similar to Hermierella and Lepasta . The apical black dot and small white dashes in the postbasal, discal and postdiscal area are noteworthy, as is the wing shape which is stout and somewhat truncated. Also, this genus can be recognized due to the unique shape of the uncus, the snake fang shape of the socii, and the shape of the apical apodemes on the eighth sternite.

Comments. The genus belongs near Antiopha according to Schaus (1923) and indeed the genitalia of the type species of both genera are similar, as are they similar to Lepasta , particularly in valva shape (Compare Figs 5A, 5D View FIGURE 5 , and 7A View FIGURE 7 ). However, Antiopha lacks the snake fang shape of the socii.

Distribution. French Guyana.

Species included (1).

Marthantia stelligera Schaus, 1923 *