Rhetesa, BECKER, 2014

34. RHETESA BECKER, 2014 View in CoL

Rhetesa Becker, 2014: 27 View in CoL . Type-species: Dasylophia franzina Schaus, 1901 View in CoL

Adults. ( Figure 3K View FIGURE 3 ) Head: male antennae bipectinated nearly to tip, female simple filiform; antennal tuft present, third segment of labial palpi short. Thorax: male prothoracic leg without scent pocket; claws bifid. Wings: male 35 to 40 mm, females 40 to 45 mm; forewing with accessory cell present; forewing pattern dark fuscous and mottled brown, a single dark spot on the discal cell, anal margin with a dark brown line; hindwing simple white. Abdomen: bears a pair long scale tufts distally making the abdomen look bifurcate. Male terminalia ( Figure 7I View FIGURE 7 ): eighth sternite and tergite with a pair of sclerotized apodemes, uncus short and tip shaped; socii apparently absent; SSO absent; costulae absent; valvae very broad, almost as broad as long with no ornamentations, squared juxta; aedeagus long and thin with a process on the apex; vesica with deciduous cornuti.

Diagnosis. The genus can be recognized by the absence of the socii and the sclerotized apodemes found on the eighth tergite and sternite and the broad triangular valvae.

Comments. When originally described, the genus was said to be restricted to the cooler, southern regions of Brazil ( Becker 2014), but the USNM has specimens also from the arid Cerrado and Bolivia. Rhetesa abbreviata (Schaus) and R. franzina are very similar in their habitus, though R. abbreviata is slightly larger and lighter overall.

Distribution. Brazil and Bolivia.

Species included (2).

Rhetesa abbreviata (Schaus, 1901)

Rhetesa franzina (Schaus, 1901) *