Tlotzinia, BECKER, 2014

41. TLOTZINIA BECKER, 2014 View in CoL

Tlotzinia Becker, 2014: 28 View in CoL . Type species: Tlotzinia tlotzin Schaus, 1892 View in CoL . p.332.

Adults. ( Figure 4D View FIGURE 4 ) Head: male antennae strongly pectinated to basal half, female antennae simple; antennal tufts absent; third segment of labial palpi short; ocelli reduced. Thorax: male prothoracic leg without scent pocket; tarsal claws bifid. Wings: males 15 to 20 mm; color pattern brown with a wooden pattern, forewings with antemedial band, medial line and postmedial lines with a double band lightly bent outwards defined by two black parallel lines; accessory cell present; hindwing with Sc-Rs stalked. Male terminalia ( Figure 7N View FIGURE 7 ): eighth tergite with midplate; eighth sternite with a single median depression and two sclerotized small projections; valvae long and thin, densely clothed in long and slender setae, SSO well developed; uncus thin and long with an acute and setose apex, each socius with two thin projections; costulae absent. Aedeagus robust with two subterminal lateral bumps, caltrop cornuti present, callosum present. Female terminalia: eighth tergite plain; eighth sternite with lateral prominences; papillae anales small and membranous, roughly ovoid with elongated dorsal setae; posterior apophyses short; anterior apophysis long; signum present; ostium sclerotized, wide, funnel shape; ductus bursae short; corpus bursae wide and long.

Diagnosis. The genus has an unmistakable habitus, with contrasting black wavy lines, spanning the forewing from costa to anal margin. Also, the character combination of basally pectinated antennae, no antennal tufts, short third segment of labial palpi, the hairy valvae, and the two lateral bumps on the aedeagus are unique to this genus.

Comments. The type species was described on a female specimen. Thiaucourt (2007) placed members of this genus as incertae sedis. Chacón et al. (2014) assigned tlotzin to Elymiotis , but Becker (2014) created a new genus for it, Tlotzinia . The etymology is a feminine epithet derived from the type-species name, a Nahuatl word and name of a Chichimeca chieftain and ruler (Mexican) ( Jalpa Flores 2023). Further genitalia images of the type species can be found in Chacón et al. (2014) as well as host plant information ( Rhamnaceae , Zizyphus guatemalensis ) and larval images. Interestingly, the twig-like larvae of Tlotzinia , which bear a pair of anterior abdominal spine-like protrusions and a caudal horn, are unlike any other in Nystaleinae .

Distribution. From Mexico to Brazil.

Species included (2).

Tlotzinia sigea (Schaus, 1928)

Tlotzinia tlotzin (Schaus, 1892) *