16 P. E. S. WHALLEY 



wing with Sc+Rj^ and Rs often fused for part of their length. Frenulum present. Male 

 genitalia usually highly modified. Uncus often bifid, socii well developed. Valves often re- 

 duced or highly modified, rarely simple. Female with simple, unfolded anal papillae, often 

 with a well developed, sclerotized, spiny plate around ostium. Signum present or absent. 



This subfamily is pantropical and includes genera with, for the Thyrididae, an 

 unusually wide distribution in the Old and New World (e. g. Banisia, Mathoris). 

 The complicated male genitalia are characteristic of species of this subfamily. The 

 presence of interfacetal hairs on the eyes has not been detected in any other sub- 

 family. 



Siculinae 



This is the largest subfamily in the Thyrididae and is characterized by species with 

 fairly simple genitalia. The species in this subfamily range in size from 6-27 mm 

 wing. There are several anomalous genera at present in this subfamily. 

 Cecidothyris has species with two-segmented labial palps (instead of the more usual 

 three), Sinecalca is characterized by species where the frenulum is absent in both 

 sexes. The subfamily is divided into two tribes based on the presence or absence 

 of spines on the tarsal segments. The Rhodoneurini have a pair of spines at the 

 distal end of each tarsal segment, whereas the Opulini have the tarsal segments 

 without spines. In a few species in the last tribe there are spines on the last tarsal 

 segment but not on the others. It is difficult to give an estimate of the number of 

 genera of Thyridids which belong to this subfamily but probably it includes nearly 

 75% of the world genera. 



Subfamily description. Proboscis present. Labial palps 3-segmented, rarely 2-segmented. 

 Eyes without interfacetal hairs. Ocelli absent. Antennae minutely ciliate, pectinate or 

 lamellate. Fore tibia with epiphysis or, rarely, without epiphysis. Hind tibia with one or 

 two pairs of spurs. Tarsi without spines or with apical pair. Hind wing with Sc+R x and Rs 

 free. Frenulum present or, rarely, absent. Male genitalia generally relatively simple, occa- 

 sionally with some modifications of valve, uncus or gnathus. Female with simple, unfolded 

 anal papillae. Ostium usually without sclerotized plate. Bursa with or without signum. 



The Siculinae contains all the species which cannot be placed in the other sub- 

 families and, as a result, includes some slightly anomalous genera. When other 

 faunae are studied, further division of this subfamily may be necessary. 



Key to Subfamilies 



1 Tarsal segments without spines ........ 2 



- Tarsal segments with apical pairs or rows of spines ..... 3 



2 (1) Large, fat-bodied moths (wing 13-36 mm). Wing pattern usually strongly 



reticulate. Proboscis usually reduced. Antennae dentate, pectinate, or 

 lamellate, rarely ciliate. Male with broad valve with median process (PI. 26, 

 figs 135-140). Gnathus absent. Aedeagus usually with lateral process. 

 Females with strongly folded anal papillae . ARGYROTYPINAE (p. 34) 



- Variable in size. Pattern reticulate or otherwise. Proboscis usually present. 



Antennae usually minutely ciliate, dentate, less frequently lamellate, or 

 pectinate. Male genitalia not as in PI. 26, figs 135-140. Female with simple 

 unfolded anal papillae SICULINAE (part) (p. 84) 



3 (1) Tarsi with apical pairs of spines only ........ 5 



- Tarsi with rows of spines on each segment ....... 4 



