THYRIDIDAE OF AFRICA AND ITS ISLANDS 105 



male. Externally T. ramiculata looks very similar to R. serraticornis. Tridesmodes 

 forms a link between the genus Epaena where the fore wing venation is similar and 

 Rhodoneura with which it shares some common characters. Some of the species of 

 Epaena also have the enlarged saccus found in Tridesmodes but the two genera can 

 easily be separated by the presence or absence of spines on the tarsal segments. The 

 genus Tridesmodes is only known from the mainland of Africa. 



Generic description. Labial palps 3-segmented. Eyes without interfacetal hairs. 

 Proboscis present. Fore wing with Rz+Rt+R;,. Fore tibia with epiphysis. Hind tibia 

 with two pairs of spurs. Tarsi each with a pair of spines at distal end. Male genitalia without 

 gnathus, saccus enlarged. Female with bursa minutely spined. 



Biology. Specimens of T. ramiculata examined had been bred from larvae 

 rolling leaves of Terminalia ivoriensis in Nigeria. 



Tridesmodes ramiculata Warren 

 (PI. 10, fig. 46; PI. 34, fig. 190; PI. 58, figs 348, 349) 



Tridesmodes ramiculata Warren, 1899b : 290. 

 Tridesmodes ansorgei Warren, 1901a : 6, syn. n. 

 Tridesmodes ansorgei Warren; Dalle Torre, 1914 : 39. 

 Tridesmodes ramiculata Warren; Dalle Torre, 1914 : 39. 

 Tridesmodes ramiculata Warren; Gaede, 191 7 : 373. 

 Tridesmodes ansorgei Warren; Gaede, ibid. 

 Tridesmodes ramiculata Warren; Gaede, 1929 : 497. 

 Tridesmodes ansorgei Warren; Gaede, ibid. 

 Tridesmodes ramiculata Warren; Whalley, 1964a : 127. 



o*. Wing, 10-12-5 mm. Vertex and frons brown. Antennae minutely ciliate. Labial 

 palps with third segment 1/2 length of second, upturned, not reaching vertex. Thorax white, 

 irrorated with brown. Hind tibia with outer spur of distal pair nearly 2 X length of inner spur. 

 Outer spur 2/3 length of 1st hind tarsal segment. Legs with black and white scales in alternate 

 rings. Fore wing, pattern as in PI. 10, fig. 46, translucent white with dark brown costal margin 

 and brown reticulations. Small black dots between veins subapically. Vein i? s off common 

 stalk of i? 3 + 7? 4 . Underside, pattern darker than upperside, some veins coloured red. Hind 

 wings, colour and pattern as fore wing. Sc+Rj^ and Rs free. 



Genitalia <J (PI. 34, fig. 190). Uncus simple, with small dorsal hump. Gnathus absent. 

 Base of valve with long scales, basal process ending in strong toothed knob. Juxta spiny at 

 apex, two strongly sclerotized lateral lobes. Saccus very elongate. Aedeagus with group 

 of 14-30 strong spines, frequently with further sclerotization of vesica. 



$. Wing, 10— 11 mm. Colour and pattern as male. Labial palps long, reaching well in 

 front of head, third segment slightly shorter than second, palps 2 X diameter of eye. Often 

 more red in veins on underside than in male. 



Genitalia § (PI. 58, figs 348, 349). Anal papillae short. Ostium spiny, first part of neck 

 of duct spiny, bursa minutely spined. 



Discussion. Externally this species is similar to R. serraticornis but there is 

 much less red on the upperside of the wings of ramiculata and the genitalia are quite 

 distinct. This species has been bred from Terminalia ivoriensis, where the larvae 

 rolled the leaves. Some variation in size and pattern occurs, the Ugandan speci- 

 mens tend to have fewer cornuti in the aedeagus than the West African specimens 

 but the cornuti may be deciduous. The male specimens from the Congo are larger 



