Sufetula Walker 1859
Creators: name: Müller, Anne
name: Hayden, James
name: Lees, David C.
name: Léger, Théo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Crambidae
Sufetula

description: Sufetula Walker, 1859
Type species: Sufetula sunidesalis Walker, 1859, by monotypy
¼ Loetrina Walker, 1863: 132. Type species: Loetrina flexalis Walker, 1863, by monotypy. Hampson 1896: 252 (syn.)
¼ Mirobriga Walker, 1863: 131-132. Type species: Mirobriga albicans Walker, 1863, by monotypy. Hampson 1896: 252 (syn.)
¼ Nannomorpha Turner, 1908: 80. Type species: Nannomorpha alychnopa Turner, 1908, by monotypy. Munroe 1995 a: 10, 76 (syn.)
¼ Perforadix Seín, 1930: 168. Type species: Perforadix sacchari Seín, 1930, by original designation. Solis & Shaffer 1999: 7 (syn.)
¼ Pseudochoreutes Snellen, 1880: 202. Type species: Pseudochoreutes choreutalis Snellen, 1880, by monotypy. Hampson 1896: 252 (syn.)
¼ Pseudochoreutis Hampson, 1899: 613
¼ Safetula Hampson, 1893: 44, 161
Diagnosis. Sufetula displays the following characters: the labial palpi are more upwardly curved than those of other Lathrotelinae, with a second segment that is ascendant and a third segment in the same arc, whereas other lathrotelines have a straight, porrect second segment and the third segment turned up at an obtuse angle. The postmedian line of the wings is very curved, with a distinctive curve outward near the costa and often a darker area at the apex (Figure 1). All have a dark discoidal spot and two to four spots on the medial area of the costa between the antemedian and the postmedial line (Figure 1). In the forewing, Rs 4 either diverges from the cell at the same point as the stalk of Rs 2þ 3 or shares a very short stalk with Rs 2þ 3, diverging less than 1/10 the length of Rs 2þ 3 (Figure 2). In some but not all species of Sufetula, the forewing has a tubular CuP vein. In the tympanal organs, the bullae tympani protrude into the body cavity below the level of the adjacent sternite. The male eighth sternum is medially membranous. The male genitalia have a manica with two distinctive hairy lobes and a valva with a more or less pronounced demarcated margin, like a membranous bumper. The uncus is present and variably reduced, not long and thin nor completely absent. The caecum penis is more than half the length of the phallus, with the ductus ejaculatorius inserted near the distal apex of the phallus. The female genitalia have papillae anales fused in a narrow triangle, and the Asian species of Sufetula have an ovate signum in the corpus bursae consisting of erect papillae.
Description. Wings. Forewing: Sc, R 1, Rs 1 separate; Rs 2 and Rs 3 long-stalked; Rs 4 connate with Rs 2þ 3 or very short-stalked with it; M 1 separate, M 2 and M 3 connate, not stalked; CuA 1 and CuA 2 separate; CuP present in some species, extended from the margin 1/ 3 to 1/2 toward the base of the wing before attenuating; 1Aþ2 A present, not forked at base; 3 A separate, not looped with 1Aþ2 A. Hind wing: Rs 1 anastomosed briefly with ScþR 1; M 1 connate with base of Rs 1 at corner of cell; M 2 and M 3 connate, not stalked; CuA 1 and CuA 2 present, separate; CuP, 1Aþ2 A, and 3 A present, separate. Tympanal organs. Bullae tympani recessed into body cavity, not lying flush with surface; saccus tympani reduced, broader than wide, in some species sexually dimorphic, males having a rounder, deeper, and more clearly defined depression than females. Pons tympani deeply indented in females, indentation fused in males. Male genitalia. Uncus present, rather simple, narrow, apex pointed or rounded, some species with few sparse setae. Gnathos missing. Juxta elongate, slender, deeply indented. Manica of two combs of densely sclerotised chaetae. Phallus long, slender, distally covered with tiny spicules, cornuti absent to multiple, distal half with marked Y-shaped sclerotisation; caecum penis longer than half the length of phallus, ductus ejaculatorius inserted around apical 1/4. Female genitalia. Papillae anales fused in acute triangle, longer than wide; ostium not armed; colliculum present, simple or with pair of low lobes; ductus bursae without distinct swellings or diverticula, without sclerotisation or with fine granules not aggregated; corpus bursae spheroidal, reticulate, without signum (Old- and New-World species) or with round or oblong signum (Old-World species).
Distribution and diversity. Sufetula includes 30 described species distributed over the whole tropical region. Species reported from Europe are the result of opportunistic introduction with ornamental plant trade.
Phylogenetic relationships. Sufetula is recovered as sister to Diplopseustis in Léger et al. (2019).
description: Published as part of Müller, Anne, Hayden, James, Lees, David C. & Léger, Théo, 2025, Assessment of species diversity of the Lathrotelinae (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) from the Philippines using morphology and DNA barcoding reveals eight new species, pp. 1-24 in Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity CLXVI (CLXVI) on pages 15-16, DOI: 10.1016/j.japb.2025.01.012, http://zenodo.org/record/15396126