Epiphyas Turner
Type species: eucyrta Meyrick
DIAGNOSIS
External characters:
Venation:
venation Epiphyas postvittana
Forewing: All veins separate; M 3 present or absent.
Hindwing: M 3 -CuA 1 extending from one point or stalked or M 3 absent.
Forewing shape and markings:
Epiphyas postvittana males; Epiphyas postvittana females
Forewing elongate rectangular, with a small costal fold in males. Markings variable.
Sexual dimorphism:
Costa more strongly arced basally in females; forewing longer, without costal fold. Males with pencil of hairs arising from the base of the hindwing.
Genitalia:
Male:
male genitalia E. postvittana
Uncus uniformly broad throughout or expanding terminally, with ventral brush consisting of hairs; arm of gnathos simple; socius very small or vestigial. Valva with well developed distal, slender portion; transtilla bipartite, dentate, both parts with distinct terminal process (those processes may fuse as shown by Common, 1961) in case of Epiphyas liadelpha (Meyrick) from Australia).
Female:
female gen. E. postvittana
Median part of sterigma concave dorsally, lateral portions tapering terminally, occasionally with anterior prominences; antrum armed with short internal sclerite; ductus seminalis posterior dorsal; signum with variably developed capitulum.
Early stages:
Only Epiphyas postvittana is known from the Palaearctic region (UK only). Details on early stages concern this species. Eggs are flat, broadly oval, pale green in colour when first laid but turning yellowish during development. They are deposited in batches of 3-150 eggs, covered by almost transparent coating. Larvae are up to 20 mm in length, pale yellowish green (darker dorsally) with pale pinacula. Pupae are dark reddish brown.
Biology:
In the UK, Epiphyas postvittana has two generations yearly. Larvae are polyphagous.
Distribution:
Australian region; introduced to England (Epiphyas postvittana).