Pammene Hübner
Type species: trauniana Denis and Schiffermüller
DIAGNOSIS
External characters:
Venation:
venation Pammene populana
Forewing: Chorda vestigial, originating equidistant from R 1 and R 2, extending to base of R 5; M -stem absent.
Hindwing: Sc and R fusing to beyond median cell in the males (subgenus Pammene) or separate (subgenus Eucelis), separate in females of both subgenera; M 3 and CuA 1 stalked.
Forewing shape and markings:
examples of Pammene spp.
Variable in size and forewing markings.
Additional characters:
scent scales P. argyrana
Transverse rows of scent scales on tergites 6-7 (rarely also 8) except for the species closely related to Pammene populana and Pammene nannodes. Cup-shaped glands at Sc-R in male hindwing.
Pammene critica has tufts of scent scales on 4th and 5th tergite.
Genitalia:
Male:
male gen. Pammene fasciana
Uncus vestigial, in form of a weak apical prominence of tegumen, or absent; valva simple, with variably developed neck, often weakly incised ventrally; sacculus and cucullus in many species more or less expanding ventrally; vestiture variable, usually neck clothed with hairs and/or spines, often with a peculiar group of spines situated at ventral edge of basal cavity. Aedeagus provided with ventral prominence or process showing a tendency to be reduced; cornuti non-deciduous, arranged in a row.
Female:
female gen. P. ochsenheimeriana
Postvaginal plate of sterigma concave, lateral edges limited by an inner rib, often expanding laterally into narrow plates; anterior edge in many species expanding, fused entirely with lateral parts, occasionally producing into a lateral process; ostium bursae protected by a sclerotic cup or funnel fused with sterigma, or membranous. Ductus bursae very short; cingulum anterior, often incomplete; ductus seminalis often broad, and often situated on anterior part corpus bursae; signa well developed. Seventh sternite variable, often short, with more or less elongate lateral portions, separated from the median part by means of ribs or folds.
Taxonomic Note:
There are two subgenera:
- Pammene Hübner, 1825; Type sp. Tortrix trauniana Denis and Schiffermüller, 1775
- Eucelis Hübner, 1825; Type sp.: Tortrix mediana Denis and Schiffermüller, 1775 = Pyralis aurana Fabricius, 1775
According to Razowski, 1989, tropical species included in Pammene need to be re-examined. The species critica Meyrick is included in Pammene, but I do not think it belongs in this genus.
Early stages:
Swatschek, 1958, provides the following diagnosis for the larvae based on chaetotaxy of 14 species.
SV group trisetose on A1-A2, bisetose on A7-A8 and unisetose on A9. On A9, both D setae on one pinaculum, D1 and SD1 on one pinaculum and two L setae on one pinaculum. On A1-8, L1 is about half as long as L2. Crochets chiefly biordinal.
Biology:
Pammene : Larvae are chiefly carpophagous, some species, however, are causing galls, some feed in leaves or (in numerous species) in the stems or under bark. Feeding habits may change during development. Food plants are deciduous trees (Aceraceae , Betulaceae , Rosaceae , Salicaceae). Full-grown larvae hibernate, they pupate in spring. The species are chiefly monovoltine, rarely there are two generations yearly.
Eucelis : Larvae feed in seeds of Apiaceae.
Distribution:
Palaearctic and Nearctic Regions; Pammene was also found in Oriental region, and under that name many tropical species were described, however, all need re-examination.