Rhopobota Lederer
Type species: naevana Hübner
DIAGNOSIS
External characters:
Venation:
venation Rhopobota naevana
Forewing: Chorda extending from 1/3 distance R 1-R 2 to mid-distance R 5-M 1, if preserved; M -stem to base of M 3 or CuA 1; R 4 - R 5 stalked or separate.
Hindwing: M 2 and CuA 1 stalked or fused.
Forewing shape and markings:
examples of Rhopobota spp.
under side wings R. naevana
Termen of forewing notched below apex. Markings variable.
Sexual dimorphism usually slight, in Rhopobota stagnana (Denis and Schiffermüller) forewing in female much more slender than in male. Male of Rhopobota naevana with area of specialized scales on under-side of hindwing.
Genitalia:
Male:
male genitalia R. naevana ; male genitalia R. myrtillana
Tegumen fairly broad, rounded apically, with a pair of sub-lateral uncoid projections; socius fused with base of tuba analis or its junctures with tegumen at least laterally, drooping, haired, or, as in type-species, hairy part situated at top of lateral process; in the latter case the socii may fuse medially and their basal sclerites are very long. Sacculus not angulated terminally; shape of cucullus variable, its caudal edge simple or prominent and spined. Aedeagus simple; cornuti of both types.
Female:
female genitalia R. naevana ; female genitalia R. myrtillana
Sterigma usually small, expanding terminally, accompanied with minute posterior lobes or scobinate patches, or cup-shaped; cingulum varying in size and shapes; ductus seminalis submedian or posterior; distal part of corpus bursae with large bifid sclerite (in majority of species); two rather small, slender signa present.
Taxonomic note:
In recent literature several species have been placed in the genus Griselda Heinrich, 1923, which is a synonym of Epinotia Hübner.
Early stages:
Swatschek, 1958, provides the following diagnosis for the larvae based on chaetotaxy (Rhopobota and Griselda):
Crochets on abdominal prolegs partly biordinal, partly uniordinal; SD2 not closer to SD1 than to XD2 on prothorax; L1, L2 and L3 in one line on this segment; SD2 situated dorso-cranial from SD1 on mesothorax. SV group trisetose on first and second abdominal segment; bisetose on seventh, eighth and ninth.
Biology:
One or two generations yearly; hibernation in egg stage; larvae feed in leaves, twigs and flowers of various plants, some species being polyphagous (e.g. naevana on Vaccinium, Prunus, Crataegus).
Distribution:
Palaearctic, Nearctic, Oriental and Australian regions.