TRIBE OPHIUSINI
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Ophisma Guenée

Type species: gravata Guenée.

This genus contains two widespread Indo-Australian species of similar facies unequal size that both occur in Borneo. The facies of both is described below, as is the biology of the type species. The genus currently (Poole, 1989) also contains a diverse array of African and Neotropical species and is in need of revision.

Holloway & Miller (2003) suggested the genus may be related to the
Achaea / Parallelia complex (see p. 53) as the male genitalia of the type species and pallescens Walker have costal and saccular processes to the valves as in that complex, and also a large, single corema on the outside of the valve; the structure of the male eighth abdominal sternite is also modified as in that complex, but only weakly so. The uncus has a crest or (pallescens) a superuncus, and the aedeagus and vesica are similar to those in Ophiusa, but the tegumen lacks lateral processes (these occur in some members of the Achaea / Parallelia complex), and the genitalia as a whole show bilateral symmetry or only very slight asymmetry (pallescens).

The female genitalia of the type species are typically ophiusine, with the ostium closely associated with a deeply bilobed antemarginal plate representing the seventh sternite. The ductus is strongly curved, slender, slightly rugose within, and the bursa is an irregular pyriform with a small patch of scobination on one side.

The biology of the type species is described below. The pupa has a powdery bloom.

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