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Platycerota Hampson
Type species: spilotelaria Walker, India.
This is a small Oriental genus where the species have rather rounded
wing margins, speckled grey-brown or reddish brown wings with strong postmedials.
Distal to the postmedial at the forewing apex is often a pale patch or patches
that may also include black marking: the presence of such marks varies within
each species. Both male and female antennae are filiform, densely ciliate, the
cilia very short in the majority of the genus, though in P. vitticostata Walker
comb. n., here transferred to the genus on other grounds, and its Bornean
relative they are bipectinate in the male.
The male genitalia have the uncus set on a broad, shallow, but often
square- shouldered base: socii are usually present. The valves have setation
typical of the major grouping of genera but lack peg-like setae; there are no
coremata. The costa has a single triangular process more or less centrally, but
often terminates distad with a small spur. A furca is present. The aedeagus
vesica bears large cornuti: these are abundant in some species.
In the female genitalia (P. balia Prout), the bursa is large,
basally scobinate with a diverticulum. From one third to three quarters it is
sclerotised, fluted, with an obliquely longitudinal row of spines within this
zone. The apical quarter is unsclerotised but contains a small stellate signum
distally.
The genus is Oriental with most other species found on the Asian
mainland apart from P. crinita Warren in the Philippines (Luzon). It is
probably closely related to Crypsicometa Warren where species have been
reared from Ilex (Aquifoliaceae) (Sato & Nakajima, 1975; Chang,
1990). Indeed, the male genitalia of the type species indicate Crypsicometa might
best be placed as a synonym of Platycerota.
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