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Rhombophylla Turner
Type species: xylinopis Turner, Queensland.
This genus is characterised by its wing shape, particularly the doubly
excavate tornus of the hindwing, the excavations being between CuA1, CuA2 and
the anal vein. The forewing is weakly bifalcate, only slightly so in the type
species, with marginal angles occurring between R5 and M1, and at CuA1. The
forewing facies of the Oriental species consists of straight, transverse
fasciation, somewhat oblique, in the postmedial to submarginal zone of the wing.
The wings of xylinopis are rich, medium brown with striae and diffuse
paler variegation that distally may represent the 'ghost' of the pattern
seen in the Bornean species, especially the dorsal part of the hindwing
postmedial. The male antennae are uniserrate, lamellate.
The male genitalia have the uncus short, triangular, virtually
contiguous with the tegumen. The gnathus is present, divided, consisting of
strap-like processes on each side, or stronger spur-like processes in the type
species. The valves are rather narrow, elongate, upcurved, with a zone of
dorsally directed setae running the length of the interior just in from the
ventral margin. The juxta is broad but weak, with small setose knobs on each
side laterally. There is no saccus. The aedeagus is short to moderate, broader
distally where it is adorned with spines of various sizes.
The female genitalia of the Bornean species have the ductus and bursa
relatively small, flimsy, the former moderate in length, the latter pyriform
with a small, indented, scobinate signum.
The biology of the Bornean species is described below.
The genus also includes R. rectimarginata Hampson comb. n.
(India), a species that conforms in wing shape and male genitalic features with
the generic characteristics except the aedeagus is simple, slender, longer.
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