Udea
Udea ferrugalis ( Hübner, 1796), the type species of Udea
Udea is a butterfly genus of Spilomelinae within the family Crambidae. It includes over 200 species worldwide and is represented on all continents except Antarctica.
- 3.1 Notes and references
- 3.2 Literature
Features
The genus comprises Udea medium sized corn borer with a forewing length of 9-14 mm. At rest, the wings are folded flat to the rear over the body, the front wings completely cover the hind wings. The drawing of the forewing varies depending on the type of solid color with or without drawing patterns to complex patterns that sometimes recall the forewing drawing of Scopariinae. The hind wings are one or two colors in general and, besides a dark blemish usually a dark Saumrand on.
The caterpillar stage of most Udea species is unknown, so that information about the food lacking. Many species with known biology are polyphagous and feed on herbaceous plants, especially from the families Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Plantaginaceae and Rosaceae. A detailed description of the caterpillar is found for Udea lutealis.
Genitalmorphologisch, many species of the genus Udea on a diamond-shaped signum in the female corpus bursae, which is characteristic of the Pyraustinae - hence Udea is counted by some authors to the Pyraustinae. On the other hand, missing features such as Sella and Editum in the male genital as well as an appendix bursae in the female genital why the subfamily membership of Udea remains controversial. ( For an overview of genital morphology of butterflies see Kristensen, 2003 ( in English ) )
Taxonomy and systematics
Groups of species
Taxonomic studies on the genus Udea call the Udea itysalis - species group, the U. lugubralis species group and the U. orbicentralis - type group. A phylogenetic analysis of European Udea species revealed three groups of species: Udea ferrugalis, U. alpinalis and U. numeralis - group of species.
Udea - relationship
The phylogenetic study of Mally & Nut (2011 ) showed that the genera Deana and Udeoides and Munroe (1983 ) synonymisierte Mnesictena genus are among the closest relatives of Udea. However Mnesictena seems to stand as to Udea, so that the authorization of synonymy is questionable in closer relationship to Deana.
Munroe (1995 ) postulated for the Neotropical genus Udea Faunenbereich a group in which he included in addition to the Nominatgattung Udea also Atomopteryx, Lamprosema, Lineodes, Rhectosemia, Euleucinodes, Neoleucinodes and Proleucinodes. However, since he is ready presented no diagnostic for this species group is not clear whether this taxon is authorized by apomorphic features as a natural kinship group.