
Phylogenetic relationships within Heliodinidae and systematics of moths formerly assigned to Heliodines Stainton (Lepidoptera:Yponomeutoidea)
by Yu-Feng Hsu, Yu-Feng Hsu, Jerry A. Powell
Heliodinidae traditionally have been characterized on the basis of forewing venation, color and scaling, and perch behavior, but none of these attributes defines monophyly. We identify four uniquely derived autapomorphies for the family: (1) M vein of forewing two-branched, presumably with M3 lost; (2)tegumen greatly expanded posteriorly, forming a sclerotized, hollow tube; (3)ventral branches of apophyses anteriores originating from a fused transverse bridge; and (4) pupa with long, stiff dorsal and lateral setae. Phylogenetic relationships among genera and species groups of world Heliodinidae are constructed using parsimony and character compatibility as optimality criteria, with representatives of six other families of Yponomeutoidea as outgroups. Results of the analyses show Heliodines Stainton, as formerly recognized (i.e., all the species with conspicuous red markings on the forewings), to be a polyphyletic assemblage. To accommodate the New World fauna, two old names, Aetole Chambers and Embola Walsingham, have been resurrected from synonymy, and three new genera are described: Neoheliodines Hsu (Type species: Heliodines nyctaginella Gibson, 1914), Heliogemma Hsu (Type speci
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