Pionenta Ferris

Type species:

Antepione ochreata Hulst, 1898.

Etymology.

Pionenta is a masculine anagram of Antepione .

Diagnosis.

Pionenta ochreata lacks the DFW triangular costal patch found in all species of Antepione . The well-developed DFW AML and PML form a wedge-shapedmedial band absent in Antepione . The robust centered furca in the male genitalia and large stellate signum in the female genitalia of Pionenta are absent in Antepione .

Description.

Adults. Sexually dimorphic and both sexes are polyphenic; FWL 14-19 mm. Antenna simple. Head - Uniformly ochreous, collar concolorous; labial palpi relatively narrow, slightly upcurved, ochreous, barely extending beyond frons. Thorax, abdomen, legs - Uniformly colored as in ground color of wings with a few widely scattered small brown scales on legs. Wings - Outer margin arcuate FW (about M3) and HW; DFW apex normally sightly falcate. Wing color variable from pale creamy white to ochreous tan. AML and PML narrow and brown (occasionally reddish-brown), PML continues on DHW as medial line; AML with narrow pale shading basad, PML with narrow pale shading distad. MB trapezoidal tapering inward from costa to inner margin. Small dark discal spots present FW and HW. Scattered dark patches may be present basally and submarginally on DFW, and submarginally on DWH. Ventrally paler with dorsal maculation only weakly repeated. Male genitalia (7 dissections by author, additional museum slides examined) - Uncus stout, slightly decurved, tapering at apex to a rounded tip; gnathos v-shaped with well-sclerotized edges, medially a sharp upcurved tip with numerous very small teeth; valva rounded at apex, but with blunt triangular projection at end of sclerotized costa; anellus membranous without spines or setae, with central robust cylindrical furca covered by numerous short spines on rounded apex; aedeagus truncate with two long sclerotized pointed extensions from apical margin and a variable patch of apparently deciduous dark setae near base of otherwise membranous short cylindrical vesica. Female genitalia (6 dissections) - Posterior apophyses short, anterior apophyses much reduced ca. 0.4 × posterior apophyses; sterigma well sclerotized; posterior margin of lamella antevaginalis rounded at ends with central depression; well-defined colliculum; partially ridged short ductus bursae opens into ovoid membranous corpus bursae; one large centrally located oval stellate signum; ductus seminalis originates immediately below colliculum.

Pionenta is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae erected by Clifford D. Ferris in 2010.