Trichagrotis McDunnough 1929

Type species: Trichorthosia spinosa Barnes & McDunnough, 1912, by original designation.

Diagnosis. Adults. Males and females of similar size (forewing length 13–18 mm). Head – Male antenna beadlike to biserrate, lateral setae tending to group into two tufts on each side and clearly doubly bifasciculate in some species. Female antenna filiform, minutely setose ventrally. Frons rounded and usually covered with long scales, but partially exposed and centrally roughened in some species. Eye covered with surface hair. Labial palpus porrect or slightly upturned, apical segment usually about 1/3 as long as second segment, occasionally 1/4 as long (e.g., H. lunata) to 1/2 as long (e.g., H. naglei). Throax – Wings : Forewing ground color typically gray, brown, or orange; pattern variable but typically with reniform and orbicular spots with a pale outline, often filled with black, especially in Neotropical species; subterminal line typically straight. Hindwing white to fuscous. Legs: Sclerotized spiniform setae on middle and hind tibiae in most species formerly associated with Trichorthosia; spiniform setae on all tibiae in H. spinosa. Basitarsus with three ventral rows of spiniform setae; central row of setae tending to duplicate into two irregular rows on tarsal segments 2–5. Abdomen – Base of abdomen usually without basal abdominal brushes (e.g., H. trifascia, Fig. 52), but fully-developed brushes, levers and pockets in a few species including type-species H. purpurigera (Fig. 49). Brushes present but levers vestigial in some species (e.g., H. ocularis, Fig. 50). Many species, especially those formerly in Hypotrix, with masses of long scales in pleural membrane of abdomen and in some species one or more patches of scales persistently attached (e.g., H. lunata, Fig. 51). Eighth abdominal sternum of male with a tuft of long setae on a short eversible coremata in most species. Male genitalia – Uncus typically with expanded often spatulate apex. Valve usually with well-defined triangular cucullus with narrow “neck,” apical corona, usually with one stout seta near anal angle, and digitus narrow and tapered and projecting into ventral notch proximal to cucullus; a subgroup with cucullus mainly membranous, defined by slight “neck,” with corona reduced or absent; apex of digitus blunt or rounded; clasper a simple curved (or slightly S-shaped) rod projecting above dorsal margin of valve; sacculus only sclerotized dorsally with middle part of sacculus forming membranous flap partially overtopping sclerotized part and extending to posteriorly to “neck” of cucullus. Vesica most often long and partially coiled, usually with band of minute spinules toward apex, with several to many long spike-like cornuti in subbasal swollen area; some species with thorn-like spine or tight cluster of cornuti at apex of aedeagus, and some with cornutus with bulbous base on small diverticulum. Female genitalia – Corpus bursae thin and membranous, rounded or oval, without obvious signa. Appendix bursae typically long and coiled. Ductus bursae heavily sclerotized, usually about as long as corpus bursae. Anterior and posterior apohyses rod-like, 1.0–1.5 × length of abdominal segment eight. Anal papillae diagnostic; base swollen, almost bulbous laterally, then abruptly tapered to a narrow almost spine-like apex; apex of anal papillae usually down-turned and when protruding, often bending ventrally through 180° to project anteriorly.