Lithosiine main lineages and their possible interrelationships. I. - Definition of new or resurrected tribes (Lepidoptera : Arctiidae)

To date, no general classification is available for the Lithosiinae, one of the main arctiid subfamilies. Seven tribes are here proposed as major mono phyla within the Lithosiinae, viz. the Acsalini (previously a nomen nudum), three new taxa - the Phryganopterygini, Eudesmiini and Cisthenini - and th ree redefined and/or resurrected tribes : the Nudariini, Endrosini and Lith osiini. For each tribe, except the last one (to be dealt with later on), a description is given of the adult, larval and pupal characters, along with information about the ethology, larval food, composition, distribution and possible autapomorphies of the group. The monophyly of the Lithosiinae is s hown to be essentially supported by two larval apomorphies, one of which co ncerns the (previously overlooked) arrangement of the labral setae M1 and M 2. The assignment of the Phryganopterygini to the Lithosiinae must be consi dered tentative, since the early stages of these insects remain unknown.