• Introduction
• Taxonomic History
• Dissection Methodology
• Identification Key to Genera
• Morphology
• Phylogenetic Relationships
• Evolution of Host Preferences
• List of Genera
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Sigelgaita Heinrich

Thomas J. Simonsen and Richard L. Brown

Last updated:  Dec.15, 2009

Taxonomic Synonymy
Sigelgaita Heinrich, 1939, Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus., 86: 382.
Type species: Sigelgaita chilensis Heinrich, 1939. Original designation.

Diagnostic Characters
Adult
Sigelgaita can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: 1) antenna of the male bipectinate, 2) maxillary palpus very long with a pointed tuft of scales distally, generally extending above top of the eye, 3) forewing M2 and M3 sharing a common stem, but separate for more than half their length, 4) hind wing M2+3 and CuA1 fused basally sharing a common stem, 5) male abdomen 8 with two pairs of  thin scale tufts, 6) male genitalia rather elongate with large, long saccus and long, relatively slender uncus (Heinrich 1939; 1956; Neunzig 1997; Simonsen 2008).

Larva
According to Dodd (1940) the larvae are blue or blue-green without bands or spots.

Larval Hosts
The larvae feed on Eulynchina, Echinopsis, and Platyopuntia (Mann 1969).

Life History
Eggs are unknown. The larvae are solitary fruit feeders (Heinrich 1939; 1956; Mann 1969).

Distribution
Sigelgaita is known from Chile and Peru (Heinrich 1939; 1956; Mann 1969).

Species
     chilensis
     huanucensis
     transilis