Scientific classification

Animalia > Arthropoda > Insecta > Lepidoptera > Ditrysia > Thyridoidea > Thyrididae > Siculodinae > Siculodini > Opula

Genus Opula  Walker 1869

Type species: impletalis Walker, 1869:371 (Opula).

Generic description: The labial palps are three segmented. A proboscis is present. Eyes without interfacetal hairs. The R veins arise from the cell. The fore tibiae have epiphyses, the hind tibiae have two pairs of spurs and the tarsal segments lack spines. The males have a simple uncus and a gnathos is present. The juxta usually has incurved apices on the lateral lobes. Female with a prominent spiny signum in the bursa. (Whalley, 1971a:164)

Opula has about 25 species of medium to large sized moths mostly from equatorial Africa, several unnamed. There are 5 species from SE Asia according to RTS, p.134, but 6 are listed here.. Many have the FW with complex patterning in reddish brown and darker brown and the FW termenal margin can be distinctly angled in the middle. Distinguished externally from the similar Mellea by the lack of paired spines on the tarsal segments and the male antennae having minute pectinations (Whalley, 1971a: 84).