MUSCILATURE OF THE GENITALIC APPENDAGES OF MEGALOPYGIDAE (LEPIDOPTERA) AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE FAMILY’S SYSTEMATICS
Nine pairs of muscles were found in the genital complex of Megalopygidae: paired m1, m2(10), m4, m5(7), m6(5), m7(6), dispar m20, m21 and phallobase muscles. This arrangement corresponds to the ground-plan of the Zygaenoidea, but with some reductions. Archaic muscles of the 'musculi phallici internus' system located inside the phallothaeca and aedeagus were revealed in representatives of the entire superfamily Zygaenoidea for the first time. We suggest maintaining the accepted interpretation of inner longitudinal muscle m21 of the aedeagus in its traditional sense, but we also propose to designate the inner muscles of the phallothaeca as musculi phallobasi interni m36. Division of the family into two subfamilies, Megalopyginae and more archaic Trosiinae, is here supported, and the homology of the modified appendages of the tergal complex and vinculum is refined. А list of autapomorphies of the family is presented.