Systematic position of the enigmatic Mirlatia arcuata moth resolved: a monotypic tribe within the basal branches of Larentiinae (Lepidoptera, Geometridae)

Recently, a new monotypic geometrid moth genus and species, <i>Mirlatia arcuata</i> Hausmann, László, Mayr & Huemer, 2023, were described from Croatia. The description was based on a single male collected in 1983, and a single female collected in 1982. The discovery of an isolated lineage in Europe was unexpected because the Geometridae fauna of the continent is likely the best explored in the world. Upon description, the systematic position of <i>Mirlatia arcuata</i> remained unresolved due to its peculiar morphology and lack of suitable molecular data to study its phylogenetic position. Based on a new specimen collected in 2024, we studied its phylogeny, including it in a maximum likelihood multi-gene global phylogenetic dataset of 1206 taxa, and comparative morphological analysis. Based on the results of our integrative approach, we propose to classify this enigmatic species in a monotypic tribe Mirlatiini Sihvonen & Hausmann, <b>tribe nov</b>. within the basal Larentiinae as the sister to Brabirodini. Other proposed taxonomic changes include reclassification of <i>Brabira</i> Moore, 1888 in Brabirodini and <i>Tyloptera</i> Christoph, 1881 in Larentiinae: <i>incertae sedis</i>. We illustrate closely related genera in Mirlatiini, Brabirodini and Dyspteridini, for taxonomic clarity.