162 Transactions. — Zoology. 



Art. XXXV. — Description of New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera. 



By E. Meyrick, B.A. 

 [Read before the Canterbury Philosophical Institute, 1st October, 1885.] 



VIII. TINEINA (Part). 



The New Zealand species of four families — the Grelechiada, 

 Depressariadfr, Plutellidm, and Micropterygidm—ZXQ here described, 

 together with an additional species of Gradlariadm. All these 

 are scantily represented, and, though they will doubtless be 

 materially increased, are never likely to occupy any conspicuous 

 place in the fauna ; but the Micropterygidee are of very great 

 interest. Remarks on these will be found under their individual 

 heads. 



GELECHIALvE. 



Head smooth. Antennae in male usually simple, sometimes 

 ciliated. Labial palpi recurved, pointed. Maxillary palpi very 

 short, not developed. Forewings with vein 1 furcate at base, 

 7 and 8 stalked (rarely coincident), 7 usually to costa, all veins 

 normally present. Hindwings more or less trapezoidal, hind- 

 margin often indented, veins 3 and 4 separate or from a point, 

 6 and 7 stalked or approximated at base, rarely remote. 



This family occupies a less prominent place in New Zealand 

 than it usually does elsewhere. The ouly genus fairly repre- 

 sented is Gelechio, which is probably cosmopolitan. Megacras- 

 pedus, of which there is one species, occurs in Australia and 

 Europe ; doubtless also in intermediate regions. Snieropepla is 

 an Australian genus ; the single New Zealand species is also 

 Australian, and has probably immigrated in recent times. The 

 other three genera are endemic, so far as known. 



la. Second joint of palpi tufted beneath. 



2a. Veins 3 and 4 of hindwings stalked .. ..5. Anisoplaca 



2b. „ ,, „ „ remote .. .. 1. Megacraspedw 



lb. Second joint of palpi not tufted beneath. 



2a. Veins 2 and 8 of forewings absent .. 3. ThiotHcha 



2b. ,, ,, „ ,, present. 



3a. Vein 6 of forewings out of 7 . . . . 2. Isochasta 



3b. ,, „ „ separate. 



4a. Antenna? of male ciliated . . . . . . 4. Scieropepla 



4b. „ ,, not ciliated . . . . 5. Gelechia. 



1. Megacraspedus, Z. 

 Head smooth ; ocelli present ; tongue well developed. An- 

 tennae |- of forewings, in male ciliated (1), joints angularly 

 projecting, basal joint long, slender, terminally dilated, without 

 pecten. Labial palpi long, recurved, second joint densely scaled, 

 with a long projecting dense apical tuft beneath ; terminal joint 

 as long as second, slender, acute. Maxillary palpi very short, 

 appressed to tongue. Posterior tibia? thinly clothed with hairs 



