2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 122 



terial has disclosed that five species formerly placed in other genera 

 required transfer. In addition, the females of four previously de- 

 scribed species are described and figured for the first time, and the 

 first host plant information is recorded. The key to the species of 

 Lethata has been completely revised and includes all species currently 

 assigned to the genus, thus superseding all previous keys. Color 

 characters were not utilized in the key due to the variability observed 

 in several species where sufficient specimens were available to reflect 

 inconsistences. It is becoming more and more apparent that exami- 

 nation of the genitalia is required for reliable species recognition in 

 the Stenomidae. 



Although distributional data are sorely lacking for most species, 

 distribution maps have been prepared for all of the species (except 

 myopina and glaucopa) in order to demonstrate the available informa- 

 tion in the most graphic fashion. In addition, many of the localities 

 are difficult to locate on the most commonly available maps; thus, the 

 included maps will provide a useful guide to the geographic location. 



One of the most perplexing problems encountered during the course 

 of this study is the paucity of specimens and biological data. This 

 situation was mentioned in my earlier paper with an expressed hope 

 that planned fieldwork wovdd provide additional information. Al- 

 though progress has been made during the intervening two years, it 

 has become apparent that the rate of accumulation will be much 

 slower than originally anticipated. The numbers of individual speci- 

 mens encountered through conventional collecting techniques, e.g., 

 attraction to light, have been very sparse; and since very little rearing 

 is being done in Central and South America, except for economic 

 plants, the outlook is rather dim. The one bright spot to date is the 

 receipt from Venezuela of a large series of Lethata anophthalma (Mey- 

 rick) reared from Guava, Psidium guajava L., which represents the 

 first host plant record for the genus. Although it would be rash to 

 attempt to generalize on this small piece of information, several pos- 

 sibilities seem worthy of mention here. First, the acquisition of a 

 large series (30 specimens) tkrough rearing would seem to indicate 

 that the failure to obtain larger samples through light attraction is 

 possibly due to only a slight attraction to light and/or not having the 

 light in the right place at the right time. Second, should there prove 

 to be host specificity between Lethata and either the family Myrtaceae 

 or the genus Psidium, it would seem reasonable to suspect that there 

 will prove to be a large number of as yet undescribed species of 

 Lethata to be discovered. Certainly the increase in size of the genus 

 from 13 to 31 recognized species in two years time woidd suggest that 

 the ultimate size in terms of species will be much greater. A great 

 deal more rearing will be necessary before answers to the many ques- 



