THE CACTUS-FEEDING PHYCITINAE HEINRICH 385 



On some of its characters this species would fit better in the follow- 

 ing genus {AmalafHda) than in Sigelgaita. The male antemia (figs. 

 127a-c) has flattened setae on the first five or six segments of the 

 shaft. In transUis these setae are on the shaft itself as well as on the 

 inner row of pectinations. Neither chilensis nor huanucensis shows 

 any trace of such setae. This one character, however, is all that sug- 

 gests association with Amalafrida leithella. The maxillary palpus 

 and the larval habits show that tramilis belongs with chilensis and 

 huanucensis rather than with leithella. 



15. AMALAFRIDA, new genus 



Genotype. — Cactoblastis leithella Dyar. 



Antenna of male bipectinate; on each of the inner pectinations of 

 the first five segments a row of from three to five flattened, spinelike 

 setae (figs. 128a-c) ; antenna of female simple and finely pubescent. 

 Labial palpus of male obliquely ascending, of female obliquely por- 

 rect. Maxillai-y palpus squamous. Hind wing with veins 7 and 8 

 anastomosing for over half their length beyond cell; veins 3 and 5 

 stalked. Eighth abdominal segment of male with two pairs of ven- 

 trolateral hair tufts. 



Male genitalia with apical process of gnathos bifid; harpe with 

 apex oblique; vinculum long; anellus with base of plate rather 

 broadly sclerotized, arms long, slightly twisted ; aedeagus long, mod- 

 erately stout ; penis scobinate. 



Female genitalia without signimi; bursa copulatrix large, weakly 

 and scatteringly scobinate ; ductus bursae long, slender ; ductus semi- 

 nalis from about middle of bursa. 



Larvae "grayish in color with a tendency toward pale transverse 

 bands after the manner of Olycella larvae" (Dodd) ; solitary 

 tunnelers in Platypuntia. 



Egg unknown. 



Remarks. — The genus, at present, is represented by only the type 

 species. When Dyar described the latter he had only one female be- 

 fore him. Had he seen a male he never would have placed it in 

 Cactoblastis., to which the moth bears only a superficial resemblance. 

 The new genus is closest to Sigelgaita, one species of which {transilis) 

 also has setiferous pectinations on some of the basal segments of the 

 male antennal shaft. The form of the maxillary palpi, as well as 

 the shape of the fore wings, distinguishes the two genera. In Sigel- 

 gaita the fore wing is much longer in proportion to its width and the 

 termen more rounded than is the case in Amalafrida. According to 

 Dodd, leithella differs markedly from the species of Sigelgaita in 

 larval and pupal habits. 



