RESTRICTION OF THE GENUS GELECHIA— BUSCK 569 



1. Genus GELECHIA Hubner 

 Plate 58, Figuke 1; Plate 61, Figukk 19; Plate 05, Figure 34 



Oclechia Hubnkb, Verzeichniss bekanntev Schmetterlinge, p. 415, 1816. (Geno- 

 type, Tinea rhomhella Schiffermiiller.) 



Cirrha Chambers, Can. Ent., vol. 4, p. 146, 1892. (Genotype, Depressaria alU- 

 sparscUa Chambers.) 



Oeseis Chambers, Cincinnati Quart. Jouin. Sci., vol. 2, p. 255, 1875, (Genotype, 

 Oeseis bianulella Chambers.) 



Fore wings with veins 3 and 4 closely approximate, connate or 

 stalked. Hind wings broader than fore wings. Veins 6 and 7 closely 

 approximate or more often stalked. 



Male genitalia with uncus reduced as a soft, hoodlike upper edging 

 of tegumen with few short, nearly equidistant spines. Gnathos a 

 soft, minutely spined pillow " terminating in a small, weakly chitin- 

 ized, often 3-forked hook. Socii absent. Alimentary canal supported 

 by two large flattened rods within tegumen. Upper branch of harpe 

 long, often flattened, spindle-shaped, pointed, hairy at tip; lower 

 branch of harpe shorter, often abruptly bent forward on middle. 

 Aedeagus specialized, jjointed, scobinate at tip and normally with a 

 short branch. Vinculum strong, with flattened process. Eighth 

 segment developed into a cover for the genitalia ; dorsal half largest 

 and with two thin, curved hair tufts from near base. 



Female genitalia with short lateral lobes on genital plates; signum 

 quadrangular with the two opposite edges bent upward and inward to 

 form a pocket, normally heavily covered with short spines; rarely 

 signum absent (rhomhella) . 



The American Oeseis hianuhlla Chambers was mistakenly made a 

 synonym of the European sahinsUa Zeller by Meyrick and placed in 

 the genus Nothris; the two species are congeneric but quite distinct 

 specifically and do not belong to Nothris Hubner, which has a different 

 type of genitalia (pi. 63, fig. 25, and pi. 71, fig. 63). Both species fall 

 in Gelechia as here defined; if a separation seems necessary, of the 

 species that are here placed in Gelechia but which have the brush on 

 the second joint of the labial palpi longer and pointed, approaching 

 that of Dichomeris, the generic name Oeseis Chambers may be utilized. 

 The character does not appear to be of generic importance in this 

 group, however, because all the intergrades between the evenly short- 

 furrowed brush to the longer brush with uneven length of scales are 

 found in otherwise closely similar species. 



"Pierce and Metcalfe (op. cit.) consider this the anus, but the alimentary canal opens 

 behind it, between it and the uncus, and from comparison with the similar structure in 

 Gnorimoschema I believe it to be associated with the gnathos. The assignment of name 

 may be debatable ; but whatever the designation, the structure is very striking and an 

 excellent character in the definition of tlie two genera posse.ssing it. 



