4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM Vol. 117 



(Walker), and Tineola bisselliella (Hummel) have not been recovered 

 from these islands. These species are so generally distributed that 

 it seems unlU^ely the islands have escaped their ravages. 



The plant-feeding insect pests are the notorious "potato tuber- 

 worm," Gnorimoschema operculella (Zeller); G. absoluta (Meyrick), 

 also a pest of potato as well as a pest of tomato; the "diamondback 

 moth," Plutella maculipennis (Curtis), which is widely distributed 

 throughout most of the world and feeds on both cultivated and native 

 cruciferous plants; and Bedellia somnulentella (Zeller), a pest of sweet 

 potato and allied plants. 



Six of these cosmopolitan species are found on more than one of 

 the islands. They are sarcitrella, maculipennis, somnulentella, tessel- 

 latella, pellionella, and pallescentella. 



The remaining species, or the antecedents from which they have 

 evolved, probably reached the islands by natural means (convection 

 currents, drift, etc.). They are distributed in the following families: 



Crambidae 28 Gelechiidae 5 



Phycitidae 1 Momphidae 1 



Pyraustidae 9 Blastodacnidae 2 



Pterophoridae 2 Hyponomeutidae 3 



Olethreutidae 1 Glyphipterygidae 1 



Tortricidae 4 Psychidae 1 



Oecophoridae 1 



Of all the species, including those introduced by commerce, only 

 eight occur on more than one island, and only one occurs on all three. 

 The eight species occurring on two islands are Giorgia crena, new 

 species, Nomophila noctuella (Denis & Schiff erm tiller) , Endrosis sarci- 

 trella (Linnaeus) , Plutella maculipennis (Curtis) , Bedellia somnulentella 

 (Zeller), Lindera tessellatella'Bla.nch.aTd, Tinea pallescentella (Stain ton), 

 and Tinea pellionella Linnaeus. The one occurring on all three islands 

 is Oeobia ragonotii (Butler) . 



The present record of species of Microlepidoptera indicates 75 

 percent endemicity, perhaps higher than one should expect from islands 

 so close to a continental mass. The mainland fauna is very poorly 

 known, and undoubtedly there are many more species to be discovered 

 in the islands. When extensive collections are made, we may find a 

 considerably larger number of species common to both areas. 



The following table gives a complete roster of species and their 

 distribution, when applicable, outside of the islands. A plus sign or 

 notation denotes presence, and a minus denotes absence. 



