104 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM Vol. 117 



Genus Tinea Linnaeus 

 Tinea pallescentella Stainton 



Tinea pallescentella Stainton, 1851, A supplementary catalogue of the British 



Tineidae and Pterophoridae, p. 2. 

 Tinea stimulatrix Meyrick, 1931, Anales del museo nacional de historia natural, 



Buenos Aires, vol. 36, p. 413 (new synonymy). 

 Tinea horosema Meyrick, 1931, Anales del museo nacional de historia natural, 



Buenos Aires, vol. 36, p. 413 (new synonymy). 



Types: British Museum (Natural History). 



Type localities: England (pallescentella) ; Argentina, Territory Rio 

 Negro, Bariloche {stimulatrix) ; Argentina, Territory Rio Negro, Lake 

 Nahuel Huapi (horosema). 



Distribution: Masatierra: Villagra, c? (Feb. 22, 1951): Santa Clara: 

 El Corral, 2 99 (Jan. 6, 1952). 



In view of the rather large proportion of microlepidoptera introduced 

 into these islands, it is not surprising to find pallescentella among 

 their number. 



As indicated m the synonymy, the species has already been recorded 

 from the South American continent under two different names: 

 stimulatrix and horosema. No doubt the apparent variability of this 

 species led Me3a-ick astray, but if he had considered the possibility 

 of the specimens having been collected at some lodgmg, other than in 

 the native state of the little-known Rio Negro area, he would have 

 recognized this rather widely distributed species. 



Mr. Bradley, of the British Museum, has kmdly examined this 

 material and has confirmed my identification of pallescentella. His 

 remarks are as follows: "No. 10440, 10441, 10765 are Tineo palles- 

 centella. It seems to me that T. horosema Meyr. (9) and T. stimula- 

 trix Meyr. (cf) are no more than pallescentella. The superficial 

 differences are no help as pallescentella varies. The genitalia dif- 

 ferences are slight and I think due to individual variation. For 

 example, the internal sclerotization in the aedeagus is small and could 

 be expected to vary. The depth of the medial incision of the ostial 

 plate does seem more variable than might be expected (assummg 

 that it is variation in one species). It is impossible to be quite 

 certain without lookmg at more specimens but I think I can safely 

 say that your material belongs to pallescentella and that horosema 

 and stimulatrix may prove to be no more than pallescentella." 



