NO. 3B47 NEARCTIC GELECHIIDAE HODGES 7 



to four-fifths length of forewing, simple. Forewing: broadly lanceo- 

 late; 12 vems present; 2 from cell at three-fourths length of cell; 3 and 4 

 distant to short stalked; 7 and 8 stalked. Hindwing: subquadrate, 

 outer margin gradually moving to apex; 8 veins present; 3 and 4 

 connate or stalked; 5 closer to 4 than to 6 basally, curved upward 

 from origin; 6 and 7 separate. Male genitalia: vinculum moderately 

 broad; saccus developed; juxta fused basally with vinculum, lobes 

 setate apically; valva linear, simple, slightly expanded apically; 

 aedeagus moderately slender to stout, a linear, heavily sclerotized 

 flange often present; manica with numerous short spicules near 

 juncture with aedeagus; tegumen long; uncus broad, short with an 

 apical row of broad scales; gnathos present, a strong hook; culcitula 

 present. Female genitalia : corpus bursae membranous with numerous 

 spinules; two signa present; an incomplete, sclerotized ring between 

 ostium bursae and inception of ductus seminalis; ostium bursae a 

 simple opening at base of eighth sternum, no associated sclerotized 

 plates present; apophyses anteriores shorter than apophyses 

 posteriores. 



Lita species form an extremely compact group based upon the 'sum 

 of all examined characters. Two basic wing patterns occur : one with a 

 series of lines and/or dashes paralleling the veins, the other with 

 spots, sometimes forming bands, at the middle and apex of the cell and 

 occasionally with an oblique fascia at the base of the forewing. One 

 species has both types within its range of variation. Frontal modifica- 

 tions in the form of raised prominences occur in eight species. When 

 fully developed, three elements are present, a dorsal protuberance 

 rising from the vertex, a medial protuberance rising from the fronto- 

 clypeus, and a ventral, low-margined, elliptical depression. The 

 dorsal and medial protuberances become partially or wholly fused in 

 some species. The male genitalia are nearly homogeneous among the 

 species: aedeagal differences serve to distinguish groups of species. 

 The female genitalia are also relatively uniform ; however, the relative 

 degree of sclerotization and curvature of the apophyses anteriores and 

 the shape of the signa show minor differences. In variabilis (Busck) 

 variation in the relative length of the ductus and corpus bursae occurs ; 

 thus, variation may be anticipated in other species. For males the 

 sternum and tergum of the eighth abdominal segment differ in the 

 shape of the anterior and posterior margins. Specific variation occurs, 

 but many species can be defined by these characters. The relative 

 width of antennal segments, particularly in males, and the width 

 and shape of the sensory areas are diagnostic characters for some 

 species. In others both characters seem to vary. 



The group of species with a striate wing pattern forms, in part, a 

 most confusing complex for satisfactory morphological analysis. 



