REVISION MALACOSOMA HUBNER IN NORTH AlVIERICA 107 



as tigris, a comparison could also be made with a species that covers 

 its eggs with spumaline. 



TENTS (fig. 334). — M. tigris builds tents like those of M. constridum. 

 It constructs only relatively small tents near the end of each instar 

 which are used as a base for attachment when molting. It never rests 

 inside the tents. See the discussion of tents for constridum constridum for 

 a more complete commentary (page 96). 



COCOONS. — Cocoons are fairly tightly constructed, have no outer 

 envelope of silk, and are dusted with a white powder. They are similar 

 to those oi constridum (page 97). 



FOOD PLANTS. — As far as is known, oviposition (but not neces- 

 sarily feeding) is restricted to various species of oak, as is the case 

 with constridum. The larvae will probably feed on various other trees 

 and shrubs (especially in the late instars) as will the larvae of all 

 other species. There are no reports of food plants in the literature 

 because tigris has been a nearly forgotten species since it was described 

 in 1902. In the original description Dyar recorded the host as "dwarf 

 oaks." In 1961 and 1962 egg masses were found at several localities 

 in Texas, one in New Mexico, and one in Utah on the following 

 species of oak: Quercus virginiana, Q. undulata, Q,. dumosa turbinella, 

 Q. macrocarpa, and Q^. marilandica. It seems probable that tigris will be 

 found on all species of oak which grow where other conditions are 

 suitable for it. 



TYPE. — Lectotype, here designated, a male in the United States 

 National Museum. USNM Type No. 34887. Size: 28 mm. wing- 

 spread. Data : 1 6926 ; Dyar and Caudell ; Malacosoma tigris Dyar, male ; 

 Lectotype, Malacosoma tigris (Dyar), male, F. W. Stehr 1963. The 

 "16926" refers to Dyar's notebook which has the following entry: 

 "16926-8 out from Colorado, June 20, 1901 (BB938)." The "BB938" 

 refers to Dyar's brown notebook number 938 which contains his field 

 notes. It contains miscellaneous partially illegible notes about the 

 collection, but the most important information is legible and is ex- 

 tracted as follows (question marks indicate portions which are illeg- 

 ible) : "Clisiocampa not fragilis on scrub white oak in Platte Canyon, 

 Col., May 18, 1901 ; spin no regular nest, but several small webs . . ? . . 

 Slightly more webbing than disstria'' Most of the rest of the page 

 describes the various larval instars and gives their measurements, but 

 the top of the page contains the following note: "Many at Sedalia, 

 Col. Eggs on twigs at base of branch . . ? . . a live or dead twig. (See 

 specimens) More from Oslar, Cheyenne Canyon, Colorado Springs in 

 stage before last on young . . ? . . oak, June 8, 1901." The most inter- 

 esting information in these notes is that Dyar found egg masses on 



279-280—68 S 



