APPENDIX III 



Common Names of Malacosoma Species 



The most recent list of "Common Names of Insects" approved by 

 the Entomological Society of America (Bulletin of Ent. Soc. of Amer., 

 December, 1965) lists the following common names for species of 



Malacosoma: 



Malacosoma americanum . . . Eastern tent caterpillar 



Malacosoma disstria Forest tent caterpillar 



Malacosoma calif ornicum 

 Malacosoma fragile . 

 Malacosoma lutescens 

 Malacosoma pluviale 



The last four of these 



. California tent caterpillar 



. Great Basin tent caterpillar 



. Prairie tent caterpillar 



. Western tent caterpillar 



'species" are here regarded as subspecies 

 of M. californicum. Subspecies are not given common names so the 

 following changes are suggested. 



The distribution of M. californicum (including the subspecies) covers 

 much of the western half of North America (fig. 2). Thiee of the four 

 common names which have been applied to the included subspecies 

 are not appropriate for a species with such a wide distribution. The 

 names "California tent caterpillar" and "Prairie tent caterpillar" 

 are obviously too restrictive, as is the name "Great Basin tent cater- 

 pillar," although it is somewhat better. In the past the "species" 

 Malacosoma pluviale has been known as the "Western tent caterpillar," 

 but since its distribution extends from the Pacific Ocean as far east 

 as Quebec across northern North America (fig. 2), the name is not 

 entirely appropriate. Therefore, it is suggested that M. californicum 

 (including all subspecies) be given the common name of the "Western 

 tent caterpillar." This name is especially appropriate since the dis- 

 tribution of M. californicum includes nearly all of North America that 

 is not occupied by A/, americanum, the "Eastern tent caterpillar." 



The list of common names does not include any for M. constrictum, 

 M. tigris, or M. incurvum, so the following names are suggested for them. 



Malacosoma incurvum occurs in the southwestern United States and 

 Mexico (fig. 4). It builds a large tent as does M. americanum^ the 

 "Eastern tent caterpillar" and M. californicum, the "Western tent 



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