Bag worm Moths 



of the 



Western Hemisphere' 



Introduction 



This study is a preliminary revision of the tineoid family Psychidae 

 of North and South America (including the West Indies). A treat- 

 ment of such scope has been attempted only once (Gaede, 1936), 

 and it was at best a very superficial study. Other published accounts 

 consist mostly of original descriptions, taxonomic notes, and works 

 treating restricted areas. As a result, the interpretations of previous 

 authors have been erroneous in several instances; fm'thermore, a 

 comprehensive key for the genera and species has never been attempted; 

 thus, reliable identification of many of these insects has been virtually 

 impossible. 



The purpose of the present study is to re-evaluate the decisions of 

 earlier workers; to complete and, where necessary, to correct their 

 conclusions; and to investigate and utilize several taxonomic criteria 

 in order to facilitate identification and a more comprehensive under- 

 standing of the insects presently included in this family. 



The members of the family Psychidae present nmiierous problems 

 that have greatly hindered a satisfactory treatment of the group. 

 No single factor is unique for the family, and the close interrelation 

 of many factors make their solution no easy task. The frequency 

 with which many of these problems are met in the Psychidae demon- 

 strates why this family has been considered one of the most perplexing 

 groups, taxonomically, to be fomid in the Lepidoptera. Some of the 

 more prevalent problems encountered are: 



1. The extreme convergence in superficial appearance among a 

 majority of the species; or, conversely, the extreme lack of obvious 

 specific differentiation. 



2. The sometimes extreme variation of diagnostic features in both 

 adults and larval cases (e.g., wing venation in certain species). 



3. The rarity in collections of a majority of the known species, with 

 the consequent necessity of founding new species on the basis of one 



' Modified from a doctoral dissertation submitted to Cornell University, 1962. 



1 



