112 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 244 



Recorded hosts. — None. 



Distribution. — (Map 10.) Presently known only from the states 

 of Michoacan and Morelos in the Volcanic Section of central Mexico. 



Discussion. — This species, when better known, either may turn 

 out to be a synonym of 0. toumeyi, since the adult males of the two 

 species scarcely can be told apart, or its status as a sibling species 

 may be confirmed. There appears to be a difference in the shape of 

 the wing scales : those of 0. assimilis are more slender. This character, 

 however, needs to be studied from a series of specimens, as the shape 

 of scales has been observed to vary in some species of Oiketicus (e.g., 

 0. geyeri and 0. townsendi). On the other hand, the striking difference 

 between the larval cases strongly suggests separate status for these 

 two insects. An extensive series of cases of 0. toumeyi was studied, 

 and none were observed even to approximate those of 0. assimilis. 

 Differences in food plants, in some species, cause a great range of 

 variation in the general appearance of a species' case; however, the 

 basic construction of a larval case is not known to change because of 

 these reasons alone. Since this fundamental behavior seems to be 

 an inherited characteristic, 0. toumeyi and 0. assimilis are considered 

 separate entities. 



Material examined. — 1 cf, 1 case: 



MEXICO: Specific locality unknown, c? with case, April 4, USNM. 



48. Oiketicus specter Schaus 



FiGUKES 49, 235, 236, 285, 285a 353; Map 9 



Oiketicus specter Schaus, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., vol. 29, p. 344, 1905. — Dalla 

 Torre and Strand, Lep. Cat., pars 34, p. 194, 1929. — Gaede in Seitz, 

 Macrolep. World, vol. 6, p. 1184, 1936. 



Male. — (Fig. 49.) Antennae with apical third strongly biserrate; 

 Foretibia with epiphysis approximately K as long as tibia. Mid- and 

 hindtibia each with single apical spur. 



Wings relatively broad for genus, normally uniformly but somewhat 

 thinly scaled; outer fourth frequently semitransparent in rubbed 

 specimens. Primaries with discal scales (fig. 353) oblanceolate, 

 possessing rounded or minutely clefted apices; cell dark fuscous; 

 lighter areas of wing light to medium brown; hyaline bar very oblique, 

 parallel with termen; venation rather constant; M2 and 3 of both 

 wings usually stalked, sometimes connate. Secondaries with outer 

 margin rounded or very slightly sinuate. Wing expanse 44-53 mm. 



Male genitalia. — (Fig. 285.) Darldy sclerotized, very elongate. 

 Valves with pulvilh only moderately developed. Vinculum very 

 gradually narrowing to saccus, as long or longer than main body of 

 genitaha. Aedeagus with sharp bend in upper portion of neck. 



