REVISION OF MOTHS OF CARPOSINIDAE 29 



Carposina (Carposina) phycitana Walsingham 



Figure 9; Map 5 



Carposina phycitana Walsingham, 1914, Biol. Centrali-Americana, Heterocera, 

 vol. 4, p. 299, pi. 9. fig. 9.— Meyrick, 1922, Gen. Insect., fasc. 179, p. 7. 



The following is quoted from the original description: "Antennae 

 strongly biciliate 4; shining, whitish. Palpi fawn-whitish. Head straw- 

 whitish. Thorax shining, pale fawn. Forewings shining, pale fawn- 

 ochreous, mottled with fawn-brown, of which the most conspicuous 

 markings are an elongate patch on the end of the cell, and a shade 

 along the termen, three or four fuscous spots on the outer half of the 

 costa, and three before the terminal shade above mentioned; some 

 shining, silvery white scales are scattered about the wing-surface, 

 before and beyond the middle, and several patches of strongly-raised 

 scales conform to the ground-colour on which they arise — two of these 

 are near the base, above the fold, two below the basal half of the fold, 

 one immediately above the middle of the fold, and one at the end of 

 the cell; cilia fawn-whitish. Exp. al. 17 mm. Hindwings rosy grey; 

 cilia paler. Abdomen shining, pale grey. Legs fawn-whitish, with 

 greyish tarsal bands. 



"Type & (66307) Mus. Wlsm. (Godm-Salv. Coll.) BM. 



"Hah. Panama: Chiriqui : Volcan de Chiriqui, 2000-3000 ft., 1881-2 

 (G. C. Champion). Unique. 



"This is a true Carposina, with typical neuration: {Forewings 12 

 veins, all separate; 2 from near angle of cell, 7 to termen. Hindwings, 

 cubitus pectinate; 6 veins, (3-f4) and (6-|-7) coincident; (3-t-4) and 

 5 short-stalked)." 



Discussion. — Unfortunately, it was not possible for me to examine 

 the unique holotype of this species, although it is doubtful that much 

 information can be obtained from that specimen due to its present 

 physical condition. Mr. Paul Whalley of the British Museum has in- 

 formed me that the holotype is now in extremely poor condition, having 

 no abdomen and only one pair (left side) of wings. Consequently, I 

 have included in full the original description of the species above, 

 realizing, of course, that relatively little use can be derived from this 

 superficial diagnosis due to its omission of genital characters. It is 

 doubtful whether the identity of this species can ever be established 

 until additional material is rediscovered from the type-locality. 



Only two other specimens of Carposina are presently known from 

 Central America, and neither of these is believed to be conspecific 

 with C. phycitana. These two moths are discussed toward the end of 

 this paper as Carposina species numbers 1 and 2. 



