﻿30 Journal New York Ent. Soc. [Vol. iii. 



A CLEW TO THE ORIGIN OF THE GEOMETRID 



MOTHS. 



By A. S. Packard. 



In examining the pupa of Phryganidia calif ornica, and finding 

 the more essential features to be as much like those of the Geo- 

 metrid moths, as any other group, I came upon results entirely 

 unexpected to myself, and which give a clew to the origin of this 

 great group of moths. It has become evident that Phryganidia can 

 neither be placed among the Zygaenidre, or Syntomidse, though 

 possessing some pterogostic features like those of the latter group. 



Another fact considered was that the larva of Melanchroia 

 (J/, cephisc and AT. geometroides), formerly associated with the 

 Lithosiida:, have been shown by Dewitz to be Geometrids. Another 

 is the absence of a pair of legs in the Nolidte, which I find must 

 by their pupal and other characters be regarded as a distinct 

 family from the Lithosiidae. Still another fact is the conclusion I 

 have arrived at that the Lithosiidx have almost directly descended 

 from the Tineida^ or an extinct group closely allied to them, and 

 that from the Lithosiid?e have arisen noi only the Dioptidre (perhaps 

 including P/iryga/iidia), the Cyllopodids and Hypsidee, but also the 

 SyntomidK and Nyctemeridai, as well as the Arctiidoe. 



On reexamining the larva, pupa and imago o( P//ryga/jidia (we 

 have no knowledge of the transformations of the genuine Dioptidae 

 as at present limited) ; it has seemed to me that it has little of 

 fundamental value to separate it from the Geometrid moths. 



First as to the larva of Phryganidia: while in the shape of the 

 head and the slender cylindrical body it differs little from the 

 larva of Melanchroia, and of Geometrids in general; if the three 

 anterior pairs of abdominal legs were atrophied, there would be 

 no essential difference. That this is probable is seen in the larva 

 oi Nola which has but four pairs of abdominal legs, one pair being 

 atrophied. 



The end of the body (Sth abdominal segment) is humped, but 

 the larv£ of the East Indian Eusemia and Hypsa are also humped 

 at the end of the body. Phryganidia only differs in being slenderer, 

 and without hairs, and seems more closely allied to the larvs of 

 the Hypsidae than to those of any of the allied groups. It does 

 not spin a cocoon. 



The pupa is obtected, and in its essential features more like 

 that of Geometrids than Lithosiidce or any Zygaenid or Syntomid 



