ANNALS 



OF 



The Entomological Society of America 



Volume X SEPTEMBER, 19 17 Number 3 



OBSERVATIOTVrS ON THE PUPAL WINGS OF NEPTICULA, 

 WITH COMPARATIVE NOTES ON OTHER GENERA. 



By Annette F. Braun, Cincinnati, Ohio. 



The Nepticulidas possess some conspicuous characteristics 

 not present in other Lepidoptera. The most noticeable of these 

 are the crowding together and anastomosis of the main tracheal 

 stems of the fore wings and the absence of true cross-veins 

 (except the humeral cross-vein in rare instances). The nearest 

 approach to this type of venation seems to be found among 

 certain small Trichoptera; where however the base of media 

 remains distinct and does not anastomose either with radius 

 or cubitus. The presence of a true frenulum in the male in 

 even the most primitive genera of Nepticulidae taken in con- 

 junction with the fact that in the female we find both jugum 

 on the fore wing and series of hooked spines on the costa of the 

 hind wing also suggests their relationship to the Trichoptera. 

 Other characteristics, such as the presence of the jugum in the 

 female of the more primitive genera, the structure of the 

 mouth parts, and the structure of the pupa ally them to the 

 Eriocranid group of the Micropterygidae. 



It is in the development of the venation of the fore wings 

 that this group differs so strikingly from other Lepidoptera. 

 The disappearance of the basal portion of media takes place 

 through coalescence with the base of radius or with the base of 

 cubitus, and not through atrophy as is usual in the Frenatae. 



In the hind wing media coalesces with radius to about the 

 middle of the wing in much the same way. This condition is 

 not however unique, as it is occasionally present in other groups 



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