134 



SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF 



THE MISNAMED GALL-MOTH— Euryptychia, taligneana, Clemens. 

 (Lepidoptera, TortriciJae.) 



The only other gall-producing moth known in this country is the 

 species illustrated herewith (Fig. 90, a), and there are some doubts in 



my mind as to whether it is a real 

 gall-maker or an "inquiline"or in- 

 truderon my true Solidago Gall- 

 | maker ( Gelechia galloesoUdagin- 

 is.) But two specimens of the moth 

 have ever been found, one of which 

 s in the cabinet of the late Brack- 

 enridge Clemens, at Philadelphia, 

 and the other in my possession. 

 They were both bred by Mr. 

 Walsh from golden rod galls re- 

 sembling those of my Solidago 

 gall in being elongated and hol- 

 low; and from specimens kindly furnished to me before his death, I 

 am enabled to give the above sketch of the dried gall, with the pupa- 

 skin attached, and likewise that of the moth. The only description 

 which exists of the larva is of a dead and somewhat shrunken speci- 

 men, in the following brief note taken from Mr. Walsh's journal: 

 "Larva 16-footed, yellowish; spiracles (fuscous) on all but 2d, 3d 

 and anal segments. Head and 2d [1st] segment horny and rufous. 

 Length 0.40." 



The moth is the only representative of its genus (Euryptychia) 

 so far known. It was described in 1865 by Dr. Clemens * as E. sa- 

 ligneana, under the false impression that it was reared from a willow 

 gall. But the scientific name of the insect must stand, however inap- 

 propriate. 



Euryptychia saligneana — Moth — Front wings white, tinted with yellowish. The basal 

 patch is dark brown. The wing beyond the basal patch is nearly white, varied with leaden-colored 

 speckles and striped over the nervules with dull, leaden-gray, transverse stripes, two of which 

 near the anal angle form a white ocelloid patch. Immediately interior to the ocelloid patch is a 

 small black spot, having a line of black atoms running into it, from above and beneath. Below 

 the apex, on the hind margin, is a triangular brown patch, which is varied with grayish and 

 dotted with black in the middle and along the inner edge. The costa is geminated with white, 

 and striped with brown. Hind wings dark fuscous. (After Clemens.) 



Generic character— Hind wings broader than front wings. Costal and subcostal veins with a 

 common origin ; branches of subcostal connivent. Median vein 4-branched, three of which are ag- 

 gregated, the two central ones from a common base. Front wings with a broad fold, extending to 

 the middle of the costa, closely appressed ; at least three times longer than broad ; costa straight, 

 tip moderately acute, apical margin rounded. The nervules given off from the posterior end of 

 the cell are bent toward each other or are somewhat aggregated. 



Head smooth, with ocelli at base of antennas. Antennae filiform, simple. Labial palpi, do 

 not exceed the face, are curved, smooth, rather slender, expanded toward the tip, the apical joint 

 scarcely perceptible, except in front. (Clemens.) 



My reasons for thinking this insect an intruder on the rightful 

 gall-ma ker, are : 1st, because if it were a true gall-maker we should 



* Proc. Ent. Soc, Phil., V., p. 141. 



