MOTHS OF FAMILY WALSHIIDAE — HODGES 291 



H. E. Evans, Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ); Dr. J. A. Powell, 

 University of California at Berkeley (UCB); Dr. A. F. Braun, Cincin- 

 nati, Ohio (AFB); Mr. M. O. Glenn, Henry, Illinois (MOG); Mr. 

 C. P. Kimball, Barnstable, Massachusetts (CPK); and Dr. A. B. Klots, 

 New York, New York (ABK). Specimens in the United States 

 National Museum are designated by USNM. Particular thanks are 

 given to Drs. Braun, Darlington, Evans, and Mr. Rehn for allowing 

 me to examine type specimens under their care. In addition, Mr. 

 J. D. Bradley furnished me with specimens of Sorhagenia rhamniella 

 and Cholotis semnostola Mejn'ick and compared North American 

 material with specimens in the British Museum (Natural History). 



The photographs of the adult moths were made by J. Scott, Staff 

 Photographer, Smithsonian Institution. 



The specimens of Stilhosis tesquella from Highlands, North Carolina, 

 were collected during the summer of 1958 when the author was assist- 

 ing Dr. J. G. Franclemont under the auspices of a grant from the 

 Penrose Fund of the American Philosophical Society. 



Taxonomic Treatment 



The name Walshiidae was proposed for a relatively homogeneous 

 group of genera (Hodges, 1962a). At some future date, when more 

 is known about the gelechioids, the group probably will be treated as 

 a subfamily or tribe within the complex, but for the present it must 

 be recognized as being as distinct as several other families. 



The characters of the family are as given in Hodges (Revision of 

 Cosmopterigidae, in press) with the following modifications : the fore- 

 wing with 11 (no. 2 absent) or 12 veins; the hind wing with 6 (3 and 4 

 absent) or 8 veins; uncus usually present, absent in Obithome, new 

 genus, and Periploca. In several of the genera there is a tendency 

 toward asymmetry in the male genitalia, usually expressed by a twist- 

 ing of the valvae with a concomitant reduction of one valva and an 

 enlargement of the other. 



The three families, Walshiidae, Cosmopterigidae, and Momphidae, 

 have been placed in either Cosmopterigidae, Lavernidae, or Momphi- 

 dae on the basis of wing venation; however, as I have indicated 

 (Hodges, ibid.), venation does not offer a satisfactory means of sep- 

 arating these families. For example, by using venation, several genera 

 of cosmopterigids would go into the Oecophoridae; the walshiids, cos- 

 mopterigids, and momphids would form a unit; and the Scaeosophi- 

 dae would be treated as a separate family. Unfortunately, the 

 female genitalia also do not seem to offer diagnostic characters on 

 the family (and often not on the generic) level; however, the male 

 genitalia do present what appear to be reliable means for separating 

 these families, and it is this system of characters which presently 



