292 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. no 



forms the basis of our system of classification. The females will have 

 to be associated with males before positive family identification can 

 be made. 



Key to Walshiidae, Cosmopterigidae, and Momphidae Based on Male 



Genitalia 



1. Gnathos present 2 



Gnathos absent 3 



2. Brachia of gnathos symmetrical Momphidae 



Brachia of gnathos asymmetrical Cosmopterigidae 



3. Aedeagus ankylosed, heavily sclerotized manica articulating with saccus or 



juxta Walshiidae 



Aedeagus not ankylosed, manica absent Momphidae 



The female genitalia of Ithome Chambers and Obithome are heavily 

 sclerotized, particularly the apophyses. The apophyses are very 

 similar to those of Adela Latreille (Pierce and Metcalf, 1935), Ectropro- 

 ceros Diakonoff (Diakonoff, 1955), and Antispila Hiibner (Kuroko, 

 1961); however, rather than indicating phyletic relationship, the 

 sclerotization probably represents a modification for a specialized 

 type of oviposition. 



Meyrick (1915) transferred Stagmatophora ceanothiella Cosens to 

 the Australian genus Cholotis Meyrick. In 1921 he synonymized 

 Cholotis with the Palearctic genus Ascalenia Wocke, thereby making 

 the combination Ascalenia ceanothiella. As I have shown (Hodges, 

 1962b), A. ceanothiella belongs to the genus Periploca. Genitalic 

 examination of the type-species Cholotis semnostola indicates that 

 this genus is distinct from Ascalenia and that it has affinities with 

 Perimede. Meyrick placed many Central and South American spe- 

 cies in Cholotis (later Ascalenia) and Prochola Meyrick. Clarke (in 

 press) subsequently has examined the genitalia of several of Meyrick's 

 type specimens and has transferred many species to other genera. 

 Until the genitalia of the known species in these genera have been 

 examined, the generic combinations must be regarded with caution. 



Walshia particornella (Busck) is somewhat intermediate in position 

 between Walshia and Periploca; however, because of an uncus present 

 in the male genitalia and the general facies of the genitalia, parti- 

 cornella is associated with Walshia. The ostium bursae of W. parti- 

 cornella is in the middle of the seventh sternmii, a characteristic that 

 is in contrast to the other known species of Walshia, the ostium bursae 

 of which is on the anterior margin of the seventh sternum ; the ostium 

 bursae of Periploca is on the anterior margin or medial. The habitus 

 of W. particornella is similar to that of Periploca species, and the wings 

 are smooth-scaled; the forewings of all known species of Walshia 

 have a series of raised scales. At the time of writing I do not feel that 



