LEPIDOPTERA HETEROCERA 
FAM. GELECHIADJE 
by E. MEYRICK 
WITH 5 COLOURED PLATES 
General Characters. — Head usually smooth or with appressed scales, sidetufts sometimes 
raised, only in Panicotricha with erect rough hairs on crown; ocelli small, posterior or rarely inferior; 
tongue usually developed. Antennae varying from 2/3 to 1 1/2, in c usually simple or shortly ciliated, 
but sometimes with long fasciculate ciliations or even pectinated (P/ilofhyris), basal joint more or less 
elongate, usually without pecten (but pecten present in several independent genera). Labial palpi 
normally long or very long, recurved, sickle-shaped, acute, variably scaled, rarely very short or aborted 
(Amblypalpis and allies), terminal joint in cf sometimes aborted. Maxillary palpi short or very short, 
scaled, appressed or rarely porrected (Lacistodes). Anterior legs normally long, slender; posterior tibiae 
usually with rough scales or long hairs above. Forewings moderate in earlier but becoming narrow in 
higher forms; 1? normally furcate, 2 from or towards angle, rarely remote, 7 and 8 stalked or coincident 
(only in Anomoxena separate by obsolescence of stalk), 11 usually from middle. Hindwings usually r or 
over 1, but sometimes under r, usually trapezoidal, with termen slightly or strongly sinuate or abruptly 
emarginate beneath apex or even with deep excavation, apex sometimes strongly or even excessively 
produced, but sometimes elongate-ovate without terminal sinuation, cilia 1/6-6, cubital pecten some- 
times present (groups 4 and 7); cell complete but transverse vein sometimes obsolescent, 3 and 4 
originally connate but in higher forms often parallel, 5 parallel or approximated to 4 or when 4 is absent 
connate with 3, 6 and 7 normally connate or stalked, yet sometimes remote and parallel (Protolechia and 
allies), 8 normally appressed or connected with middle of upper margin of cell. 
Larva with prolegs on segments 7-10 and 13, rarely rudimentary; rarely with clothing of dense 
long hairs (Hygroplasta); feeding in more or less web, the more primitive forms on lichens, moss, and 
dry vegetable or seldom animal refuse, those more advanced on phanerogamous plants and trees, in 
spun shoots, rolled leaves, within stems or roots or seed-heads or sometimes mining in leaves, 
occasionally living in a portable case, and in general displaying flexibility of habit and adaptability. 
