AMERICAN MOTHS OF THE SUBFAMILY PHYCITINAE 



19 



out a thin black branch along lower vein of cell (this 

 lower streak extending out as far as base of vein 2). 



Type locality: Millbrook, N. C. (type in USNM). 



Food plants: Hickory, pecan. 



Distribution: North Carolina, Elizabeth City (Aug.), 

 MiUbrook (Aug.), New Bern (Aug.), Tryon (Aug.); 

 Illinois, Putnam County (July) ; Arkansas, Washington 

 County (Aug.); Texas, Cuero (July); Georgia, Albany 

 (June) ; Florida, Monticello. 



Doubtfully distinct from exsulella, but the names had 

 better be kept separate untU more is known about the 

 biologies of the two color forms. 



20. Acrobasis exsulella (Zeller), new combination 



Figure 151 



Myelois exsulella Zeller, Isis von Oken, 1848, p. 868. 

 Rhodophaea exsulella (Zeller) Ragonot, Ent. Amer., vol. 5, p. 114, 



1889; Monograph, pt. 1, p. 80, 1893. — Hulst, Phycitidae of 



N. Amer., p. 120, 1890.— McDunnough, Check list. No. 



6076, 1939. 

 Acrobasis seplentrionella Dyar, Ins. Insc. Menstr., vol. 13, p. 13, 



1925.— McDunnough, Check list. No. 6107, 1939. (New 



synonymy.) 



Similar to peplifera except: Averaging larger; basal 

 area of forewing more decidedly and evenly reddish; 

 outer area somewhat paler; scale ridge not blackish, 

 red and concolorous with remainder of basal area, very 

 weak. Alar expanse, 14-20 mm. 



Type localities: North America [Georgia?] {exsulel- 

 la, in Zool. Mus. Univ. Berlin) ; Florida (septentrioneUa, 

 in USNM). 



Food plants: Hickory, pecan. 



Distribution: Florida (type, no other locality, 

 Apr.), Orlando (Apr.); Texas, Brownwood (Mar.); 

 North Carolina, Kaleigh (May); Maryland, Plummers 

 Isl. (June). 



The types of both exsulella and seplentrionella are 

 females. The former is supposed to be in Berlin. 

 The figure of it given by Kagonot (Monograph, pi. 5, 

 fig. 19) is a very good match for Dyar's species and I 

 have no hesitation in synonymizing the latter. The 

 scale ridge is present on forewing but could be easily 

 overlooked, especially on a female that had been spread. 

 Even on the unspread and unrubbed females in the 

 National Collection it is not discernible except under 

 considerable magnification. The structure is more 

 prominent on the male. 



Our Texas specimens were reared from larvae feeding 

 on the expanding buds of pecan. Dyar's paratype from 

 North Carolina was reared from hickory. We have no 

 further information on the biology. The sex-scaling 

 of the male is like that of peplifera, which will probably 

 prove to be nothing more than a variety or color form 

 of exsulella. 



21. Acrobasis anguselia Grote 

 Figure 152 



Acrobasis angusella Grote, North Amer. Ent., vol. 1, p. 51, 1880; 

 Papilio, vol. 1, p. 14, 1880; BuU. U. S. Geol. Geogr. Surv. 

 Terr., vol. 6, p. 590, 1882.— Ragonot, Monograph, pt. 1, 

 p. 104, 1893. — Barnes and McDunnough, Contributions, 



vol. 2, p. 221, 1914.— Forbes, Cornell Mem. 68, p. 615, 

 1923— McDunnough, Check list. No. 6091, 1939. 

 Acrobasis eliella Dyar, Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, vol. 10, p. 

 43, 1908. 



Head and thorax whitish clay color, more or less 

 shaded with pinkish or reddish suffusion (darker on 

 females than on males). Forewing with basal area 

 reddish and with some dusting of black scales on darker 

 specimens; scale ridge black or black with an inter- 

 mixture of red scales, followed outwardly by a reddish 

 or reddish ocherous patch narrowing towards costa; 

 pale antemedial line chiefly indicated on lower half of 

 wing, obscure, followed on costa by a dark fuscous 

 triangulate shade; median area gray with a diffused 

 pale shade surrounding discal spots and extending to 

 costa; discal dots separate, distinct, but not strongly 

 contrasted against groimd color; sub terminal line 

 distinct, denticulate, preceded by a narrow dark border 

 and followed in terminal area by a broad reddish or 

 reddish ocherous suffusion. Hind wing pale smoky 

 fuscous. Alar expanse, 17-22 mm. 



Type localities: West Farms, N. Y. {anguselUi, 

 in BM); East River, Conn, {eliella, in USNM). 



Food plant: Hickory (larvae boring in the leaf 

 stems) . 



Distribution: United States: Massachusetts, North 

 Adams (Aug.); New York, West Farms, Ilion (July, 

 Aug.) ; New Jersey (June) ; Pennsylvania, New Brighton 

 (May, Aug.) ; Maryland, Beltsvihe (May) ; Connecticut, 

 East River (July, Aug., Sept.). Canada: Ontario, 

 Ottawa (July). 



Barnes and McDunnough (1914) were correct in their 

 criticism of Dyar's identification of angusella and in 

 their reference of eliella to synonomy, but their descrip- 

 tion of the male sex-scaUng is at fault. It is more 

 correctly described by Ragonot in his monograph. It 

 consists of a very short black patch on costa of forewing ; 

 a long black streak along the upper vein of cell, expand- 

 ing almost to the costal edge at middle and terminating 

 well beyond the end of the cell, and from the base of 

 this streak a second short black streak along lower fine 

 of cell for about half its length. On some males there 

 are also a few black scales on vein Ic shortly beyond its 



22. Acrobasis demotella Grote 

 Figure 153 



Acrobasis demotella Grote, Papilio, vol. 1, p. 14, 1881; Bull. U. S. 

 Geol. Geogr. Surv. Terr., vol. 6, p. 590, 1882.— Hulst, 

 Phycitidae of N. Amer., p. 122, 1890.— Ragonot, Mono- 

 graph, pt. 1, p. 103, 1893. — Dyar, Proc. Ent. Soc. Washing- 

 ton, vol. 10, p. 42, 1908. — Barnes and McDunnough, Con- 

 tributions, vol. 2, p. 221, 1914.— Forbes, Cornell Mem. 68, 

 p. 616, 1923.— McDunnough, Check list. No. 6092, 1939. 



Color and markings in general similar to those of 

 angusella except: Central area of forewing a uniformly 

 suffused dark grayish fuscous; basal area a paler red- 

 dish shade without dark dusting except for some 

 fuscous smudging of the scale ridge on inner margin; 

 antemedial line more distinct, dull white and on most 

 specimens completely indicated to costa; discal dots 



