AMERICAN MOTHS OF THE SUBFAMILY PHYCITINAE 



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I have not seen any specimens from the type locaHty 

 but have before me a male and female from French 

 Guiana and a somewhat larger pair (20-21 mm.) from 

 Costa Rica compared by Schaus with the type. They 

 are either this species or varieties thereof. The follow- 

 ing description is drawn from them. 



Ground color of forewing gray shaded with reddish 

 brown between the veins; the veins themselves outlined 

 with black, the blackish streaks broken by a very faint 

 dull whitish antemedial line and by a more distinct 

 subterminal line and more or less interrupted between; 

 at extreme base the vein markings fused into a blackish 

 patch; subterminal line close to outer margin, out- 

 wardly angled between the fork of veins 4 and 5 ; discal 

 dots small, separated, set obliquely, blackish; terminal 

 dots faint. Hind wings grayish brown, paler and semi- 

 translucent on the male; the veins faintly darkened, 

 brown; a narrow brown line along termen. Alar ex- 

 panse, 16-21 mm. 



Male genitalia with uncus but slightly constricted 

 near its middle (wider in this area than in any of the 

 following species); penis finely spined. Female geni- 

 talia with signum a small cluster of bluntly rounded, 

 closely appressed disks. 



Type locality: Honda, Colombia (type in BM). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Distribution: Colombia: Honda. Fbench Guiana: 

 Cayenne. Costa Rica: Juan Vinas (May), Sixaola 

 River (Mar.). 



The species is easily distinguished from anything else 

 in the genus by its smaller size and the shape of its 

 imcus. There are several minor differences between the 

 genitalia of specimens from French Guiana and Costa 

 Rica; in the spacing between the apical prongs of gna- 

 thos, in the shape of the terminal margin of vinculum, 

 in the amount of spining on the median area of tran- 

 stiUa, and in the number of disks forming the female 

 signum. These are shown in our figures. Such differ- 

 ences, however, do not seem to be of anything more 

 than individual or (at most) varietal significance. The 

 foldings of the median (membranous) area of the tran- 

 stilla shown in figure 209 are superficial and result from 

 the manner in which the slide preparation was made. 



91. Diatomocera dosia (Dyar), new combination 



Figures 43, 210, 685 

 Cabima dosia Dyar, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 47, p. 330, 1914. 

 Forewing dull white; the veins streaked with black 

 broken into short dashes and dots; antemedial line not 

 defined except by the black vein streakings on outer 

 margin; subterminal line faint, angulate, the apex of 

 angle between the fork of veins 4 and 5 ; discal and ter- 

 minal dots distinct, separate, black; a faint shading of 

 ocherous fuscous scales above and below vein lb at 

 middle; costa at base black for most of the length of 

 fold on male. Hind wing duU semitransparent white, 

 slightly darker on female; the veins more or less out- 

 lined in pale brown; a smoky shade along costa and a 



fine, brown line along termen. Alar expanse, 24-31 

 mm, 



Male genitalia mth penis finely granulate-scobinate. 

 Female genitalia with signum a chain of blimtly pointed 

 disks. 



Type locality: Cabima, Panama (type in USNM). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Known only from the type series (nine specimens) 

 from the type locality (May). 



92. Diatomocera excisalis (Hampson), new combination 

 Figures 211, 687 



Crocidomera excisalis Hampson, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 10, 

 vol. 4, p. 353, 1929. 



Similar to dosia Dyar and probably no more than a 

 variety of that species. Distinguished by its generally 

 smaller size, some trifling differences in male genitalia, 

 and a shorter chain of disks forming the signum of the 

 female. 



Alar expanse, 23-25 mm. 



Male genitalia considerably smaller than those of 

 dosia but otherwise similar. 



Type locality: Cayenne, French Gudana (type in 

 BM). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Distribution: French Guiana: Cayenne, St. Lau- 

 rent Maroni. 



Also before me is a female from the unidentified ma- 

 terial of the British Museum from eastern Bolivia 

 ("Aug.-Oct., 1920, T. Steinbach") which is superficially 

 a very good match for the female paratype of excisalis 

 and may be a variety of that species. Unfortunately 

 it lacks an abdomen, so positive identification cannot 

 be made. 



93. Diatomocera decurrens (Dyar), new combination 

 Figure 212 



Cabima decurrens Dyar, Free. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 47, p. 330, 

 1914. 



Forewing "luteous gray" (the ground color of a dis- 

 tinctly yellowish tint); black markings on veins as in 

 excisalis but especially strong along vein lb; the sub- 

 terminal line somewhat more distinct. Hind wing semi- 

 transparent white with a very faint ocherous tint ; veins 

 very faintly darkened ; a narrow, pale brown line along 

 termen. Alar expanse, 21-28 mm. 



Male genitalia distinguished from those of dosia and 

 excisalis by its much narrower (more constricted) 

 vinculum; penis with a few weak, minute scobinations. 

 The sternite of eighth abdominal segment is also differ- 

 ently shaped from that of dosia or excisalis. 



Type locality: Rio Trinidad, Panami (type in 

 USNM). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Distribution: PanamX: Corazal (Mar.), La Chorrera 

 (May), Rio Trinidad (Mar.). 



A distinct species easily distinguished by its male gen- 

 italia and ocherous forewing. Known only from males 

 of the original type series. I fail to see the difference 



