AMERICAN MOTHS OF THE SUBFAMILY PHTCITINAE 



87' 



lower half of wing, dividing the white costal area into 

 two strongly contrasted white patches; dark basal area 

 also blackish towards costa; a similar blackish shade 

 from apex extends obUquely inward towards lower outer 

 angle of ceU; some blackish shading along the outer 

 veins and a narrowly elongate, blackish brown spot on 

 midcosta; sub terminal line very faint, except at costa, 

 dull white, some faint whitish dusting in the outer 

 brown area just below apex; a faint peppering of red 

 scales on the white areas and more or less over the 

 blackish brown markings on costal half of wing; discal 

 dots blackish brown, separated and usually distinct; a 

 row of black dots along termen. Hind wing semitrans- 

 parent, whitish with a smoky tint towards apex and 

 along costa and termen; the veins faintly darkened and 

 a blackish line along terminal margin. Eighth abdomi- 

 nal tufts more or less swollen hairhke scales. Alar 

 expanse, 22-26 mm. 



Male genitalia with transtilla absent; harpe with 

 sacculus partially divided (towards its apex) ; hair tufts 

 from extended basal arm from sacculus, yellow; penis 

 bearing a patch of fine scobiaations; vinculum con- 

 stricted near middle. 



Antenna of male (fig. 279) with a broad sinus in base 

 of shaft occupying a half-dozen fused segments; the 

 sinus with many minute, papUlaUke setae (or scales) on 

 its inner surface, but without hair or scale tuft; a small 

 but strongly sclerotized spine from lateral edge of sinus 

 beyond its base and a similar small spine from apex 

 of the sinus. 



Type locality: Honda, Colombia (type, cf , inBM). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Distribution: Guatemala: Volcdn Santa Maria 

 (June, July). Colombia: Honda (Apr.). Brazil: 

 Santa Catarina (July). PbrIj: Oconeque (Carabaya). 



I have seen no specimens from Colombia; but the 

 male examples before me from Guatemala, BrazU, and 

 Peni agree in antennal characters with the type of 

 peterseni as described by Ragonot. Evidently the 

 species has a wide distribution in Central and South 

 America. 



181. Megarthria squamifera, new species 

 Figures 275, 280 



Color and markings as in peterseni. Male genitalia 

 also similar except lateral arms of gnathos stouter and 

 vinculum less constricted. Digitate pocket of eighth 

 abdominal sternite not appreciably flattened. Male 

 antenna (fig. 280) with a broad, elongate sinus; from 

 one lateral edge of sinus a flat brush of long stiff hairs; 

 the opposing edge concave for most of its length, the 

 concavity ending in a sharp projecting point at each 

 end; inner surface of sinus smooth. 



Type locality: Mount Pods, Costa Rica (type in 

 USNM, 61336). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Described from male type, collected by Schaus and 

 Barnes (May). 



182. Megarthria frustrator, new species 



Color markings and male genitaUa similar to those of 

 peterseni. Male antenna like that of squamijera. Dif- 

 fers from other males of the genus in having a narrow 

 ridge of rough, protruding scales along the costa of 

 forewing for more than half its length from base. Alar 

 expanse, 20 mm. 



Type locality: Juan Vinas, Costa Rica (type in 

 USNM, 61337). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Described from male type, collected by Schaus and 

 Barnes (Feb.). 



183. Megarthria schausi, new species 

 Figure 276 



Color and markings as in peterseni. Male genitalia 

 with vinculum not constricted; apical process of gnathos 

 terminating in a weak, short spine. Transtilla present 

 developed as a square, sclerotized plate, pendant from 

 protruding lobes from the costobasal area of the harpes 

 and with thin short projecting arms from its lower 

 (anterior) corners. Hair tufts from projecting basal 

 arm of sacculus short, yellow. Male antenna like that 

 of squamifera. Alar expanse, 18 mm. 



Type locality: Juan Vinas, Costa Rica (type in 

 USNM, 61338). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Described from male type, collected by Schaus (Jan.) 

 and named in memory of him. The species is easUy 

 identified by its platelike transtilla. I have seen nothing 

 resembling this structure in any other male of the genus. 



184. Megarthria cervicalis Dyar 



Figures 277, 281 



Megarthria cervicalis Dyar, Ins. Insc. Menstr., vol. 7, p. 42, 1919. 



Forewing as on peterseni except that dark areas are 

 paler; less blackish brown and with more red scaling 

 on the dark antemedial band and midcostal spot, the 

 latter almost entirely reddish. Eighth abdominal tuft 

 small, consisting of broadly flattened and contorted 

 scales; digitate pocket from sternite of eighth segment 

 strongly bent and decidedly flattened. Alar expanse, 

 20 mm. 



Male genitalia with vinculum not constricted, of even 

 width throughout and with terminal margin evenly 

 rounded; penis armed with a small, flat, bladelike cor- 

 nutus; sacculus of harpe not divided at apex; hair tuft 

 from projecting basal arm of sacculus, black. 



Male antenna (fig. 281) with a short, shallow sinus 

 at base of shaft and with a very small scale tuft from 

 the base of the sinus (under the lower magnification 

 looks like a small triangulate spine). 



Type locality: Tdnamo, Cuba (Aug.; type in 

 USNM). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Ejiown only from its male type. A distinct species 

 easily identified by its male antennae and genitalia. 



