no 



UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 207 



genitalia of the Utah female agree in every detail with 

 those of the type. 



The Ragonot and Dyar references to lallatalis have 

 been omitted from the above s3Tiomy as they apply to 

 other species. For comments on the misapplication of 

 Hulst's name see under Interjectio denticvlella (p. 106) 

 and Phobus hrucei (p. 138). 



58. Genus Catastia Hiibner 



Catastia Hiibner, Verzeiehniss bekannter Schmetterlinge, p. 372, 

 1825. — Heinemann, Die Schmetterlinge Deutschlands und 

 der Schweiz, Abt. 2, vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 164, 1865. — Ragonot, 

 Monograph, pt. 1, p. 479, 1893. — Spuler, Die Schmetterlinge 

 Europas, vol. 2, p. 210, 1910. — Hemming, Hiibner, vol. 2, p. 

 168, 1937. — Janse, Journ. Ent. Soc. South Africa, vol 7, p. 

 13, 1944 (description and figures). (Type of genus: Noctua 

 marginea Schiffermiiller; figs. 314, 796.) 



Tongue weU developed. Antenna finely pubescent; 

 on male with a shallow sinus in base of shaft containing 

 a row of minute black teeth and a short, weak scale 

 tuft. Labial palpus oblique, not extending above 

 vertex; broadly scaled, the scales tightly appressed 

 (except on incorruscella and actualis); third segment 

 over one-third the length of second,* usually projected 

 forward and partially concealed in the scaling of second 

 segment, acuminate. Maxillary palpus squamous 

 (broadly scaled). Forewing smooth; 11 veins; vein 2 

 from before lower outer angle of cell; 3 from the angle, 

 closer to 4 than to 2; 4 and 5 separated at base; 6 from 

 below upper angle of cell, straight; 8 and 9 stalked for 

 nearly half their lengths; 10 from the cell; male without 

 costal fold. Hind wing as in Amhesa (except that in 

 the European marginea vein 3 is slightly longer in 

 proportion to 2; this species barely coming within our 

 venational group B). Eighth abdominal segment of 

 male with a pair of ventrolateral hair tufts. 



Male genitalic characters as in Amhesa except: 

 Harpe not so long in proportion to combined length of 

 tegumen and uncus; cucullus narrow on aU species. 

 Transtilla incomplete, but its elements more strongly 

 sclerotized. Vinculum as long or a trifle longer {mar- 

 ginea) than greatest width, stout. 



Female genitaha with lower surface of ductus bm-sae 

 towards genital opening unsclerotized or very weakly 

 sclerotized (except in marginea); a pair of narrow, 

 elongate plates on inner dorsal surface of ductus bursae 

 at genital opening; otherwise as in Amhesa. 



This genus is very close to Amhesa, differing chiefly 

 in its shorter labial palpus with deflected third segment; 

 its squamous maxillary palpus; stronger sclerotization 

 of the elements of transtilla; the presence of the two 

 elongate sclerotized plates in the ductus bursae towards 

 genital opening; and the slight scale tuft in the sinus 

 of the male antennal shaft. 



The European type of the genus (figs. 314, 796) dif- 

 fers from our American species in having the lower 

 surface of the ductus bursae sclerotized and produced 



* Denuded example of palps of the type species {marginea) 

 show the third segment half again as long as the figure (52b) in 

 Janse's 1944 paper. 



at genital opening, the pointed projection from apex 

 of costa a trifle longer, the vinculum narrowly roxmded 

 at its extremity, and vein 3 of hind wing a trifle longer 

 in relation to 2. These differences, however, are more 

 specific than generic in character and do not seem to 

 justify a separate generic designation for oiu- American 

 species, despite the obvious likenesses in structure. 

 The life history of none of the species is known. 



227. Catastia bistriatella (Hulst), new combination 



Figures 316, 797 



Pyla bistriatella Hulst, Canadian Ent., vol. 27, p. 54, 1895. — 

 McDunnough, Check list. No. 6238, 1939. 



Head, thorax, and forewing black with a deep greenish 

 blue iridescence; the forewing crossed by two rather 

 broad white lines ; the antemedial line slightly oblique, 

 nearly straight; the subterminal line set well back from 

 termen, somewhat wavy. Hind wing a uniform, glossy 

 black-brown. Labial palpus not reaching to vertex 

 (shorter than the palpi of the other species of the 

 genus) ; second segment broadly scaled, the scales flatly 

 appressed; third segment shorter than that of any other 

 species of the genus, almost completely hidden in the 

 scaling of second segment. Alar expanse, 23-25 mm. 



Male genitalia with projecting spine at apex of 

 sclerotized costa very short. Terminal margin of 

 vinculum moderately broad, sHghtly produced at the 

 lateral edges, very slightly convex. Female genitalia 

 with ventral surface of ductus bursae at genital opening 

 not sclerotized; bursa copulatrix with an irregular, 

 lined, weakly sclerotized patch towards anterior end 

 (probably an individual rather than a specific charac- 

 ter). 



Type localitt: Yosemite, Calif, (type in AMNH, 

 ex Rutgers). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Distribution: California, Humphreys Basin (Fresno 

 County, Aug.), Yosemite. 



A striking, easily recognized species. Hulst is in 

 error in stating that the maxillary palpi are not scale 

 tufted. They are squamous like those of the other 

 cogeneric species but are difficult to see behind the 

 heavily scaled labial palpi. The genitalia of the male 

 type agree in every detail with th'ose of the Humphreys 

 Basin male figured. 



228. Catastia incorruscella (Hulst), new combination 

 Figures 315, 795 



Pyla incorruscella Hulst, Canadian Ent., vol. 27, p. 55, 1895. — 

 McDunnough, Check list. No. 6240, 1939. 



Fore and hind wings a deep, blackish brown, some- 

 what lustrous but without metallic iridescence; trans- 

 verse lines similar to those of bistriatella, but thinner and 

 a dull ocherous white. On thorax and palpi a scatter- 

 ing of whitish scales; the scaling on second segment of 

 labial palpus slightly roughened; third segment about 

 the same proportional length as on marginea and actvr- 

 alis, longer than that of bistriatella. Alar expanse, 20- 

 22 mm. 



