AMERICAN MOTHS OF THE SUBFAMILY PHYCITINAE 



121 



collar with sclerotized area reduced to a narrow, more 

 or less U-shaped dorsolateral band (similar to that of 

 Ortholepis) . 



An Old World genus of Holarctic distribution with 

 one European and one North American species; easily 

 identified by its genitalia and hairy vestiture. 



245. Polopeustis arctiella (Gibson) 

 Figures 331, 810 



Pyla arctiella Gibson, Report of the Canadian Arctic Expedition 

 (1913-18), vol. 3, pt. 1, p. 46, 1920. 



Polopeuslis annulatella arctiella (Gibson) McDunnough, Ca- 

 nadian Ent., vol 67, p. 174, 1935; Check list. No. 6150, 1939. 



ForeAsdng slate gray with a fine scattered sprinkling 

 of white, the whitish dusting more concentrated in basal 

 area and the area beyond the sub terminal line; trans- 

 verse lines rather broad, well contrasted, white; ante- 

 medial line oblique and slightly angulate; sub terminal 

 line sinuate; a narrow blackish shade bordering the 

 antemedial outwardly and the subterminal inwardly; 

 discal dots obscure, more or less confluent. Hind wings 

 smoky white; the veins darkened; a narrow dark shade 

 along termen. Alar expanse, 21-25 mm. 



Male genitalia with two cornuti on penis ; otherwise as 

 in annulatella. Female genitalia differ from those of 

 annulatella chiefly in the shape of the sclerotized area of 

 eighth-segment collar (compare figs. 809a and 810a). 

 The differences in shape and extent of sclerotized area 

 of bursa are probably individual in character. 



Type locality: Collinson Point, Alaska (type in 

 Canadian Nat. Coll.). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Distribution: Alaska: Collinson Point (July). 

 Canada: Labrador, Hopedale (July), Nain; Manitoba, 

 Fort Churchill (June, July). 



Gibson's name may represent no more than a New 

 World race of annulatella; but arctiella is at least that. 

 Good series of both are before me and their genitalic 

 differences appear to be constant; the male of annulat- 

 ella has but one cornutus, that of arctiella has consist- 

 ently two comuti. If and when intergrading examples 

 of Polopeustis are recovered from northern Siberia the 

 name arctiella may be reduced to subspecific status or 

 referred as a synonym to annulatella. Meanwhile a 

 specific separation seems the safer procedure. 



Genera 67-70: Meroptera to Tulsa 



[Venational division B. Veins 4 and 5 of forewing very shortly 

 stalked, connate or closely approximate at base, in Tulsa approxi- 

 mate at base and for a short distance beyond; 8 and 9 long stalked; 

 10 frequently connate or shortly stalked with 8-9, if from the cell 

 approximate to the stalk of 8-9 for some distance from its base. 

 Antenna of male with sinus and scale tuft in base of shaft. Labial 

 palpus erect or obUquely upturned. Maxillary palpus of male 

 in the form of an aigrette or squamous. Male genitalia with 

 transtilla frequently complete, but if so, weakly sclerotized; 

 harpe with clasper always present and well sclerotized, digitate 

 or enlarged and spined; harpe with long hair brush from inner 

 surface along lower edge of basal half of sclerotized costa; penis 

 armed with two stout, rather short cornuti. Female genitalia 



with bursa finely and densely spined, usually with one or more 

 sclerotized, granulate patches.] 



67. Genus Meroptera Grote 



Meroptera Grote, Canadian Ent., vol. 14, p. 29, 1882. — Hulst, 

 Phycitidae of N. Amer., p. 148, 1890. — Ragonot, Mono- 

 graph, pt. 1, p. 312, 1893.— Forbes, Cornell Mem. 68, 

 p. 624, 1923. (Type of genus: Pempelia pravella Grote.) 



Emmeriia Hampson, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 10, vol. 5, p. 76, 

 1930. (Type of genus: Meroptera mirandella Ragonot. New 

 synonymy.) 



Tongue well developed. Antenna weakly pubescent; 

 on male with sinus and scale tuft in base of shaft. La- 

 bial palpus upturned, closely appressed to face; smooth 

 scaled; reaching above vertex; second segment long, on 

 male hoUowed to receive maxillary palpus; third seg- 

 ment short (about one-fourth of second), acuminate. 

 Maxillary palpus of male in the form an of aigrette; 

 of female squamous. Forewing smooth; 11 veins; vein 



2 from before but rather near lower outer angle of cell; 



3 from the angle, at base slightly nearer to 4-5 than to 

 2; 4 and 5 very shortly stalked, connate or closely ap- 

 proximate at base; 6 from below upper angle of cell, 

 straight or (rarely) very slightly bent towards base; 8 

 and 9 stalked for over two-thirds their lengths; 10 

 shortly stalked or connate with the stalk of 8-9 (indi- 

 vidually variable); male without costal fold. Hind 

 wing with vein 2 from before but near lower outer angle 

 of cell; 3 from the angle, connate with 4; 4 and 5 stalked 

 for slightly more than half their lengths; 7 and 8 closely 

 approximate for a short distance beyond cell; cell less 

 than one-half the length of wing; discocellular vein 

 curved, outwardly produced at lower angle of cell. 

 Eighth abdominal segment of male with compound 

 scale tufts. 



Male genitalia with uncus triangulate or subtriangu- 

 late, its apex bluntly rounded. Apical process of 

 gnathos a short, stout hook. Transtilla complete but 

 weakly sclerotized; a narrow, flatly arched band. 

 Harpe with costa sclerotized throughout but not pro- 

 duced at apex; a fine brush of long hairs arising from 

 inner surface along lower edge of basal half of sclero- 

 tized costa; cucullus simple, narrow, tapering sHghtly 

 to rounded apex; from near base of harpe an appressed, 

 stout, thorny or serrate clasper. Penis armed with 

 two, stout, rather short cornuti less than one-half the 

 length of aedeagus. Vinculum stout, as long as or 

 somewhat longer than greatest width, its terminal 

 margin bluntly rounded or narrowly truncate. 



Female genitalia without signum ; bursa with a couple 

 of conspicuous round or oval, strongly pigmented and 

 sclerotized, densely granulate patches, otherwise bursa 

 finely spinose over its membranous areas; ductus bursas 

 shorter than bursa, not sclerotized adjacent to bursa, 

 but with strong sclerotization at broadened genital 

 opening; ductus seminaUs from a lobe of bursa near 

 junction of bursa and ductus bursae. 



This genus, while distinct from, is very close to 

 Nephopteryx, from which it is distinguished only by the 



