AMERICAN MOTHS OF THE SUBFAMILY PHTCITESrAE 



269 



554. Moerbes alveolella (Ragonot), new combination 

 Figure 571 



Zophodia alveolella Ragonot, Nouv. Gen., p. 31, 1888; Mono- 

 graph, pt. 2, p. 25, 1901. 



The type ia Paris is a female according to Ragonot. 

 I have not seen it; but have before me two males from 

 Santa Catarina, Brazil (Sept. 2, and Oct. 26, 1934, col- 

 lected by Fritz Hoffman), which are a perfect match for 

 Ragonot's excellent figure (Monograph, pi. 25, fig. 7). 

 They are identical in color and maculation with the type 

 of dryopella but markedly different in structure: 8 and 

 9 of forewing longer stalked (over two-thirds); apical 

 process of gnathos longer, its apex narrow and shallowly 

 bifurcate; apices of transtQla elements touching (but 

 not fused) and forming a high arch over aedeagus; 

 aedeagus more slender; terminal margin of vinculum 

 bluntly rounded (almost straight). Alar expanse, 21-23 

 mm. 



Type locality: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (type in Paris 

 Mus.). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



555. Moerbes emendate, new species 

 Figure 572 



Moerhes dryopella Dyar (not Schaus), Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 

 47, p. 337, 1914. 



Similar in markings and color to the two preceding 

 species except that the ground color of forewing is a 

 more soiled white (less contrasted, except for the white 

 spot on inner margin formed by the base of the ante- 

 medial line), and both upper and lower discal spots are 

 present and distinct. The male genitalia are also 

 markedly different: Uncus appreciably narrower than 

 that of alveolella or dryopella; aedeagus with a thornlike 

 projection from undersurface before apex; vinculum 

 sharply tapering from middle to angulate terminal 

 margin. Alar expanse, 16-20 mm. 



Type locality: Cabima, Panami (type in USNM, 

 61383). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Described from male type from the type locality 

 (May) ; one male paratype from La Chorrera, Panamd ; 

 one male paratype from Porto Bello, Panamd (Mar.) ; 

 one male from Lino, Panamd (from the Janse Collec- 

 tion) ; one male from 6 miles up the Maroni River, 

 French Guiana (Schaus, collector) , and one male without 

 locality label, collected by Schaus and presumably also 

 from French Guiana. The Panamd specimens, except 

 for the one from Lino, were collected by Busck and are 

 those referred by Dyar to dryopella Schaus. The Porto 

 BeUo specimen is abnormal in that veins 8 and 9 are 

 united on both forewings; but this is a freak. Other- 

 wise the specimen is normal and on the other specimens 

 the venation is normal. The species can be distin- 

 guished at once by the thornlike projection from its 

 aedeagus. 



161. Genus Moodnopeis Dyar 



Moodnopsis Dyar, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 47, p. 408, 1914. 



(Type of genus: Moodnopsis decipiens Dyar.) 

 Campyloplesis Dyar, Ins. Insc. Menstr., vol. 7, p. 61, 1919. (Type 



of genus: Campyloplesis inveterella Dyar. New synonymy.) 



Tongue well developed. Antenna of male shortly 

 ciliate (cilia no longer than width of shaft) ; of female 

 pubescent. Labial palpus of male obliquely ascending, 

 cylindrical, reaching neai'ly to vertex, third segment less 

 than half as long as second ; of female porrect, laterally 

 somewhat flattened, second segment oblique, long, ex- 

 tending to the level of vertex, third segment deflected 

 forwai-d, about half the length of second. MaxUIary 

 palpus filiform. Forewing smooth; 11 veins; vein 2 

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

 angle; 4 and 5 stalked, the stalk approximate at base 

 (and in some specimens for a short distance from base) 

 with 3; 6 from below upper angle, slightly curved to- 

 wards base; 8 and 9 long stalked; 10 from the cell, more 

 or less approximate (rarely connate) to the stalk of 8-9 

 at base; male with a long costal fold (extending for half 

 or more than half the length of costa) . Hind wing with 

 vein 2 from well before lower, outer angle of cell ; 3 and 5 

 connate from the angle; 7 and 8 anastomosed beyond 

 cell almost to apex (completely anastomosed in a couple 

 of males) ; cell about one-third the length of the wing; 

 discocellular vein curved. Eighth abdominal segment 

 of male with a short pair of ventrolateral hair tufts and 

 sternite developed as a triangulate sclerotized pocket. 



Male genitalia with apical process of gnathos de- 

 veloped as a stout, flattened hook with forked apex. 

 Transtilla complete, the apices of its elements enlarged 

 and fused into a spreading, bulbous knob. Harpe with 

 terminal margin evenly roimded; costa strongly sclero- 

 tized for four-fifths of its length, but not produced; on 

 outer surface, bordering inner margin, a row of modified, 

 flattened setae. Anellus a narrow, curved band with 

 short lateral lobes. Aedeagus smooth, straight or 

 slightly curved, tapering sUghtly from base to apex. 

 Vinculum stout, longer than broad, tapering or abruptly 

 constricted towards angulate terminal margin. 



Female genitalia with bursa copulatrLx finely scobi- 

 nate; signum present as an elongate narrow projecting 

 plate with serrate edge; ductus bursae shorter than 

 bursa, simple; genital opening simple; ductus seminaUs 

 from bursa towards (but not near) its junction with 

 ductus bursae. 



Dyar described Moodnopsis from two large dark fe- 

 male specimens and Campyloplesis from two small pale 

 males. On the evidence of these alone the generic sep- 

 aration would seem vahd enough; but the evidence of 

 associated males and females of species other than the 

 type of genus shows no consistent character for such 

 separation. The palpal differences are purely sexual 

 and the trifling venational differences are either individ- 

 ual or, at most, specific in character. Moodnopsis is a 

 distinct genus easily identified by its male genitalia, and 

 is somewhat more closely related to Moerbes than to 



