280 



UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 207 



Type localities: California {erythrella, in Paris 

 Mus.); Colorado (Coloradella, in AMNH, ex Eutgers); 

 Kaslo, British Columbia (benjaminella, in USNM). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Distribution: United States: Colorado; Wyoming, 

 Jackson Hole (June); Utah, Eureka (May), Provo 

 (June, July); California, Alfa (Placer County, July), 

 Baxter (Placer County, July), Camp Baldy (San Ber- 

 nardino Mts., July), Makehlumne HUl (June); Wash- 

 ington, Pullman (June, July, Aug.). Canada: British 

 Columbia, Coldstream (Sept.), Kaslo (June, July, Aug.), 

 Wellington. A long series in the National Collection 

 from Utah. 



Like gilvescentella and infimella, erythrella is variable 

 in coloration and intensity of markings and in the shape 

 of the terminal margin of the sclerotized shield behind 

 genital opening of the female. Extremes of individual 

 variation in the shield are shown in figures 1074a, b. 

 The same amount of variation occurs ia gilvescentella. 

 It has much the same range as the latter, but need not 

 be confused with it, for in dark or light specimens it can 

 be readily identified by its distinctly reddish ground 

 color. Occasional specimens of infimella are also red- 

 dish but that species does not occur in the same areas 

 as erythrella. I am unable to find any character of 

 specific value to distinguish either coloradella or ben- 

 jaminella from California examples of erythrella, so I am 

 sinking the names in synonymy. 



575. Ephestiodes mignonella Dyar 

 FiGUKES 692, 1075 



Ephestiodes mignonella Dyar, Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, vol. 

 10, p. 113, 1908.— MoDunnough, Check list, No. 6381, 

 1939. 



Forewing very pale grayish white; a blackish streak 

 on costa at base and, in many specimens, a subbasal 

 black streak on median vein; transverse lines as in pre- 

 ceding species, white, the antemedial with a strongly 

 contrasted, outer black band and the subterminal with a 

 narrower inner black band, especially pronounced on 

 costal half of wing (sometimes the black bordei-s partially 

 obscured on lower half of wing by pale putty-colored 

 scaling); discal dots fused, black; terminal dots fainter, 

 confluent. Hind wings whitish, with a smoky tinge 

 at apex, along termen, and faintly on the veins, espe- 

 cially on the females. Alar expanse, 12-14 mm. 



Male genitalia similar to those of infimella except: 

 Harpe with apex angled ; enlarged apices of elements of 

 transtiUa parallel and facing each other. Female gen- 

 itaUa showing no distinctive specific characters. 



Type locality: Kerrville, Tex. (type in USNM). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Represented by 13 specimens from the type locality 

 in the National Collection (Apr.). 



The species is easily distinguished by the very pale 

 ground color and strongly contrasted black markings of 

 forewing. 



576. Ephestiodes erasa, new species 

 Figures 588, 1077 



Forewing very pale gray with some pale putty- 

 colored scahng on lower haK, especially towards base; 

 transverse lines faint, distiaguishable only under low- 

 powered magnification; their dark borders nearly 

 obliterated; discal dots very faint, obsolescent in some 

 specimens. Hind wings smoky white, little paler than 

 forewing. Alar expanse, 11-13 mm. 



Male genitalia with transverse ridge projecting 

 beyond lower margin of harpe (more so than in gilvescen- 

 tella); lower margin of cucullus incurved just beyond 

 transverse ridge; cucullus somewhat reduced. Female 

 genitalia exhibiting no distinguishing specific characters. 



Type locality: Lake Alfred, Fla. (type in USNM, 

 61387). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Described from male type and six female paratypes 

 from the type locality. May 6 and July 2, 1929, L. J. 

 Bottimer, collector. In addition to the type series I 

 have before me a female from Gainesville, Fla. (Apr.), 

 D. M. Bates, and one other female from Winter Park, 

 Fla. (July 23, 1939), H. Fernald. All the foregoing 

 were collected at light. 



The species is at once distinguished by its pale, almost 

 unmarked forewings. 



577. Ephestiodes lucidibasella Bagonot 



Figures 593, 1081 



Ephestiodaes lucidibasella Ragonot, Nouv. Gen., p. 35, 1888; 

 Monograph, pt. 2, pp. 264, 265, 1901. 



Forewing rosy gray, the median and terminal areas 

 heavily and evenly dusted with blackish; the transverse 

 lines decidedly oblique, widely spaced on costa. Rago- 

 not's figure (Monograph, pi. 34, fig. 6) shows a species 

 with an extension of the pale ground color along the 

 lower fold, and according to Clarke's notes the figure is 

 a good representation of the type. Hind wings semi- 

 transparent, whitish with a slight smoky tiat. Alar 

 expanse, 16 mm. 



Gnathos of male genitalia with prongs of apical 

 process somewhat longer than those of the North Amer- 

 ican species, slender, widely spaced at base and curving 

 apart slightly toward their apices. Harpe without 

 trace of asclerotized, transverse ridge at base of cucullus; 

 edge of costa minutely and irregularly serrate; apex 

 evenly rounded. TranstiUa with the enlarged apices 

 of its elements concave, parallel, and facing each other. 

 Female genitalia distinguished by the shape of the 

 sclerotized shield from ductus bursae behind genital 

 opening. 



Type locality: Quillota, Chile (type in Paris Mus.). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



AH known specimens are from Chile. In the Paris 

 Museum, according to Clarke's notes, are three males 

 from the type locality and one male from Valparaiso. 

 A female paratype is in the British Museum. There 

 are no examples in the U. S. National Museum. 



