AMERICAN MOTHS OF THE SUBFAMILY PHTCITINAE 



305 



the veins slightly darkened and a similar narrow dark 

 shade along terminal margin. Alar expanse, 13 mm. 



Genitalic characters as given for the genus; the 

 tubular part of anellus partially scobinate. 



Ttpb locality: Conway Bay, Indefatigable, South 

 Seymore, Tower Island, GaMpagos (type in USNM). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Known only from the male type and female paratype 

 from the type locality. A rather striking species con- 

 spicuous because of its blackish forewings with con- 

 trasted white antemedial line. 



Genera 189-191: Varneria to Erelieva 



[Venational division F. Forewing with 9 veins; 2 from the cell; 

 3 and 5 stalked; 4 absent; 9 absent; 10 from the cell.] 



189. Genus Varneria Dyar 



Varneria Dyar, Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, vol. 6, p. 114, 

 1904.— Forbes, Cornell Mem. 68, p. 639, 1923. (Type of 

 genus: Varneria postremella Dyar.) 



Tongue well developed. Antenna weakly pubescent; 

 shaft simple, sometimes showing a slight bend at base 

 (but no sinus and the bend as obvious in female as 

 male). Labial palpus oblique, slender, laterally flat- 

 tened, reaching as high as vertex; third segment slightly 

 less than half as long as second. MaxiEary palpus 

 filiform. Forewing smooth; 9 veins; vein 2 from lower 

 outer angle of cell or from very close to the angle, con- 

 nate with or approximate to the stalk of 3-5 at base; 

 4 absent; 3 and 5 stalked; 6 from below upper angle of 

 cell, straight; 8 and 9 united (9 absent) ; 10 from the cell, 

 separated from 8 at base; male with strong costal fold 

 containing projecting hair tuft. Hind wing with vein 

 2 from close to lower outer angle of cell; 3 and 5 long 

 stalked; 7 and 8 completely anastomosed beyond cell; 

 cell one-half the length of wing; discoceUular vein 

 curved. Abdomen of male with rather weak, com- 

 pound, dorsolateral scale tufts. 



Male genitalia with apical process of gnathos u- 

 shaped, the prongs rather short and moderately stout. 

 TranstiUa complete, a narrow curved band. Harpe 

 with projecting spur from base of costa, otherwise 

 simple. Anellus a simple shield. Aedeagus straight, 

 simple, not appreciably tapering; penis bearing a flat, 

 weakly sclerotized plate, otherwise unarmed. Vincu- 

 lum subtriangulate, stout, no longer or but slightly 

 longer than greatest width. 



Female genitalia with ductus bursae sclerotized and 

 flattened for more than half its length from genital 

 opening and with sclerotized, projecting, dorsal shield 

 behind genital opening; bursa copulatrix with or with- 

 out signum, latter when present a small flat plate mth 

 a few toothlike projections along one edge; ductus 

 seminalis from near middle of bursa. 



Four species are here recognized as belonging to the 

 genus; but two of these are of doubtful specific status. 

 The absence of males in two of the species and the 

 scarcity of specimens in those known only from females 



makes the evaluation of characters for specific separa- 

 tion very difficult. All of the species have a superficial 

 character in common in the vinous red ground color of 

 the forewings. 



627. Varneria postremella Dyar 

 FiGXTEEs 88, 631, 1110 



Varneria postremella Dyar, Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, vol. 6, 

 p. 115, 1904.— Ely, Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, vol. 12, 

 p. 203, 1910.— Forbes, Cornell Mem. 68, p. 639, 1923.— 

 McDunnough, Check list. No. 6406, 1939. 



Forewing vinous red; basal half of costa overlaid with 

 blackish scales; a line of blackish scales along discal 

 fold, spreading somewhat between veins 3 and 6, this 

 blackish dusting variable and sparse in some specimens; 

 no transverse lines or discal spots distinguishable. 

 Hind wing smoky fuscous, costal and terminal margins 

 darker. Alar expanse, 9-10.5 mm. 



Male genitalia with costal process from harpe directed 

 forward, hooked at apex; lower margin of harpe incurved 

 near apex. Terminal margin of vinculum angulate. 

 Female genitalia with signum present; projecting shield 

 behind genital opening subtriangulate, sides incurved, 

 apex truncate. 



Type locality : Kentucky (type in USNM) . 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Distribution: Connecticut, East River (July); Mary- 

 land, Hyattsville (Aug.), Plummers Isl. (July); Vir- 

 ginia, Mountain Lake (July) ; Kentucky (July) . 



In postremella vein 2 of forewing is connate with the 

 stalk of 3-5. In the remaining species of Varneria it is 

 closely approximate. This character, however, might 

 be expected to vary in individual specimens if more 

 were available. 



628. Varneria nannodes Dyar 

 Figure 1111 



Varneria nannodes Dyar, Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, vol. 47, 

 p. 346, 1914. 



This species is represented only by the female type, 

 which in color, markings, and genitalia exhibits nothing 

 to distinguish it specifically from females of postremella. 

 It is probably a synonym of the latter; but in the ab- 

 sence of a male of nannodes or any matching examples 

 between Virginia and Panamd, it were wiser to hold any 

 synonymy in abeyance. Alar expanse, 8.5 mm. 



Type locality: Cabima, Panamd (type in USNM). 



Food plant: Unknown. 



629. Varneria atrifasciella Barnes and McDunnough 



FlGUBE 1112 



Varneria atrifasciella Barnes and McDunnough, Contributions, 

 vol. 2, p. 184, 1913. — McDunnough, Check list, No. 6407, 

 1939. 



Forewing dark vinous red rather heavily dusted with 

 blacldsh scales ; in the paratype faint indications of pale 

 (yellowish) antemedial and postmedial lines, these, how- 

 ever, not distinguishable in the type and their position 

 chiefly indicated by the concentration of blackish scaling 



