218 William T. M. Forbes 



SUPERFAMILY CYCNODIOIDEA 



(Tineina, in part) 



The Cycnodioidea are a small group, composed of isolated remnants 

 of a primitive type which appears to have preserved R 2+3 in the hind 

 wings, as an independent vein. In the African genus Cycnodia, (fig. 

 128) the vein is fully preserved, as well as all the normal veins of the 

 wing; in Aphelosetia, which is otherwise extremely close to Cycnodia, 

 it appears to be lost; in Tinagma (fig. 131) it is preserved, but several 

 dorsal veins are lost; while in the Heliozelidse the venation is so 

 reduced that the point cannot be settled. A distinctive character of 

 these reduced forms, not so well shown in Cycnodia, is the unusually 

 wide space between Sc and R, so that R forms the axis of the wing, 

 instead of M, which takes that place in some other narrow-winged 

 forms. 



Head smooth; first joint of antennas quite small; palpi moderate and 

 slightly upturned or small, not bristled ; maxillary palpi minute ; hind 

 tibia? hairy. Fore wing with R 5 running to costa when recognizable, 

 but generally lost ; with some dorsal veins usually lost also. Venation 

 extremely reduced in Coptodisca. 1st A free, 2d A usually simple, 

 but forked in Tinagma and some Aphelosetias. Hind wing narrower 

 than fore wing; Sc and R strong, R x usually not developed, but when 

 present located close to base of wing; stem of R running nearly 

 through axis of wing, in the narrow-winged forms with the outer 

 veins branching from it. Male genitalia complex and characteristic. 



Eggs of fiat type as far as known; larvas leaf -miners, at least 

 when young — the Heliozelidas making a flat case before pupation 

 exactly as in many Adelidas. Pupa? various, never obtect. 



Family 16. CYCNODIID^J 



(Elachistidas) 



Head smooth or slightly ruffled on vertex ; palpi slender and smoothly 

 scaled, somewhat upturned or porrect, often strongly divergent, third 

 segment well-developed; no ocelli; no maxillary palpi. Antenna with 

 scape small, with pecten, shaft scaled more or less roughly all around, 

 with two equal whorls to a segment. Tongue weak, scaled at base. 

 Eyes small. Fore wing broad-lanceolate, the cell located in the middle, 

 and cut off obliquely at its outer end (fig. 129) 'R 1 arising from R-stem 

 at middle of cell. R 4 and R- stalked or united, M x stalked with them, 

 sometimes with R 5 beyond the point. of separation of R 4 , R 3 sometimes 



