274 



Lange: Lepidoptera 



teased out and mounted to one side. In the females it 

 is usually better to build up the slide by means of 

 broken pieces of cover slip or rings so as not to 

 flatten out and distort the structures to be observed. 

 Staining may be of some help in particular cases. 



Wing venation can be examined by removing the 

 wings on one side and placing them on a slide with 

 a drop of cellosolve. Euparol can be added and a 

 permanent mount made which permits the wing venation 

 to be observed and likewise the wing pattern. The 

 wing venation can be easily projected on a bioscope 

 and the details filled in under the microscope. 



Some larvae have been prepared by boiling in 10 

 per cent KOH, splitting the body longitudinally, and 

 preparing by the same methods already discussed. 

 The mandibles can be examined in situ or dissected 

 out to one side. Palpi can be examined in situ or 

 mounted on slides using the same techniques already 

 discussed. 



Family PYRALIDAE 



Subfamily NYMPHULINAE (HYDROCAMPINAE) 



Proboscis well developed. In fore wings R 2 usually, but 

 not always, stalked with R$+ t . Rs free, or basally stalked 

 with Rj.3. 4 . Maxillary palpi well developed. Labial palpi 

 long, ascending; in many forms, but not all, the 3rd seg- 

 ment is longer than half the median segment. Male genitalia 

 with well-developed uncus; gnathos well developed, arising 

 at posterior extremity of tegumen , often, but not always, 

 toothed. Female genitalia with base of ductus bursae often 

 sclerotized; bursa with or without signum. Larvae of known 

 species aquatic, either feeding on aquatic plants, or rock 

 dwellers feeding on algae or diatoms. 



The recent paper of Lange (1956) suggests the 

 presence of two tribes to receive the North American 

 members of the subfamily. Until more tropical material 

 is examined, it is impossible to know if this classifi- 

 cation will apply on a world-wide basis. 



Tribe NYMPHULINI 



Nymphulites Duponchel, 1844:201. emen. 



Fore wings with vein 1A absent. Hind wings with vein 

 M 2 present; vein 1A present, entire. Middle and hind legs 

 of females lacking tibial swimming hairs. Female genitalia 

 with cbrnuti absent, or if present, arranged as compact 

 groups of spines. 



The larvae of this group are plant feeders, with or 

 without gills, often making tubes or cases of leaves 

 in which they live. The mandibles of the larvae are 

 small and the teeth are arranged in a semicircular 

 fashion for feeding on leaves (fig. 11:7/-^). 



Tribe ARGYRACTINI 



Argyractini Lange, 1956. 



Fore wings with vein 1A present. Hind wings with vein 

 M 2 absent; vein 1A vestigial, occasionally entire. Middle 



In Eoparargyractis the tegumen is short and the uncus very 

 long, so that the gnathos appears to arise from the basal junction 

 of the valva. 



and hind legs of females with a well-developed row of 

 tibial, swimming hairs. Female genitalia with cornuti 

 absent, or with scattered or spirally arranged thornlike 

 spines, or with small spines arranged in extensive bands. 



The larvae of this group are suited to an aquatic 

 habitat, feeding on algae and diatoms on the surface 

 of rocks, often in fastrflowing streams, or in lakes, 

 or springs. The mandibles of the known species are 

 large, flattened, and the teeth arranged in a flat plane. 

 The known larvae have blood gills. The adult females 

 of the known species are capable of entering water 

 and depositing their eggs on rocks, sometimes several 

 feet under water. 



Key to Genera of North American Nymphulinae 

 Based Upon Superficial Characters of the Adults 4 



1. Labial palpi pendant; 2A of fore wings extending only 

 to center of inner margin Acentropus Curtis, 1834 



— Labial palpi ascending; 2A of fore wings reaching 

 anal angle 2 



2. M a present in hind wings 3 



— M a absent in hind wings 13 



3. Hind wings strongly incised below apex 4 



— Hind wings not incised or with slight indication .... 5 



4. Male with costal glandular swelling on fore wing; 

 median tibial spurs of metathoracic legs very long, 

 attaining apex Undulambia Lange, 1956 



— Males lacking costal glandular swellings; medial tibial 

 spurs short, not attaining apex . . . Contiger Lange, 1956 



5. Males with basal costal fold; M a in hind wing stalked 

 with M s near outer margin; Florida 



Oligostigma Guenee, 1854 



— Males lacking basal costal fold; M a not stalked with 

 M 3 in hind wing 6 



6. Outer margin of hind wings with series of black and 

 metallic spots 7 



— Outer margin of hind wings lacking spots 9 



7. Black and metallic spots limited to small area on 

 emarginate subapical part of termen of hind wing 



Oligostigmoides Lange, 1956 



— Black and metallic spots extending the entire length 

 of the termen of the hind wing 8 



8. Black spots distinctly separate with pupillate, bluish 

 centers; vein 1A in secondaries complete 



Neocataclysta Lange, 1956 



— Black spots not distinctly separate; bluish or other 

 metallic spots not pupillate; vein 1A in secondaries 

 vestigial Chrysendeton Grote, 1881 



9. Color of wings fuscous to reddish-brown; small, wing 

 expanse of males usually not exceeding 16 mm 10 



— Light-colored species with wings variously banded, 

 immaculate white, streaked with dark lines, or with 

 ocellate spots; wing expanse of males usually exceeds 

 16 mm 11 



10. Apex of fore wing pointed; dark fuscous species; 

 2nd segment of labial palpi triangularly tufted apically 

 Nynphuliella Lange, 1956 



— Apex of fore wing rounded; fuscous, with reddish or 

 brownish markings; 2nd segment of palpi lacking 

 triangular tuftings Synclita Lederer, 1863 



11. Antennae, especially in males and on terminal seg- 

 ments, ringed distally with tufts of scales, giving 

 enlarged appearance to segments; labial palpi long, 

 ascending to center or apex of frons and with scales 

 projecting downward from segments 1 and 2 



Parapoynx Hubner, 1826 



— Antennae simple, ciliate, some segments with apprcssed 

 scales on one side; labial palpi lack downwardly 

 projecting scales from segments 1 and 2 12 



"After Lange (1956). 



