282 



Lange: Lepidoptera 



— Aedeagus not toothed terminally 



Parargyractis schaefferalis (Dyar) 1906 



5. Aedeagus set with 3 external groups of spines; valva 

 expanded apically; uncus constricted subapically . . . 

 Parargyractis truckeealis (Dyar) 1917 



— Aedeagus with a single closely set group of external 

 spines; valva not expanded apically; uncus not con- 

 stricted, but evenly attenuated apically 



Parargyractis jaliscalis (Schaus) 1906 



Key to California Adults Based on Female Genitalia 



1. Bursa copulatrix with spines 2 



— Bursa copulatrix lacking spines 4 



2. Spines in bursa small, spiculate or dentate, more or 

 less vestigial . .Usingeriessa brunnildalis (Dyar) 1906 



— Spines large, thornlike 3 



3. Spines not forming a complete spiral, about 6 in num- 

 ber; base of ductus bursae with group of spines .... 



Parargyractis kearfottalis (Dyar) 1906 



— Spines arranged in a spiral fashion, more than 6 in 

 number; base of ductus bursae lacking group of closely 

 set spines . . . .Parargyractis schaefferalis (Dyar) 1906 



4. Bursa copulatrix short, elongate; collar of ductus 

 bursae heavily sclerotized 



Synclita occidentalis Lange 1956 



— Bursae copulatrix large, spheroidal 5 



5. Base of ductus bursae purselike, appearing tripartite 

 Parargyractis truckeealis (Dyar) 1917 



— Base of ductus bursae small, globose 



Parargyractis jaliscalis (Schaus) 1906 



Key to Known California Larvae 



1. Mandibles small, teeth arranged in a semicircle; 



0.5 mm. 



Fig. 11:7. Mandibles of larvae, a, Parargyractis jaliscalis 

 (Schaus); b, P. fulicolis (Clemens); c, Parargyractis sp. (Inyo 

 Co.); d, Parargyraclis sp. (Little Stony Creek, Colusa Co.); e, P. 

 trucfeeea/is (Dyar); f, Parapoynx sp. (San Francisco); g, Synclita 

 occidentalis Lange. 



species constructing cases and feeding on floating 

 or submerged aquatic plants 2 



— Mandibles large, flattened, teeth arranged in a flat 

 plane; with simple, blood gills; species living under 

 webs on rocks, feeding on algae and diatoms 3 



2. Tracheal gills branched Parapoynx sp. 



— Tracheal gills absent 



Synclita occidentalis Lange 1956 



3. Head black; gills short, white; Inyo County 



Parargyractis sp. 



— Head light-colored or brown, not black; gills of mature 

 larvae brown, green or black, long 4 



4. Mandibles short, wide; distal margin not greatly 

 narrowed (fig. 11:7a) 



Parargyractis jaliscalis (Schaus) 1906 



— Mandibles greatly elongated, distal margin narrowed 

 (fig. 11:70", e) 5 



5. Mandibles greatly enlarged; width at divided tooth 

 approximately 1/5 length; common species (fig. 11:7«) 

 Parargyractis truckeealis (Dyar) 1917 



— Mandibles with width at divided tooth approximately 

 1/3.3 length; limited distribution in Lake, Colusa, 

 Humboldt, and Plumas counties (fig. 11:7(2) 



Parargyractis sp. 



Synclita occidentalis Lange 

 (Figs. 11:1; 11:2; lVAd\ 11:5c?; 11:66?; 11:7g0 



Synclita occidentalis Lange, 1956. 



A fuscous species with reddish and white markings, 

 closely allied to S. obliteralis (Walker). 



Male. — Expanse 11-15 mm. Labial palpi fuscous; 2nd seg- 

 ment with projecting scales. Maxillary palpi attaining end 

 of 2nd segment of labial palpi; broadly tufted apically. 

 Ocelli present. Antennae ciliate; tufted terminally. Fore 

 wings fuscous with rufous and white markings; basal dark 

 band, followed by postbasal lighter transverse line and 

 a submedian fuscous band; median area fuscous with a 

 few scattered, white scales, followed by an interrupted 

 transverse white line reaching costa; discal spot white; 

 subapical area reddish with some fuscous scales; sub- 

 marginal area with some scattered white scales; marginal 

 line banded with alternate light and dark scales. Him 

 wings fuscous, with reddish area at base and an irregul: 

 reddish dash near angle. Legs dark brown; hind tarsi with 

 2 pairs of subequal stout spurs; tarsal segments dark- 

 banded apically. 



Female. — Expanse 15-22 mm. As male except larger and 

 usually lighter in color. Light markings less distinct 

 than male. 



Male genitalia. — Valva simple, bladelike; uncus slender, 

 well developed; gnathos well developed, knifelike, with 

 group of large teeth above and several small teeth below; 

 aedeagus stout, with terminal group of spiculate spines. 

 Eighth sternite with characteristic central arm bearing 

 2 small, stout laterally placed spines. 



Female genitalia. — Base of ductus bursae wide, surface 

 minutely spiculate; collar of ductus bursae elongate, 

 well sclerotized; bursa copulatrix reduced, elongate. 



Taxonomic position. — There appear to be several 

 species involved in what has previously been called 

 Nymphula obliteralis (Walker). This species can be 

 readily identified by the peculiar, three-pronged cen- 

 tral process of the eighth sternite in the males. In 

 obliteralis this process is spinelike, composed of 

 three slender spines, and in gurgitalis Lederer, the 

 central process is greatly enlarged and inflated 

 apically. S. occidentalis is, in general, larger than 



