284 



Lange: Lepidoptera 



Vsingeriessa brunnildalis (Dyar) 



(Figs. 11:4/; 11:5a; 11:6/) 



Elophila brunnildalis Dyar, 1906:91. 

 Vsingeriessa brunnildalis , Lange 1956. 



A dark brown species, with outer margin of hind wings 

 excised below apex and with a marginal row of black 

 Hots which are inwardly edged with a black line. 



Male. — Expanse 15-20 mm. Labial palpi brown, long, 

 ascending; 3rd segment long, slender, attaining apex. 

 Maxillary palpi brown, slender, reaching end of middle 

 segment of labial palpi. Ocelli absent. Antennae ciliate, 

 inwardly with tufts of parallel scales .which become tufted 

 apically. Fore wings dark brown with indistinct lighter 

 lines; basal darker area with indistinct basal transverse 

 lighter line; median area lighter, set off basally with 

 lighter transverse line, which is edged with darker line 

 outwardly, and set off distally with indistinct darker 

 transverse line; a subapical triangular dark patch set 

 off inwardly by an oblique lighter line, and by an outer 

 apical dash; cilia alternately dark and light banded. 

 Hind wings gray-brown; basal darker area followed by an 

 indefinite lighter transverse fascia (distinct in San Diego 

 specimens); a darker discal spot; outer margin with row 

 of about 5 black spots, sometimes indistinct, with silvery 

 scales between, inwardly edged with a black line; cilia 

 dark basally. 



Female. — Expanse 15-22 mm. As male except usually 

 larger and antennae not ciliate, but tufted with dark scales. 



Male genitalia. — Valva peaked apically, set with long, 

 recurved spines; uncus tongue-shaped, well developed, 

 surpassing gnathos; gnathos stout, with downward project- 

 ing teeth on dorsal surface; juxta with 2 lateral sclerotized 

 arms; vinculum well developed; aedeagus long, stout, 

 set with two groups of spiculate spines. 



Female genitalia. — 3ase of ductus bursae sclerotized, 

 numerous spicules; collar of ductus well sclerotized; 

 bursa copulatrix with a group of vestigial spines, surface 

 roughened. 



Taxonomic position. — Related to U. onyxalis (Hamp- 

 son) and U. symphonalis (Dyar), and an unidentified 

 species from Peru. The San Diego specimens are 

 lighter in color and the markings more distinct. The 

 Placer County specimens tend to be evenly suffused 

 with brown and the marginal spots run together and 

 are indistinct. 



Distribution. — California, Arizona, and Texas (April- 

 Oct.). California localities include Placer, Riverside, 

 San Diego, Tulare, and Yolo counties. Only one Texas 

 specimen (Del Rio, Lange slide U-152, female) is 

 associated with this species. The longest series is 

 in the California Academy collection from Bear River, 

 Placer County, California, collected in July. 



Biology. — Unknown. The morphological features of 

 this species indicate that the larvae should live on 

 rocks similar to Parargyractis. 



Parargyractis kearfottalis (Dyar) 

 (Figs. 11:4a; 11:5c; 11:66) 



Elophila kearfottalis Dyar, 1906:92. 

 Parargyractis kearfottalis, Lange 1956. 



A white species with ochraceous bands on fore wings 

 and marginal black spots on hind wings distinct, and 

 preceded by a costodiscal, subrectangular, black-margined 

 figure. 



Male. — Expanse 14-17 mm. Labial palpi white, with a 

 few buff scales. Maxillary palpi short, white. Antennae 

 ciliate, with apical tufts. Head, thorax, and abdomen 

 white, with buff scaling. Fore legs with dark-scaled 

 apical tufts on tibiae; tarsi with dark, apical annulations. 

 Fore wings with white background; a basal group of dark 

 scales; 2 transverse, median bands separated by white 

 area, with dark scales at costa; a postmedian white area 

 with brown irrorations; 2 basally converging, apical white 

 dashes, margined and separated by 3 ochraceous bands, 

 with silvery scales at base and dark scales at costa; 

 marginal, ochraceous band extending almost to tornus, 

 with silvery dash at base on margin; base of cilia dark. 

 Hind wings white; a median ochraceous spot, followed 

 by a silvery dash and an indefinite transverse band ex- 

 tending to margin; a costodiscal, black-outlined, elongate 

 mark enclosing a white field; a marginal group of black 

 spots, separated by silvery scales, margined on inside 

 by an interrupted, black, thin line; cilia dark at base. 



Female. — Expanse 17-22 mm. As male, except larger; 

 antennae less ciliate. 



Male genitalia. — Valva broad, narrowed basally; uncus 

 stout, curved at tip and with a small spine on dorsal 

 surface; aedeagus with distinct apical tooth and 3 groups 

 of small spines. 



Female genitalia. — Base of ductus bursae broad, ostium 

 set with posteriorly projecting spines; collar distinct, 

 sclerotized; signum of 6 or 7 large thornlike spines in 

 bursa. 



Taxonomic position. — This species was named by 

 Dyar as a variety of bifascialis Robinson from 

 Phoenix, Arizona. It seems to be a distinct species, 

 with quite characteristic genitalia. I have examined 

 a series sent by Dr. Forbes from Phoenix. It is dif- 

 ficult to separate this species by superficial features 

 from some specimens of bifascialis lacking the solid 

 costodiscal bar, daemonalis Dyar, and cappsi Lange 

 from Texas. The spined ostium in the female and 

 the toothed aedeagus of the male are characteristic. 

 This species is lighter in color than the related 

 species, and the interrupted black lines preceding 

 the black, marginal spots are a helpful character. 



Distribution. — Widely distributed, but not numerous 

 in collections. The only California material I have 

 seen are specimens from Vidal, San Bernardino 

 County, collected by D. Weedmark, October 5, 1947, 

 and sent by Dr. Munroe from the G. H. and J. L. 

 Sperry collection. 



Specimens have been also examined from Arizona, 

 Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and 

 Washington. 



Biology. — Nothing is known of the biology. 



Parargyractis jaliscalis (Schaus) 

 (Figs. 11:4c; 11:5/; 11:6c; 11:7a) 



Cataclysta jaliscalis Schaus, 1906:135. 

 Parargyractis jaliscalis, Lange 1956. 

 Elophila satanalis Dyar, 1917:75-76. 



A reddish-brown species with rufous, white, and silvery 

 markings, and marginal black spots on hind wings not 

 preceded by a black, interrupted line. 



Male. — Expanse 15-17 mm. Labial palpi light brown; 

 2nd segment with rough scales beneath; 3rd segment 

 long. Maxillary palpi short, brown with buff apical scal- 

 ing. Antennae ciliate; apically tufted. Head, thorax, and 



