14 
Psyche 
[Vol. 90 
this, in my opinion, does not justify distinction above the species 
level. Similarly, Archaeacridites, lacking distinct venational charac- 
ters, cannot be separated from Gerarus. 
I am also synonymizing two genera from the order Caloneurodea 
with Gerarus: Genopteryx and Rossites, for which Richardson 
(1956) erected the family Genopterygidae. Genopteryx, originally 
described by Scudder (1885), and placed in the family Homotheti- 
dae, was transferred subsequently to the Geraridae by Handlirsch 
(1906a). Richardson (1956:41) removed Genopteryx from the Gera- 
ridae and placed it in the order Caloneurodea. He did so on the 
basis of its “heavy cross veins and the close straight parallel CUA 
and CUP” these being the “two characters regarded by Carpenter 
(1943) as prescribing inclusion in the order Caloneurodea.” Richard- 
son then states that "'Rossites has delicate cross veins and its CUA 
deviates from strict parallelism with CUP, yet the venation is nearly 
identical with that of Genopteryx,''" and for that reason placed the 
two genera in the same family. While these genera do seem to belong 
together, 1 see no reason to include them in the Caloneurodea. One 
result of the present study was the discovery that CUA and CUP are 
typically parallel in the hind wing of the gerarids, and that place- 
ment and number of the cross veins is variable. Therefore, with the 
disappearance of the supposed diagnostic venational characters that 
Richardson used to justify their inclusion in the Caloneurodea and 
the discovery of synapomorphies by which they may be linked to 
Gerarus, 1 feel that there is every reason to include these species in 
the Geraridae. It is interesting to note, however, that the parallel 
positions of CUA and CUP, characteristic of this family, may ulti- 
mately indicate a closer relationship with the Caloneurodea than 
previously recognized. 
Gerarus vetus 
Figures 4 and 5 
Gerarus vetus Scudder 1885:344, 1890:308; Handlirsch 1906a: 147, 1906b:702, 
1919:30. 
Description 
Fore wing: length 45-55 mm, width 13 mm; RS two- to 
three-branched, fusing with M for short distance at point where M 
elbows towards RS; M three-branched; CUA simple, CUP forked. 
