MICROLEPIDOPTERA OF NEW GUINEA 
43 
Apparently Staudinger & Rebel, 1901, were the first to sink Sariso- 
phora as a synonym of Lecithocera, the former genus differing only in the 
absence of vein f> in the hind wing from the latter. Later Spuler (1910), 
and some others adopted this view, but most authors, including Me y rick 
himself, regarded Sarisophora as a distinct genus. 
Although the uniting of these two genera may appear less desirable out 
of practical reasons in view of the large size of the genus Lecithocera — 
together with Sarisophora it contains more than 250 species! — we are 
compelled to follow the above example on account of the striking similarity 
of the male genitalia in the Papuan species described, and recorded below. 
We must also include hemitonia spec, nov., with veins 3 and 4 in the hind 
wing originating out of 5 — which might suggest a generic difference — but 
otherwise closely related to other species, and rhubdostoma spec, nov., 
with vein 5 in the hind vvi ng originating out of the stalk of 3 and 4, which 
situation must be regarded as intermediate between that in Lecithocera 
and in Sarisophora. L. nitens spec, nov., at last, has veins 3 and 4 in the 
hind wing separate and distant. The male genitalia of these and other 
species differ only in slight details which, however significant specifically, 
can be of no generic importance. 
Male genitalia with tegumen moderately sclerotized, subconical. Uncus 
moderate, erect -tri angular , with the base soldered with the top of the 
tegumen, with the apical half articulating with the basal half, representing 
a small bulbate body with a narrow, acute, beak-like, curved point. An 
inverted-triangular, eardiform or deeply bilobate pad, finely bristled 
above, which can easily be mistaken for the socii, is attached to the dorsal 
surface of the tegumen; its homology is not clear. Gnathos absent. 
Transtilla absent. Valva often broad at the base or moderate, costa some- 
times angulate at the base, concave in the middle, cucullus often distinctly 
separate, with a series of blunt short bristles along the ventral edge, their 
number and arrangement specifically different: sacculus hardly indicated, 
but the ventral edge of the valva often projecting beyond the middle 
and bearing a comb or a sheaf of strong spikes, of variable number and 
arrangement. Vinculum strong, elongate, thickened dorsally, point sub- 
triangular or rounded. Anellus, a weak plate. Aedoeagus elongate or stout. 
Cornuti, combs of spikes, sometimes large crochets. 
Female genitalia with the ostium rather broad, limen mostly a simple 
straight, transverse band. Ductus bursae simple, rather short. Bursa 
copulatrix large, elongate. Signum small, moderately dentate, elongate 
or rounded. 
Key to the Papuan species of Lecithocera 
1. Hind wing with veins 3 and 4 distant nitens spec. nov. 
Hind wing with veins 3 and 4 connate or stalked or out of 5 2 
2. Hind wing with veins 3 and 4 out of 5 hemitonia spec. nov. 
Not thus 3 
