Ethmia mansita Busck 1914

Ethmia mansita Busck, 1914c:55

A small gray moth resembling E. discostrigella, from central Mexico.

MALE.–Length of forewing 8.5 to 9.1 mm. Head: Labial palpus elongate, upcurved; second segment curved, about 1.4 times eye diameter, third segment straight, about 0.7 as long as second; smooth scaled, whitish, second segment brownish exteriorly. Antenna slightly dilated, width of shaft about 0.23 eye diameter; scaled dorsally near base, white, scape brown above. Scaling of front and crown whitish, of occipital margin, white with intermixed brown toward middorsum. Thorax: Dorsal scaling white with a brown, longitudinal, median streak; a brown spot at base of tegula. Underside scaling shining whitish including legs; tarsi brownish. Forewing: Narrow, length about 3.7–3.9 times width; costa straight except near base and apex, latter acute; termen strongly angled back, broadly curved to dorsum; fringe broad, reducing narrow appearance of wing. Ground color pale gray, overlaid with whitish. Black markings as follows: a short longitudinal streak from base in cell; two short longitudinal streaks in cell, one at basal one-fourth, one at middle of wing; a dot below and between these, below Cu fold; an irregular mark angled toward apex at end of cell; a thin line from middle of terminal area to apex; a series of about ten dots along margin from well before apex to tornal area. Fringe white, grayish in tornal area. Underside pale brownish; some differentiated brown scaling (possibly sex scaling) through cell; fringe whitish at apex. Hindwing: About as brown as forewing; dorsal hair pencil of costa exposed, rather short, pale brownish; costa only slightly sloping to apex, latter blunt, termen broadly curved to dorsum. Ground color pale brownish, whitish basally; fringe elongate, nearly one-half as long as membrane width; white. Underside similar, darker brownish. Abdomen: Dorsal and ventral scaling shining whitish gray. Genitalia as in Figure 65 (drawn from cotype, JAP prep. no. 1507; two preparations examined); uncus hoodlike, notched; gnathos broad, dentate posteriorly; basal processes short, broad; valva with a notch in costa and triangulate folds on inner face.

FEMALE.–Not studied in detail. Similar in size and general appearance to male (based on one specimen). Genitalia not examined.

TYPE DATA.–Tehuacan, Puebla, Mexico, September (R. Müller), holotype female in U.S. National Museum.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.–Known only from the type locality.

FLIGHT PERIOD.–September (records from 1913 and 1937).

FOOD PLANT.–Unknown.

THE DISCOSTRIGELLA COMPLEX

Members of this group are the common gray Ethmias of arid regions of the southwestern United States. They are by far the most common species in collections; at times the moths teem by the hundreds to lights in eastern California and Arizona. Local and seasonal variations are superimposed upon the wide geographical range of two similar appearing species which fly together.

The first species to be described was E. discostrigella (Chambers, 1877) from Edgerton, Colorado (near Colorado Springs). The forewings were described as being purplish, gray with a pale longitudinal streak containing three black lines (Plate 7f). Walsingham (1880) named a second entity, E. subcaerulea, from central coastal California which has pale bluish gray forewings with many fine black streaks in the costal half (Plate 7g). Later, however, after studying material from Arizona, Utah, and Colorado, Walsingham (1888) concluded that his supposed species was synonymous with discostrigella. A third name, semitenebrella, was proposed by Dyar (1902) for a more distinctly marked form with forewing having a gray costal half and white dorsal area, the latter marked by two conspicuous black, diagonal streaks. (Plate 7h). The moth, which was represented by specimens from Colorado, Arizona, and California, was described as a species but stated to be probably only a variety of discostrigella by Dyar. Dyar’s name was treated as synonymous with discostrigella by Meyrick (1914). Barnes and Busck (1920), however, figured the male genitalia and showed slight differences between semitenebrella and discostrigella, which they treated as species.

A subsequent discussion (Powell, 1959) added little clarity to the picture except to cite considerable additional western material, none of which showed genital characters intermediate between the two. The two diagonal black marks of the dorsal area were given as an indicator for semitenebrella (as opposed to one or none in discostrigella).

The hindwing of E. semitenebrella bears a conspiculous hair pencil on the costa, which has been previously overlooked, and this correlates with both male and female genitalia and wing color differences, confirming the two as separate species. Accumulation of hundreds of specimens together with diurnal observations on the host associations and larval rearings during the past ten years have enabled further clarification of phenotypic variation extant in the complex.

The two species are widespread in arid and semiarid parts of southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, following the distribution of their hosts, species of Cercocarpus (Rosaceae). Although the two are often found flying together, E. semitenebrella is considerably less common in collections and is less phenotypically variable and less widespread (Maps 23, 24). E. discostrigella is multivoltine in some, if not all, areas and is seasonally variable. E. semitenebrella evidently is adapted to a narrower range of ecological situations and does not show much wing color variation from one area to another; it may be double brooded, but there are no data from individual localities showing two flights.

The typical forms representing both of the names applicable to discostrigella–subcaerulea in California and discostrigella from Colorado–are distinct from semitenebrella in wing pattern. However, over much of the southern half of its range, discostrigella exhibits a slightly to decidedly white dorsal area, which causes a superficial resemblance to semitenebrella.

For purposes of discussion, I am applying a subspecific designation to the two available names for discostrigella, although in parts of the range of the species neither name is appropriate in a subspecific sense. The Great Basin areas of eastern Oregon and California (east of the Sierra Nevada) through Nevada, Utah, and Colorado are occupied by populations of discostrigella in which the individuals are large (wing expanse mostly 25–30 mm) and which have dark metal-gray forewings with whitish only through the median longitudinal area and the black marks more or less similarly restricted. These may be referred to as E.d. discostrigella. In cismontane California and doubtless Baja California Norte and possibly western Oregon, most of the moths are smaller (20–26 mm expanse) and have the forewing much palerwhitish gray which is bluish gray in appearance. The costal half, which usually is not darker gray, bears numerous longitudinal, fine black streaks. Walsingham’s name subcaerulea is applicable to these, but in southern California many specimens exhibit development of a pale dorsal and dark costal area.

Populations in Arizona and New Mexico may be interpreted as representing a broad zone of blend in wing color phenotype between d. discostrigella, d. subcaerulea, and a race similar in general appearance to semitenebrella. In northwestern Arizona several large samples indicate that variation here is similar to subcaerulea. In June (Hualapai Mountains) the size is about the same as that shown in cismontane California, while in late August and September (Kaibab Plateau; Oak Creek Canyon) the moths are consistently small (expanse 19–21 mm). Farther to the south and east, the forewing pattern varies away from typical subcaerulea but only in part toward typical discostrigella (to the north, even in southern Nevada and Utah, typical discostrigella is almost exclusively present). Samples from the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona show a form approaching Colorado discostrigella in April, but a much paler phenotype, more distinctly marked with black lines, in September. The latter are indistinguishable from extremes in southern California, which, however, do not seem to be seasonally predominent. Similar seasonal variation may occur in other regions of Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent parts of Texas and Mexico, but samples at individual localities are inadequate at present.

Ethmia discostrigella (Chambers)

Anesychia discostrigella Chambers, 1877:122.

Ethmia discostrigella.–Walsingham, 1888:149 [in part] [synonymy].–Dyar, 1902:204 [in part].–Barnes and Busck, 1920:242, pls. 26, 27, 34 [in part] [synonymy].–Braun, 1925:198.–McDunnough. 1939:82 [in part].–Powell, 1959:136 [in part]; 1971:46 [biol.].

Psecadia discostrigella.–Riley, 1891:99 [in part].

A large moth having dark gray forewings with median longitudinal whitish and black lines, and a yellow abdomen. The typical subspecies, which is larger, with more uniformly gray forewings, is widespread in the Great Basin and Rocky Mountains.

Ethmia discostrigella discostrigella (Chambers), new status

MALE.–Length of forewing 10.4–14.0 mm. Head: Labial palpus strongly upcurved, elongate, exceeding crown; second segment strongly curved, length 1.4–1.5 times eye diameter; third segment very slightly curved, about 0.7–0.75 as long as second; smooth scaled, mostly brownish gray, whitish at base, at apex of second segment and basal half of third, to mostly whitish, brownish gray exteriorly on second segment above base and subapically on third. Antenna slightly dilated, width of shaft in basal third about 0.25 eye diameter; scaled above, basally whitish, scape white below and anteriorly, dark posteriorly. Scaling of proboscis, front, and vertex smooth, mostly brownish gray, becoming mostly white at vertex and crown, spreading at occipital margin, white laterally, dark at middorsum. Thorax: Collar brownish basally; pronotal scaling white with three pairs of lateral, black spots at tegulae bases, just beyond tegulae apices, and on scutellum. Underside scaling shining whitish; pro- and mesothoracic legs dark gray exteriorly, hindleg pale ochreous; tibial fringe small. Forewing: Length about 3.4–3.5 times width; costa gently curved from base to apex, flattened slightly beyond middle, apex acute, termen strongly angled back, tornus discernible. Ground color dark gray, overlaid with scattered whitish scales, usually more numerous in dorsal and terminal areas and concentrated through upper part of dorsal area to form an ill-defined longitudinal white streak from base to a conspicuous spur at end of cell; at times whitish more or less concentrated over whole dorsal area. Black markings, at times reduced or partially obsolete, as follows: a narrow line on Cu fold from base to about inner one-fourth; a second shorter line just beyond, sending a diagonal spur toward anal angle; a third line on Cu fold in outer half of cell; an elongate streak through middle of cell in outer half; small blotches preceding, following, and above white spur at end of cell; a series of about nine conspicuous dots around margin from before apex to tornus, at times continued as a thin line along dorsal margin. Fringe pale grayish; costal fringe pale ochreous. Underside uniform gray. Hindwing: About as broad as forewing; costal brush lacking; costa slightly excavate toward apex, latter blunt, termen broadly curved to dorsum, tornus not discernible. Ground color pale gray, becoming whitish ochreous toward anal area. Fringe narrow, whitish ochreous with gray basal band. Underside the same. Abdomen: Scaling entirely pale to bright ochreous. Genitalia as in Figure 66 (drawn from plesiotype, Union Co., New Mexico, JAP prep. no. 1370; 15 preparations examined); uncus hoodlike, with a shallow notch bordered by weak lateral peaks; gnathos dentate posteriorly and anteriorly; basal processes small, membranous; valva broadened distally, round apically.

MAP 23.–Geographical distribution of Ethmia discostrigella (Chambers).

FEMALE.–Length of forewing 11.0–14.7 mm. Essentially as described for male; eye slightly smaller, diameter about 0.9 that of male; antenna not dilated, width of shaft about 0.7 that of male. Wing color variation as in male. Ochreous of abdomen usually brighter and somewhat more extensive on legs and hindwing. Genitalia as in Figure 188 (drawn from plesiotype, San Luis Obispo County, California, JAP prep. no. 2714; eight preparations examined); sterigma sclerotized only anterior to ostium, sides angled steeply away anteriorly; base of ductus with a short sclerotized sleeve, followed by about 1 mm uncoiled membranous section which bears one or two weakly sclerotized bands with variable, tiny spurs; signum a dentate fold 0.36–0.44 mm in length.

TYPE DATA.–Edgerton, Colorado, among oaks; altitude, 6,500 feet. Lectotype male, present designation: “Anesychia discostrigella Cham. Col., Chambers, Colorado, Type 1421,” in Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.–Great Basin portions of eastern Oregon and California (east of the Sierra Nevada), southwestern Idaho, Nevada, and Utah; southward through Colorado, eastern New Mexico and western Texas, into Chihuahua and Nueva Leon, Mexico.

FLIGHT PERIOD.–April to September; multivoltine, at least in southern portions of the range. Most flight records in northern areas are for June and July.

FOOD PLANT.–Cercocarpus ledifolius Nutt. (Rosaceae) and undoubtedly other species of Cercocarpus. Biological studies are given elsewhere (Powell, 1971).

Ethmia discostrigella subcaerulea (Walsingham), new status

Psecadia subcaerulea Walsingham, 1880:89.–Beutenmuller, 1888:29.

Ethmia subcaerulea.–Dyar, 1902:204 [in part].–Busck, 1907:94.

Ethmia discostrigella.–Walsingham, 1888:149 [in part] [synonymy].–Meyrick, 1914:30 [in part] [synonymy].–Barnes and Busck, 1920:242, pls. 26, 27, 34 [in part].–Keifer, 1936a:16.–McDunnough, 1939:82 [in part].–Powell, 1959:136 [in part]; 1971:47 [biol.].

A Pacific Coast race which usually has the forewing densely covered with white overscaling, giving a uniform bluish-white appearance.

MALE.–Length of forewing 10.0–13.0 mm. Structural characters as described for nominate subspecies. Scaling generally more whitish on head, body, and legs. Forewing ground color dark gray, but usually overlaid with white over whole surface, somewhat less densely on costal area, leaving a series of darker longitudinal streaks; at times less so over whole wing resulting in a generally dark, white-streaked appearance; rarely the dorsal area uniform whitish, costal area mostly dark. Black markings as on nominate subspecies, tending to be larger on the gray-streaked forms, correspondingly more strongly contrasting with dorsal area. Abdomen pale ochreous. Genitalia not distinguishable from nominate subspecies (four preparations examined).

FEMALE.–Length of forewing 10.4-13.1 mm. As described for male and nominate subspecies. Abdomen pale ochreous, usually paler than in d. discostrigella. Genitalia as in d. discostrigella.

TYPE DATA.–“Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, California, May 23 and June 13, 1871” (Walsingham), types in British Museum.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.–Cismontane California, west slope of the Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges to southern California, and undoubtedly Baja California Norte.

FLIGHT PERIOD.–March to September; multivoltine.

FOOD PLANT.–Cercocarpus betuloides Nutt. (=montanus) and C. minutiflorus Abrams. Biological observations are given elsewhere (Powell, 1971).

REMARKS.–As discussed above, individuals from Arizona and western New Mexico do not correspond well to either of the above subspecies. Most are similar to subcaerulea but tend to have a well-defined contrast between the dark costal and whitish dorsal areas. The diagonal and median longitudinal black marks usually show more conspicuously on the pale dorsal area than in the California race or d. discostrigella.

Ethmia semitenebrella Dyar

Ethmia semitenebrella Dyar, 1902:204.–Barnes and Busck, 1920, pls. 26, 34.–Braun, 1925:197.–McDunnough, 1939:82.–Powell, 1959:139; 1971:51 [biol.].

Ethmia discostrigella [in part].–Meyrick, 1914:30.–Powell, 1959:136.

A moderately large Ethmia with forewings having dark costal and whitish dorsal areas. The latter marked on basal half by two inwardly directed, diagonal black streaks. Hindwing of male with costal hair pencil.

MALE.–Length of forewing 10.1–13.4 mm. Head: Labial palpus moderately elongate, not strongly curved, length about 1.2–1.35 times eye diameter; third segment straight or nearly so, about 0.65–0.70 as long as second; scaling appressed, mostly dark brownish gray with whitish blotches anteriorly on basal half of second segment and at joint between second and third, to mostly white with subapical dark spots on each segment. Antenna slightly dilated, width of shaft basally about 0.22 eye diameter, scaled dorsally white, becoming brown beyond basal segments. Scaling of front smooth, dark brown, whitish at base, of crown white with median dark spot at occipital margin. Thorax: Dorsal scaling white, paired black spots at tegulae bases, just beyond tegulae apices and on scutellum. Underside shining white; prothoracic and mesothoracic legs dark brown exteriorly; metathoracic leg whitish ochreous. Forewing: Length about 3.5–3.6 times width; costa gently curved from base to apex, slightly flattened beyond middle; apex blunt, termen moderately strongly angled back, tornal angle well developed. Ground color dark gray on costal half, whitish gray on dorsal half; costal half usually with considerable whitish overscaling between the veins resulting in longitudinal streaks, more well defined beyond middle; dorsal white extending well into cell in basal half of wing, indented by a broad triangular spur of dark ground color in outer half of cell, upcurved as a white spur at end of cell. Black markings as follows: a short, longitudinal streak on Cu fold at base; two broad, distinct, diagonal, slightly sigmoid streaks from Cu fold toward anal area, the first at basal one-fourth, isolated in white dorsal area, the second, just before middle of wing, from apex of triangular dark ground projection; some black scaling preceding and following white spur at end of cell; a thin longitudinal streak through middle of outer half of cell, blending in terminal area with streak of dark ground color to termen just below apex; a series of about ten dots around margin from before apex to beyond tornus, the last usually elongated as a dorsal line. Fringe whitish, interspersed with pale brownish, a brown spot at longitudinal streak just below apex. Underside uniform pale brownish; fringe as above. Hindwing: About as broad as forewing; costal hair pencil exposed, well developed, from base extending more than one-third the length of wing, brownish gray or brownish white; costa slightly excavate toward apex, latter narrow, termen strongly angled back to dorsum, tornus not developed. Ground color whitish becoming pale brownish on apical half; a patch of dark ochreous sex scaling under and slightly exceeding costal hair pencil. Fringe whitish, becoming pale ochreous in anal area. Underside similar, slightly paler, specialized costal scaling absent. Abdomen: Scaling entirely pale whitish ochreous. Genitalia as in Figure 67 (drawn from plesiotype, Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, JAP prep. no. 318; eight preparations examined); similar to E. discostrigella, differing by well-developed lateral peaks on uncus; lateral flanges of gnathos posteriorly, and by a less broadened cucullar area with apex slightly pointed.

MAP 24.–Geographical distribution of Ethmia semitenebrella Dyar.

FEMALE.–Length of forewing 10.4 to 14.3 mm. Essentially as described for male; eye slightly smaller; antenna not dilated, width of shaft basally about 0.80–0.85 that of male; forewing markings generally more contrasting and distinct; costal area of hindwing simple, ochreous scale patch lacking; hindwing anal area with a pale ochreous tinge, more evident than in male. Genitalia similar to the preceding species, differing by the sides of sterigma not angled anteriorly from ostium (Figure 191, drawn from plesiotype, Monitor Pass, California, JAP prep. no. 2716; eight preparations examined) and an elongate uncoiled basal portion of the ductus bursae, and from discostrigella by a slightly larger signum, 0.41–0.55 mm in length.

TYPE DATA.–Fort Grant, Arizona, “20–7” (H. G. Hubbard); lectotype female, by present designation, in U.S. National Museum. “Ft. Grant, Ar. 20.7, H. G. Hubbard, Collector, Type No. 6621, USNM, ♀ Genitalia on slide Nov. 16, 1936, JFGC 793.”

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.–Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Nueva Leon Mexico, to Arizona, southern and eastern California; similar to but apparently not so widespread to the north and west as E. discostrigella.

FLIGHT PERIOD.–April to August; double brooded.

FOOD PLANT.–Cercocarpus ledifolius Nutt. (Rosaceae) and undoubtedly other species of Cercocarpus. Biological observations are given elsewhere (Powell, 1971). The report of C. parvifolius as a food plant at Williams, Arizona (Dyar, 1902), may refer to either C. betuloides Nutt. or C. breviflorus Gray according to present concepts.

The Papiella Group

Eye index 0.95–1.05. Maxillary palpus moderately large, four subequal segments. Labial palpus moderately short, II segment index 1.1–1.2, smooth or weakly roughened. Antenna of male not dilated or strongly dilated (index 0.45). Forewing moderately broad or moderately narrow. Hindwing of male with or without costal hair pencil, fold lacking. Abdomen pink, scaling undifferentiated. Uncus hoodlike; gnathos dentate anteriorly and posteriorly; basal processes moderately sclerotized, angulate or bifid; valva with broad setae on costa; fultura-manica simple; vesica armed. Papillae anales sclerotized, setate; posterior apophyses not elongate; anterior apophyses broad or narrow; sterigma ornate; antrum undefined or defined; ductus bursae membranous or sclerotized basally, 8–9 coils; signum a broad cone.

Two nocturnal species in Mexico and Central America which show strongest phenetic similarity to the Semilugens group but are unique in several respects, particularly the pink abdomen.

Ethmia papiella Powell, new species

A moth of discostrigella appearance, with the abdomen pink, occurring in the Sinaloan thorn forest on the west coast of Mexico.

MALE.–Length of forewing 6.7–7.8 mm. Head: Labial palpus elongate, strongly curved, exceeding base of antenna; length of second segment 1.1–1.25 times eye diameter (eye extraordinarily large, 1.4 mm diameter); third segment 0.7–0.8 eye diameter; scaling slightly roughened ventrally, whitish gray, second segment with a dark subapical blotch. Antenna slightly dilated, width near base 0.19 eye diameter; dorsal scaling whitish. Scaling of tongue whitish, of front appressed, pale gray, intermixed with brownish black between eyes, of crown whitish with some brownish black intermixed. Thorax: Tegula whitish, with a black spot at base, becoming broadly pink distally. Dorsal scaling of collar and pronotum whitish gray, four indistinct black spots, one preceding, a pair at sides of and one at apex of scutellum. Underside whitish gray, foreleg blackish exteriorly, hind tibia pale pink. Forewing: Length 3.4–3.5 times width; costa rather strongly arched; terminal fringe broad, giving a subtruncate appearance. Ground color gray, overlaid with whitish in varying intensity (possibly lessened with age of the individual), when heavily so, wing mostly whitish except costal area on basal one-third, when less, only the outer costal area and a streak along fold whitish; a series of longitudinal black streaks, at times largely obscured by whitish: one at base in subcostal area and one just above cell before middle; a narrow streak at base on Cu fold and two broader ones on fold at one-third and middle of wing; an elongate one from midcell to termen below apex, interrupted at end of cell by white spur; a blurred blotch on dorsal margin before middle; a row of short streaks around termen from outer one-third of costa to beyond tornus. Fringe mostly gray, darker below apex, which is white. Underside pale brownish gray, a white streak through fringe at apex. Hindwing: Broader than forewing; upperside with a thick, whitish hair pencil to middle of costal area. Costal margin beyond not concave, angled obliquely to the narrow apex; dorsal margin concave before anal angle. Ground color whitish basally becoming pale grayish distally; costal area under hair pencil gray. Underside uniform pale whitish gray. Abdomen: Scaling of basal tergite pale gray, of remainder bright pink, extending laterad beyond midpleural area; venter and scaling of valvae pale gray. Genitalia as in Figure 68 (drawn from paratopotype, JAP prep. no. 1723, and plesiotype, Navajoa, JAP prep. no. 1603; four preparations examined); similar to E. semitenebrella, uncus and valvae narrowed distally, gnathos heavily spined anteriorly, basal processes greatly elongate, vesica with a series of strong spurs and a membranous connection to a sclerotized ring at the fultura (shown in Figure 68 in situ where they remain when aedeagus is removed).

MAP 25.–Geographical distribution of members of the Papiella group of Ethmia.

E. papiella Powell A E. volcanella Powell

FEMALE.–Length of forewing 7.3–8.7 mm. Essentially as described for male; eye slightly smaller (about 0.9 of male), labial palpus as large as in male; antenna not dilated, width of shaft near base about two-thirds that of male. Forewing averaging narrower, length 3.5–3.8 times width. Hindwing costal area simple. Genitalia as in Figures 193, 194 (drawn from paratype, Mazatlan, JAP prep. no. 2719; five preparations examined); sterigma a heavily sclerotized, thick ring, incomplete on posterior side of ostium; ductus entirely membranous; signum a deep fold, terminating in a single keellike projection into bursa.

TYPES.–Holotype male and allotype female: Mexico, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, August 7, 1964 (J. A. Chemsak and J. Powell) (taken at lights of a motel in the north part of town); to be deposited in California Academy of Sciences. Thirty-two Paratypes, all Mexico, as follows: Sinaloa: Rio del Fuerte, 13 mi N Los Mochis, l♂, 6♀, VIII–7–64, at black and white fluorescent lights (J. A. Chemsak and J. Powell); same data as holotype, 20♂, 2♀; 6 mi S Culiacan, 1♀, VIII–6–64, at black and white lights (J. A. Chemsak and J. Powell); 5 mi N Mazatlan, 1♀, VII–27–64, at black and white lights (J. A. Chemsak and J. Powell). Sonora: 1 mi E San Carlos (Bay) Yacht Club, 1♀, VIII–13–64 (M. R. and S. H. Lundgren). Deposited in California Academy of Sciences, California Insect Survey and U.S. National Museum.

Also examined but not designated as paratypes was an additional series of 6 males and 3 females preserved in alcohol, with the following data: Sonora: 13 km SW Navajoa, VIII–22–54 (R. E. Ryckman, C. Christianson, and D. Spencer).

REMARKS.–The pink abdomen and tegulae will at once distinguish this species from any New World Ethmia except E. volcanella, which has pink hindwings.

Ethmia volcanella Powell, new species

A Central American species with black-marked gray forewings and a bright pink abdomen and anal area of the hindwings.

MALE.–Length of forewing 8.7 mm. Head: Labial palpus elongate, reaching to base of antenna; length of second segment about 1.2 times diameter of the unusually large eye, not strongly curved; third segment 0.6 as long as second; whitish, with broad blackish blotches on second segment medially and third segment basally. Antenna greatly dilated, width of basal 6–8 segments of shaft, 0.45 eye diameter, tapering to moderate diameter (0.22 eye diameter) by 12th segment; thickly scaled dorsally, pale gray-brown. Scaling of front whitish, becoming pale gray-brown at crown. Thorax: Dorsal scaling pale gray-brown, two pairs of black spots, anteriorly near collar and posteriorly at sides of scutellum, possibly a median spot preceding scutellum. Underside whitish gray; foreleg dark brownish gray exteriorly with whitish tibial and tarsal bands, epiphysis very large, widely flared from tibia; meso-leg whitish marked with dark brown on tibia and tarsus; meta-leg pale pink, becoming whitish distally. Forewing: Length about 3.6 times width; costa gently curved, termen strongly angled back, tornal angle distinct. Ground color gray, with a distinct white spur at end of cell, and marked with black, as follows: a short streak at base of costa into subcostal area; an elongate streak along Cu fold from base to beyond middle of cell, interrupted by irregular white spotting; a streak from middle of cell in costal half into terminal area, not reaching submarginal dots, notched from below but not fully interrupted by the white spur at end of cell; about seven submarginal dots from before apex to tornus. Some scattered white scaling on dorsal half. Fringe gray. Underside pale brown, the black streaks of upperside indistinctly evident. Hindwing: Slightly broader than forewing; costal area simple, costal margin slightly excavate before the narrow apex. Ground color pale pink, brightest in anal area, becoming paler distally, apical area dark brownish. Fringe whitish. Underside the same. Abdomen: Dorsal scaling, including genital tufts, bright pink; ventral scaling pale pink. Genitalia as in Figure 69 (drawn from holotype, JAP prep. no. 2179; one preparation examined); uncus broadened near base, basal processes forked, valva with a series of very large, heavily sclerotized setae on costal margin distally, vesica with five elongate, toothed, sclerotized cornuti, an apical hooklike structure on aedeagus.

FEMALE.–Length of forewing 9.7–11.2 mm. As described for male; labial palpus more elongate, length of second segment 1.3 times eye diameter, third segment 0.67 the length of second; antenna not dilated, width of shaft near base about 0.17 eye diameter. Coloration and markings as in male, color brighter, the forewing markings more distinct and contrasting, whitish scaling of dorsal area tending to form a dot in basal one-third and two zig-zag lines enclosing a darker gray area just beyond middle; abdomen and hindwing brighter pink than in male. Genitalia as in Figure 192 (drawn from paratype, JAP prep. no. 2180), sterigma produced laterally, basal two loops of ductus partially sclerotized, seven loops beyond membranous; signum similar to papiella but the keel dentate.

TYPES.–Holotype male: Mexico, Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, July 15–16, 1964 (P. J. Spangler). Allotype female and two paratype females: Guatemala, Rio Teculutan, Zacapa, August 18, 1965 (Flint and Ortiz). All deposited in U.S. National Museum.

The Macelhosiella Group

Eye index 0.9–1.1. Maxillary palpus small, three or four globose segments. Labial palpus moderately short, II segment index 1.0–1.4, smooth scaled. Antenna of male moderately dilated, index 0.20–0.25. Forewing narrow; pattern costal-dorsal. Hindwing of male with or without costal hair pencil, fold lacking. Uncus hoodlike; gnathos dentate anteriorly and posteriorly; basal processes membranous, broad or rudimentary; valva with “clasper” on inner side; fultura-manica and vesica without armature. Papillae anales weakly sclerotized, setate; posterior apophyses not elongate; anterior apophyses broad; sterigma simple; antrum undefined; ductus bursae membranous or sclerotized basally, five to seven tight coils; signum a dentate bar.

A closely related quartet of United States species which has developed pupal estivation, late fall flight, and egg hibernation. Ethmia macelhosiella has an intermediate eye size and apparently is diurnal, possibly a secondary development in response to low nocturnal autumnal temperatures in the eastern United States.

MAP 26.–Geographical distribution of members of the Macelhosiella group of Ethmia.

E. macelhosiella Busck E. geranella Barnes and Busck E. timberlakei Powell E. macneilli Powell

Ethmia mansita is a moth in the family Depressariidae. It is found in central Mexico.

The length of the forewings is 8.5–9.1 mm (0.33–0.36 in). The ground color of the forewings is pale gray, overlaid with whitish and with black markings. The ground color of the hindwings is pale brownish, but whitish basally. Adults are on wing in September.