RONALD W. HODG Nearctic Walshiidae Notes and New Taxa (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea) SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY-1969 NUMBER 18 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY NUMBER 18 Ronald w. Hodges Nearctic Walshiidae Notes and New Taxa (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS CITY OF WASHINGTON 1969 SERIAL PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION The emphasis upon publications as a means of diffusing knowledge was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. In his formal plan for the Institution, Joseph Henry articulated a program that included the following statement: "It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge not strictly professional." 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UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1969 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price 40 cents ABSTRACT Knowledge concerning the Nearitic members of the Walshiidae is made current by presenting new information concerning distribution and food plants; describing 14 species (Periploca hostiata, hortatrix, P. opinatrix, P. devia, P. dipapha, P. labes, Aeaea placatrix, Sorhagenia baucidis, S. pexa, Siskiwitia alticolans, Perimede eremos, P. parilis, P. circitor, P. maniola) and one genus (Siskiwitia) as new; presenting new keys to separate species of Periploca, Sorhagenia, and Perimede; and presenting a list of the known species. When I discussed the members of various genera of Prairie); Hochderffer Hill, 8,500 feet, 12/2 miles Walshiidae (Hodges, 1961, 1962a, 1962b, 1962c, and NNW Flagstaff, Coconino County (Hochderffer Hill) ; 1964), many of the species were known from few local- 4 miles ESE Pine, 5,400 feet, Gila County (Pine) ; ities. During the past few years I have collected and Vail Lake Road, 6,500 feet, 9/2 miles SE Flagstaff, received for study examples of several of the known Coconino County (Vail Lake); West Fork [Oak species as well as 14 new species and one new genus. Creek], 6,500 feet, 16 miles SW Flagstaff, Coconino This additional information necessitates rewriting some County (West Fork). Arkansas: Devil's Den State of the keys to accommodate the new species. To judge Park, Washington County (Devil's Den); Hartford, from the number of new species in some genera (Peri- Sebastian County (Hartford). Florida: Lake Placid, ploca Braun, Aeaea Chambers, Sorhagenia Spuler, and Archbold Biological Station, Highlands County (Arch- Perimede Chambers), it appears as though many new bold) ; Fisheating Creek, Palmdale, Glades County ones remain to be discovered. The small size and rela- (Palmdale); Parker Islands, Highlands County tively uniform maculation make discrimination of (Parker Islands). Maryland: Plummers Island [in of many species impossible on the basis of external Potomac River about 5 miles upstream from Washing- characters. Also, the rearing of a second species of ton, D.C], Montgomery County (Plummers Island). Periploca from cedar-apple galls indicates that host South Dakota: Hardy Work Center, T3N, R1E, S30 plant information may not be adequate for species [about 20 miles SW of Lead on U.S. route 85], Law- determination in this genus. For these reasons genitalic rence County (Hardy). Wyoming: 6 miles NW New- preparations were made for all specimens of Periploca (with the exception of the series of facula Hodges and castle, Weston County (Newcastle). In addition orichalcella (Clemens)), the females of Aeaea species, Murray O. Glenn of Henry, Illinois, and Charles P. and all specimens of Perimede (except erransella Kimball of West Barnstable, Massachusetts, have fur- Chambers). nished me with specimens collected by themselves and by others. The citations [MOG] and [USNM] are used Recently, I have had the opportunity to collect for the collections of Mr. Murray O. Glenn and the rather extensively in several areas. For the sake of brevity in citing localities I use an abbreviated form United States National Museum, respectively. (indicated in parentheses) for the following: Arizona: I wish to thank Dr. Harold Grant (deceased) of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and Fort Valley, 7,350 feet, 7/2 miles NW Flagstaff, Co- conino County (Fort Valley) ; Hart Prairie, 8,500 Messrs. John D. Bradley and Allan Watson of the feet, 10 miles NNW Flagstaff, Coconino County (Hart British Museum (Natural History) for allowing me to study specimens in their care. The photographs of Ronald W. Hodges, Systematic Entomology Laboratory {United States Department of Agriculture), Smithsonian In- maculation were taken by Victor Krantz, staff pho- stitution, Washington, D.C. 20560. tographer, Smithsonian Institution. 1 o SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY Genus Periploca Braun Key to North American Species Based on Genitalia 1. Males 2 Females 19 2. Aedeagus concave dorsally orichalcella (Clemens) Aedeagus convex or sinuous dorsally 3 3. Valvae asymmetrical &&**• Hodges Valvae symmetrical ^ 4. A long, cylindrical extension from inner surface of valva lobes, new species Valva unarmed 5 5. Vinculum smooth margined or produced posteriorly 6 Vinculum emarginate posteriorly 13 6. Vinculum produced medially /«'« Hodges Vinculum smooth margined medially 7 7. Valva triangular ceanothiella (Cosens) Valva not triangular 8 8. Aedeagus armed externally 9 Aedeagus unarmed 11 9. Costal margin of valva deeply excavated between two-thirds and apex, apex of valva narrowly acute hostiata, new species Costal margin of valva sinuous or rounded, apex of valva broadly acute 10 10. Costal margin of valva sinuous, 1 or 2 stout setae from costal margin . opinatrix, new species Costal margin of valva rounded; setae on valva generally uniform in size, none extremely stout dipapha, new species 11. Apex of aedeagus upturned hortatrix, new species Apex of aedeagus straight 12 12. Costal margin of valva strongly indented before apex, apex narrowly acute gleditschiaeella (Chambers) Costal margin of valva even, apex broadly acute atrata Hodges 13. Aedeagus unarmed jacula Hodges Aedeagus armed 14 14. Aedeagus armed dorsally funebris Hodges Aedeagus armed laterally 15 15. Aedeagus armed on right side 16 Aedeagus armed on left side 18 16. Armature of aedeagus a long and a short projection nigra Hodges Armature of aedeagus several, short spines 17 17. Aedeagus with 5 to 6 readily visible projections, apex sharply constricted and turned to the left devia, new species Aedeagus with numerous, very small projections, apex slightly twisted to the right cata Hodges 18. Aedeagus with a long projection preceded by a few short ones laeta Hodges Aedeagus with several, short, asymmetrical projections mimula Hodges 19. Ductus bursae not heavily sclerotized before ostium bursae 20 Ductus bursae heavily sclerotized before ostium bursae 26 20. Posterior margin of 6th sternite invaginated medially orichalcella (Clemens) Posterior margin of 6th sternite even 21 21. Ductus bursae nearly straight, relatively broad ceanothiella (Cosens) Ductus bursae twisted several times, slender 22 22. A finger-like imagination on anterior portion of lamella antevaginalis .- 23 No finger-like invagination on anterior portion of lamella antevaginalis 24 23. Width of signum more than one-half basal width of corpus bursae; diameter of invagination on genital plate approximately equal to diameter of ductus bursae opinatrix, new species Width of signum less than one-third basal width of corpus bursae; diameter of invagination on genital plate less than one-half diameter of ductus bursae .... hortatrix, new species NUMBER 18 24. Length of apophyses postenores more than 5 times maximum width of 9th abdominal segment gleditschiaeella (Chambers) Length of apophyses postenores less than 2 times maximum width of 9th abdominal segment. 25 25. Ostium bursae on anterior margin of 7th segment, lamella postvaginalis a broadly curving script "x," signum less than one-fourth width of corpus bursae atrata Hodges Ostium bursae at one-third on 7th sternite, lamella postvaginalis a very narrow, open ellipse (open anteriorly), signum approximately one-third width of corpus