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1956
The Lepidopterists' News
111
FAUNA SSSR. NASEKOMYE CHESHUEKRYLYE. VOLUME III, PART 2. CHEKH-L0N0SY-MESHECHN1TSY {SEM. PSYCHID/E). [Fauna of the USSR. Insecta Lep-idoptera. "Bag-worms."] By I. V. Kozhantshikov. Zoologicheskiy Institut Akademii Nauk SSSR. New series, no. 62: 516 (-f- 1) pp., 334 figs. Publisher: Akademia Nauk SSSR. Moscow-Leningrad. 1956. [Price: Roubles 32.50, paper bound.) [In Russian.]
The reviewed book of the Fauna SSSR series is the fourth issue dealing with the Lepidoptera. Its contents: Title page, with editorial notes on the reverse (2 pp.); Preface (2 pp.;; Systematical Species List (5 pp.); Introduction (101 pp., 54 figs.), with six chapters (lmaginal Morphology, Morphology of Immature Instars, Biology and Ecological Relations, Classification and Phylogeny, Geographical Range, Economic Importance); Bibliography, compiled corresponding to the chapters of the Introduction (8 pp.; the bibliography to the chapter on the classification is the same as that of Special Part); Special Part (391 pp., 280 figs.); Alphabetical Index (7 pp.); Table of Contents (1 p.). All chapters of Introduction are very circumstantial and include many new data.
In the Special Part the family Psychidae is additionally characterized, and two keys to subfamilies, one based on adults, the other on larvae, are given. The family is divided into two subfamilies, Psycheoidina? and Psychinae. The keys to the genera are given separately for male moths and for larvae. 25 genera of Psycheoidinae (four of them are new) and 17 of Psychinse (one of them new) are described and illustrated. Detailed redescriptions of 139 species and descriptions of 32 new species. All descriptions are accompanied by data on the range and ecology of the species. Not only the species known to be found in the USSR are reviewed, but in many cases also those which may have been expected to be found there, since they are known from neighboring countries. The keys to the species, based on male moths, are very instructive. The good enlarged figures drawn by E. BLAGOVESTSHENSKAYA represent males of 21 species; the females are figured more schematically, sometimes only as halves, in general of 17 species. Figures of male genitalia of 122 species; six figures of female genitalia; larval cases of 14 species. 130 figures of various morphological structures (wing venation, legs larval chastotaxy, etc.); three phylogenetic schemata; 32 maps of geographic distribution of the family, some genera and species.
As the author writes himself, his work is based chiefly on the materials in the collection of the Zoological Institute in Leningrad, and on published ecological data. The author himself studied in nature only some of the northern Russian Psychidae species. This is the reason why the paper gives the impression of being a purely "academic" research based on materials not especially collected for it. This also explains the very limited data on females and larval cases contained in the book. The bibliography is given quite completely; only the Psychidse monograph by BlRUAND (1853) was inaccessible to the author. Also the most recent papers by SlEDER (1954, 1955) on Taleporiinae were not revised.
It is regrettable that neither the exact data on the specimens studied nor the number of genitalia slides are listed in the book. Some nomenclature inaccuracies should be mentioned. The subfamily name Psycheoidinae contradicts the Copenhagen Decisions on Zoological Nomenclature of 1953, since this name is not based on a really existing genus. It should probably be replaced by the name Taleporiinae proposed by Tutt (1900) as a family name among some others for the group in question, and subsequently preferred and used by REBEL, originally (1901) for a family, and later (1906) for a subfamily. Very doubtful is the replacement of the generic name Canephora Hb. by Lepidopsyche Newman, 1850. The author supposed the HUBNER name was published only in the Tentamen (1806) and overlooked its validation by HUBNER in his Systematisch-alphabetisches Verzeichniss (1822). The author neglected also the importance of a type designation for the new species he described; perhaps the type specimens are marked as such in the collection but this is not seen from the book. All geographical and other infraspecific forms are syn-onymized with nominate specific forms; this stands in complete accordance with the author's views on geographic variation.
178
REVIEWS
Vol.10: no.5
The few above inaccuracies cannot diminish the scientific value of the Psychidas book by KOZHANTSHIKOV, and his work must be recognized as promoting the study of the family and therefore very important for specialists working upon this group.
NICHOLAS S. Obraztsov, 68 Glenlawn Avenue, Sea Cliff, N. Y., U. S. A.
A SILKMOTH REARER'S HANDBOOK. By W. J. B. Crotch. 165 pp., 26 pis. (2 colored), 21 figs. 1956. Publisher — The Amateur Entomologists' Society, 1 West Ham Lane, London E. 15, England. (Price, paper cover, 18 shillings, postpaid.)
Mr. CROTCH has completely revised the earlier edition of the Handbook by Beowulf A. COOPER. This is a wonderful compendium of tricks of the breeders' trade, certain to have many new and useful suggestions for any lepidopterist who rears the Giant Silkworms — Saturniidae — of any part of the world. There are notes on food-plants, descriptions of larva?, cocoons, even eggs, notes on clock-times of pairing of many species, the formula for SMITH'S ELIXIR (a nutrient solution to be sprayed on leaves in a poor state to nourish caterpillars), the method of distinguishing the sex of pupae, and much more. Most of the species in the world are at least mentioned in the text, with the genera in alphabetical order. North American species are particularly fully discussed. The plates are full of excellent photographs, and the figures are clear. There are points which really should have been included or improved: the nomenclature is unnecessarily antiquated, the hand-pairing method is not men tioned, MlCHENER'S excellent revision of the major groups of Saturniidae (see Lepid. News 6: 109-111; 1952) is old enough to have been included. But this is not a pretentious treatise; it is a handbook for all of us, whatever the focus of our interest in Silkmoth rearing.
C. L. Remington
The long awaited monograph of the genus Ancea by the late WILLIAM P. COMSTOCK has been announced as nearing publication by the American Museum of Natural History. This large and complicated genus of magnificent butterflies of the American tropics was the principal focus of COMSTOCK'S exceptionally fine taxonomic talents during his later years. His part was completed some time ago, but funds were not available to publish the monograph in the elegant style needed for suitable treatment of a group in which color characters are so important. The Museum has now announced that, if there is sufficient pre-publication response, it is now ready to proceed with publication. The book will contain 30 exquisite color plates, 19 pages of black-and-white drawings, and 292 pages; the page size will be 934 by 13 inches. In addition to the high scientific quality which COMSTOCK'S authorship brings, the very beautiful color plates and the rich format will make this a volume the equal of which appears only once in decades. The announced price is surprisingly low: before publication it will be $20.00; after publication it will be $25.00. The book will be published in only a limited quantity and may go out of print soon. Lepidopterists who have not yet received the prospectus, with specimen plate in color, should write to: The American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, Netv York 24, N. Y., U. S. A. Payment may be made directly to the museum or to: W. S. Coivell Ltd., Butter Market, Ipswich, Suffolk, England.
C. L. Remington