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100

Vol.17: no.2

A NEW SUBSPECIES OF HOLOMELINA AURANTIACA FROM VIRGINIA (ARCTIIDAE)

by Alex K. Wyatt

The late Otto Buchholz and I were both greatly interested in the genus Holomelina (=Eubaphe of authors; see Fletcher, 1954, Zoologica 39: 155) and reared many of the eastern species and forms. We exchanged views and specimens freely, not always agreeing on specific identities. Among specimens I received from him was a small series bred from a female taken by him at Suffolk, Virginia on June 10, 1941. I saw him a few years later and expressed the opinion that it was entitled to sub-specific rank and should be named. He was rather non-committal about it and, I believe, left it under aurantiaca without special characterization. Not wishing to assume what I regarded as his prerogative, I left my small series in the same situation.

Meeting Dr. Frederick H. Rindge in Chicago recently, I suggested to him that I would like to describe and name the Suffolk form, probably as a subspecies of aurantiaca. Dr. Rindge suggested that if I decided to do so, he would send me the Buchholz series for examination and study. This was done and I now take pleasure in describing the form as:

HOLOMELINA AURANTIACA BUCHHOLZI Wyatt,

NEW SUBSPECIES

Males: All clear yellow (golden ochre) at first glance and apparently rather thickly scaled. About one-fourth of the specimens show the very faintest trace of pink, which is emphasized on the underside of primaries. None show discal marks on either primaries or secondaries. Three out of forty-two specimens show faint indications of dark submarginal markings on the hind wings. Expanse of males: 20 to 23 mm.

Females: Parent female closely resembles some females of rubicundaria or even ferruginosa, but is smaller than the latter. Primaries are light brown with a dark discal mark, a vague submarginal row of blurred dark spots, a longitudinal well-defined white spot, about two mm. long, above vein one, and just within the half-way mark between base and tornos. Secondaries are yellowish with a pink tinge, a heavy discal mark, and a broad ill-defined submarginal row of blackish spots not reaching the apex. Beneath, the primaries are slightly paler with the black markings reproduced on all wings. Of the reared females about one-half show the white spots of the primaries to a greater or lesser extent, one even having a white spot in the cell and a row of four small white spots beyond it parallel to the outer margin. Three other females show no white markings. Secondaries of all females show the black discal mark and submarginal band as in the parent, altho a few have these markings reduced in size. The pink tinge of secondaries varies and appears more strongly in some females. Expanse of females: 25 to 28 mm.

1963

Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society

101

Fig. 1. Valve of Holomelina aurantiaca ssp. rubicundaria. Fig. 2. Valve of Holomelina aurantiaca ssp. buchholzi.

Genitalia: Slides were made of both males and females and compared with those of rubicundaria, the subspecies most nearly resembling buchholzi. Among the females no apparent difference was noted. In buchholzi all male genitalia were alike. In rubicundaria, slides were made of specimens from Ontario to Florida and showed some variation, particularly in the curvature of the valves which was of shorter radius in the more northern specimens than in those from more southern regions. Setae appear to be slightly longer in buchholzi and denser on the inner side of the valves than in rubicundaria. Also there are a few setae along the outer side of the sacculus in buchholzi and one or two near the base on the outer side of the sacculus, which do not appear in rubicundaria. The illustration herewith will serve to show the differences in the genitalia.

Specimens examined: Field captures — all Suffolk, Va.: ltf, VIII-10-1940; 1$, VI-10-1941 (the brood parent); 2JV, VI-16-1941. Reared: 40 cf d, 66 $ $ , VII-14 to VIII-4-1941.

102

Wyatt: New Holomelina

Vol.17: no.2

Disposition of specimens: HOLOTYPE male: — Suffolk, Va., Aug. 4, 1941; ALLOTYPE female: - same locality, July 23, 1941; both in Chicago Natural History Museum. PARATYPES: 5J d, 5$? in Chicago Natural History Museum; 2cf d\ 2 $ $ in collection of Murray O. Glenn, Henry, Illinois; S5dd, 59$ $ in American Museum of Natural History.

My thanks are due to Mr. Murray O. Glenn of Henry, Illinois for his assistance in preparing slides of various specimens and to Dr. Rupert Wenzel and Mr. Henry Dybas of the Chicago Natural History Museum for help in the preparation of this article and the illustrations.

5842 N. Kirby Ave., Chicago 46, 111., U. S. A.

TWO RARE SPHINGIDAE FROM WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

On 12 July 1961 I took a fresh male Chlaenogramma jasminearum (Guerin) 2 miles east of Morganza at Donaldson's Crossroads in Washington County. This specimen was caught flying around a gas station about 10:30 P.M. on a rainy night. On 30 July 1961, a warm clear night, James Modery took two fresh males at the same place. The year before, he also caught a worn female C. jasminearum just across the highway in July. During 1962, I caught two more male C. jasminearum, one at the same place as mentioned above, on 8 July. The other male, which was worn, was taken 14 July. The surrounding area is residential with small scattered woods. Ash trees are common in the area. According to Tietz (The Lepidoptera of Pennsylvania: 24), the only known records of from the eastern part of the state.

A fresh male of the rare Sphinx franckii (Neumoegen) was taken by myself along Route 19 near Donaldson's Crossroads, Washington County on 6 July 1961. Another fresh male was taken at about the same place on 6 July 1962, and on 14 July 1962 James Modery caught a fresh male two miles east of Donaldson's Crossroads, the above locality. According to Tietz, the only known previous record of S. franckii for the state was in Wayne, near Philadelphia.

The C. jasminearum caught 12 July 1961 and the S. franckii caught 6 July 1961 are both now in the Carnegie Museum.

Richard M. Gilmore, 105 McClintock Dr., Canonsburg, Penna., U. S. A.

118

Minutes 13th Annual Meeting

Vol.18: no.2

various kinds of light traps were shown and discussed. The next was a paper on "Larval foodplants", by Roy O. Kendall, which was very informative. The last paper, by C. A. & Doris Anderson on "On the wings of the Monarch butterfly", was read by Dr. Burns.

At 1:00 P.M. the business meeting was held with Dr. Tilden presiding and Mr. Freeman secretary pro tern. Suggestions were presented as to where the next meeting could be held. Mr. Clench suggested Carnegie Museum for the 1964 meeting. Lloyd Martin suggested Cornell University. Dr. Tilden suggested Yale University. It was proposed that these three locations be presented and then Andre Blanchard suggested as a rider that it be held at Lake Placid, Archbold Biological Station, in Florida, and most members expressed their opinions that any of the locations would be very good for the 1964 meeting. The meeting closed with expressions of thanks to Connie and Roy O. Kendall for the hard work they had done in arranging and conducting such a successful 13th Annual Meeting of the Lepidopterists' Society.

At 7:15 Tuesday evening a very fine informal dinner was held at Casa Rio, terminating with a boat ride up the San Antonio River.

The following day the Blanchards, Kendalls and Tidwells proceeded to the Welder Wildlife Foundation Refuge for a field trip, where several enjoyable days were spent collecting.

The following members and guests were present: Mr. & Mrs. Roy O. Kendall, Mr. & Mrs. Roy W. Quillin, Mr. & Mrs. Andre Blanchard, Perry A. Glick, Norman E. Flitters, E. M. Kinch, Robert Braubach, Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth B. Tidwell & family, J. W. Tilden, Lloyd M. Martin, John M. Burns, Scott L. Ellis & father, Mr. & Mrs. Don B. Stallings, Mr. & Mrs. Harry K. Clench & family, Joe Robinowitz, Mr. & Mrs. Jack E. Lipes & daughter Susi, Kathleen Moore & mother, J. P. Hollingsworth, C. A. Lipscomb & son, Rev. & Mrs. F. G. Butler & 3 daughters, Rolland R. Grabbe, Laura June Whitworth, Charles J. Long, and Mr. & Mrs. H. A. Freeman and son Gilbert.

Respectfully submitted,

H. A. Freeman, Secretary pro tern.

HOLOMELINA AURANTIACA BUCHHOLZI, A CORRECTION

In my article describing the new subspecies, under disposition of specimens (Journ. lepid. soc. 17: 102; 1963) it was stated that both primary types were deposited in Chicago Natural History Museum. This was due to a misunderstanding, and both Holotype male and Allotype female have been transferred to and are now in the collection of the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Alex K. Wyatt, Chicago Natural History Museum, Chicago 5, 111., U. S. A.