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38
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
I strongly recommend this book to those lepidopterists who want to stray beyond the butterflies and skippers for a general introduction to this extremely diverse group.
Ronald W. Hodges, Systematic Entomology Laboratory, USDA, % U.S. National Museum of Natural History, MRC-168, Washington, D.C. 20560.
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 44(1), 1990, 38
NORDEUROPAS PRYDVINGER (THE OECOPHORIDAE OF NORTHERN EUROPE), by Eivind Palm (in Danish with brief English summary for each species). [DANMARKS DYRELIV, vol. 4]. 1989. Fauna Boger, Copenhagen. Distributed by Apollo Books, Lundbyvej 36, DK-5700 Svendborg, Denmark. 247 pp., 214 text figs., 199 maps, 25 color plates. Hard cover, 17.5 x 25 cm, ISBN 87-87738-08-6, Danish kroner 420 (plus postage) (about $56.00).
This work is a manual of the Oecophoridae of Scandinavia, areas immediately adjacent to the Baltic Sea, and northern Netherlands with particular emphasis on Denmark. It has an introduction to the family, its zoogeography, morphological characters of adults, immatures, ecological habitats, phenology, and economic importance. It has a map of the region to show the counties/districts of the countries and one at a larger scale of Denmark. Subfamilies and genera have identification keys, but species do not. For genera the treatment consists of a brief summary of distribution, number of species, diagnosis, differentiation from closely allied taxa, discussion of immature stages and hosts; for species it consists of differentiating characters, extensive statement of distribution, and bionomics. Each species has a dot map to indicate verified distribution data by county/district for the entire region, and for 80 species there is an additional map showing more specific localities within Denmark. Illustrations generally are very good, particularly the eight color plates of adults. Each species has at least one specimen shown in color, sometimes more when the species is variable or when the sexes are dimorphic or dichromatic. Differences between closely similar species are illustrated by male and/or female genitalia, monochrome plates of wings with key characters indicated, or line drawings of specific structures. Occasional habitat photographs to indicate where a species has been found are interesting but not always top quality.
Scandinavia has an oecophorid fauna of 119 species as compared with approximately 226 in America north of Mexico. Within the family, representation by subfamily (number of North American taxa in parentheses) differs greatly between the two areas: Depres-sariinae 74 (108), Ethmiinae 6 (50), Peleopodinae 0 (2), Stenomatinae 0 (24), Oecophorinae 35 (41), Deuterogoniinae 1 (0), Chimabachinae 3 (1), reflecting both Scandinavia's northern location relative to the Palearctic Region and the development of Stenomatinae and Ethmiinae in the northern Neotropical and southern Nearctic Regions. The distribution maps show very clearly that most species occur within the southern V2-2/3 of the area; only Agonopterix arctica (Strand) occurs in the north and not in the south, and only a limited number of species occur throughout Scandinavia.
Perhaps because the volume is a manual, complete lists of synonyms and literature citations to them are missing. I was puzzled by the "Literature" section not being alphabetically arranged throughout. It appears as though items were found after the initial numbered list was developed and added at the end; thus, there are four alphabetically arranged lists within this section.
The English summary for each species treats distribution, frequency of occurrence, habitat(s), and when and where adults may be collected. Although the text is in Danish, reference to the illustrations, similarity of many words to English cognates, and equivalents in scientific terms, make the content generally available to an inquiring English reader.
I recommend this work to everyone interested in gelechioid moths in particular, and Lepidoptera in general. The author and editor are to be commended for this fine volume and for the execution of the series.
Ronald W. Hodges, Systematic Entomology Laboratory, USDA, % U.S. National Museum of Natural History, MRC-168, Washington, D.C. 20560.