Records and descriptions of Microlepidoptera (6)

Abstract

COPROMORPHIDAE Meyrick, 1905, Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc, vol. 16, p. 606. This small family represents a natural group with clearly marked characters, and is easy of descrimination. It inhabits tropical regions of Asia and extends through the Papuan region over the whole Pacific. The last mentioned region might be the country of origin of this group, as genera with peculiar and possibly archaic characters have been recorded from the Pacific Islands; some of those species are distinguished by an exceptionally large size. One of the interesting points with regard to the family is its possible place in the system. The long-ciliate or pectinate antennae, the neuration, and the complicated genital apparatus of the male seem to indicate an affinity with the Tineoidea. The general facies, however, is divergent to some extent, while the presence of a cubital pecten on the hind wings fundamentally discriminates this family from all the Tineoidea sensu stricto. When describing the family, Meyrick suggested that the cubital pecten might point towards an affinity with the Tortricoidea ; this relation, however, is not supported by any other characters. He further surmised that the Copromorphidae would be nearest allied to the Xyloryctidae ; in my opinion this surmise is devoid of any ground. Later Meyrick tried to combine with the Copromorphidae two other groups of "Tineina" that also are in possession of a cubital pecten, viz., the family Orneodidae, and the genus Hypertropha Meyr. The relation of the former with the Copromorphidae, however, is problematic, and deserves further proofs, while Hypertropha has in my opinion nothing in common with the family concerned, except for the