In Japan, twenty-five species of the family Coleophoridae have been recorded by ISSIKI (1950, 1957), MATSUMURA (1930), MEYRICK (1931, 1932, 1936), MORIUTI (1972, 1982), and OKU (1965, 1979). Among them, Coleophora longi signella MORIUTI is conspecific with C. obducta MEYRICK, and C. tholoneura MEYRICK with C. versurella ZELLER (BALDIZZONE, 1985). Therefore, twenty-three Japanese species are known at present. However, they may represent only a part of the Japanese coleophorid fauna. In fact, we have found many other species of the family caught in Japan in some public and private collections. The present series of our studies aims to describe the new findings concerned. At first, four new species of the genus Coleophora are described here. To denote the position of mouth opening in larval case, HERRICH-SCHAFFER'S method is employed (see HERING, 1951, p.102). The type depositories are abbreviated as follows: EHU=Entomological Institute, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; USNM = U. S. National Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington B.C., USA; ZMH = Zoological Museum, University of Helsinki, Finland; BLDZ=private collection of the senior author ; and PTK=private collection of Mr. H. PATZAK, Aschers-leben, DDR. Before going further, we wish to express our thanks to Drs. Donald R. DAVIS and R.W. HODGES, U. S. National Museum, Mr. Jukka JALAVA, Zoological Museum, University of Helsinki, and Mr. Helmut PATZAK, Aschersleben, for their kindness in loan of material.
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