5g NOVITATES ZOOLOOICAE XXIV. 1917. 



Gen. Morpheis. 



Type. 



Morpheis Hiibn., Vers. p. 196 (1S27). preocc. Bot. nee Zool smeritUha 



Mydobia Herr. Schiiff, Ansser. eur. Schmell. pp. 79. 75 (1858) smerintha 



Proboscis fully developed ; palpi in both sexes obliquely upturned, extending 

 to the extremity of the frontal prominence and thickly .scaled ; maxillary palpi 

 two-jointed, as long as the labial palpi and thickly scaled ; frons with large 

 conical prominence ending in a small corneous beak ; antennae of male typically 

 bipectinate with .short branches to one-third length, then mmutely serrate, of 

 female with very short branches on basal third ; tibiae rather strongly frmged 

 with hair. Forewing long and narrow, the costa highly archfd towards apex 

 which is produced and somewhat falcate, the termen obliquely curved, the inner 

 margin rather lobed towards base ; vem 3 from well before angle of cell ; 5 

 from just above angle ; the discocellulars angled ; 6 from below upper angle ; 

 7 from angle ; 8, 9 stalked ; 10, 11 from cell ; veins 9 to 12 becoming coincident 

 below the costa ; the cell on underside clothed with rough downturned hair. 

 Hindwing with the termen excised above tornus ; vein 3 from near angle of 

 cell ; 4, 5 shortly stalked or from angle ; the discocellulars angled ; 6, 7 from 

 upper angle, 7 free or slightly anastomosing with 8. 



Sect. I. Antennae in both sexes bipectinate with short branches towards 

 base. 



(1) * Morpheis piistulata. 



Morpheis pustulata Herr. Schaff, Ausser. eur. Schmell. p. 75. f. 152 (1858). J ; Hmpan., Rom. Mem. 



viii. p. 423. 

 Morpheis murina Herr. Schaff, Ausser. eur. Schmett. p. 75. f. 153 (1858), $. 



Brazil. 



(2) Morpheis smerintha. 



Morpheis smerintha Hiibn., Samml. exot. Schmett. ii. pi. 195. ff. 3. 4 (1821) ; Hmpsn., Bom. Mem. 

 vUi. p. 423. pi. 54. t. 16. 



Mexico, Yucatan ; Brazil (some specimens taken at sea 130 to 500 miles 

 from land), Rio Grand do Sul. 



(3) '" Morpheis paleacea. 



Morpheis paleacea Herr. Schaff, Ausser. eur. Schmett. p. 75. f. 150 (1858) ; Hmpsn., Bom. Mim. 

 yui. p. 423. 

 Venezuela ; Brazil. 



Sect. II. Antennae of male minutely serrate and fasciculate to base, of 

 female ciliated. 



(4) Morpheis decolorata. 



Morpheis decolorata Herr. Schaff, Ausser. eur. SchmeU. p. 75. f. 151 (1858) ; Hmpsn., Bom. Mim. 

 viii. p. 424. pi. 54. f. 5. 

 Colombia; Veneznela; Brazil. 



