DESCRIPTION OF A NEW MOTH OF THE GENUS 

 PHYLLODES, 



By a. Sidney Olliff, F.E.S., 

 Assistant Zoologist, Australian Museum. 



The genus PhyVodes is chiefly interesting on account of the 

 wonderful variation to which the markings are liable, a variation 

 which is the more interesting as it appears to correspond to more 

 or less definite geographical limits. In the form of the genus 

 which occurs in the Andaman Islands, P. roseigera, Butl., there 

 is a red patch on the hindwing touching the anal angle ; in the 

 Indian form, P. consohrina, Wtw., this patch has a conspicuous 

 white centre ; in the P. cerasifera, Butl., from Mindanao, the 

 white is greatly increased in size and extends nearly to the 

 inner edge of the red patch ; in other forms the white leaves 

 the red patch ; and finally, in the Amboynese form, P. 

 conspicillator, Cram,, (see illustration), we find that the white 

 appears to have travelled quite across the wing. Our Australian 

 form, which is characterised below, continues in the same line of 

 variation, the patch assuming a band-like appearance, and the 

 whole extending itself along the hind-margin of the wing. This 

 singular alteration in the position of the markings or colour- 

 ])atches was first pointed out by Mr. A. G. Butler, who has 

 adopted the term " chromatropy " to express this particular kind 

 of variation, at the suggestion of Dr. F. Leuthner."^ 



As the early stages of Phijllodes do not appear to be known, it 

 it to be hoped that observers in Queensland will give their atten- 

 tion to the subject. The transformations of several species of the 



* Cf . Lepidoptera collected during the recent Expedition of H. M. S . 

 * Challenger.'— Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist, xi. (5) p. 427 (1883). 

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