C^- 



643. 



ZERENE PLUMBATA. 



The Kinnordy bordered Carpet. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Phalaenidae. 



Type of the Genus, Phalsena rubiginata Fab. 



Zerene Och., Curt. — Melanthia Goda. — Harpalyce, Melanippe, 

 Xerene Step. — Phalsena Fab., Haw. — Geometra Linn., Hub. 

 Antenna short, inserted close to the eyes on the crown of the 

 head, clothed with scales above and hairy beneath in the males 



(1). . 



Maxilla shorter than the antenna, slender, spiral and furnished 

 with small tentacula at the apex (3). 



Labial palpi rather elongated, poiTected horizontally and form- 

 ing a pointed beak, densely clothed with scales appearing tri- 

 gonate in profile (4), triarticulate, basal joint somewhat kidney- 

 shaped, 2nd twice as long elliptical, 3rd very minute and ovate 

 (4 a). 

 Head small, subglobose : eyes small and globose. Thorax globose. 

 Abdomen long slender, tufted at the apex in the males, conical in 

 the females. Wings forming a triangle in repose. Legs moderate : 

 tibiae, anterior the shortest, intermediate spurred at the apex, hi?ider 

 pair the longest, with spurs at the apex and a pair considerably below 

 the middle: tarsi long, 5-jointed, basal joint long, 5th the shortest 

 (8 1. « hind leg). 

 Larvae loopers, with 6 pectoral, 2 abdominal and 2 anal feet. 



Plumbata Curt. Guide, Gen. 928. 6. 



White ; head and thorax brown and grey ; superior wings in- 

 clining to cream-colour with a patch at the base and a fascia 

 across the middle generally broadest at the costa, brown varie- 

 gated with grey and darker brown lines, the margins are sinuated 

 and there is a black dot on the disc ; posterior margin lead-co- 

 lour with a pale crenated striga and a long patch at the tip much 

 darker : inferior wings with a similar fimbria and striga, a curved 

 fuscous line across the middle, with a black dot towards the 

 base : the abdomen is spotted with brown down the sides, some- 

 times with 2 or more spots on the back of the apical joints. 

 Obs. The males frequently have the upper wings of a dark lead- 

 colour with the usual brown markings, the under wings having 

 a broad plain fimbria of the same colour : in the females the 

 fascia is generally broad throughout, but it. is sometimes di- 

 vided towards the inferior margin in the males. 



In the Author's and other Cabinets. 



This pretty genus, containing many species, is distinguished 

 by its white wings simply banded or bordered with brown or 

 some dark colour. Treitschke has included in it a species of 



