695. 



ALUCITA HEXADACTYLA. 



The twenty-four plume or fan Moth. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Ahicitidse Lea. Pteropho- 



rites Lat. 



Type of the Genus, Alucita hexadactyla Linn. 



Alucita Linn., Hub., Curt. — Pterophorus Fab. — Orneodes Lat., Och. 

 AntenncE inserted in front of the crown, close to the eyes, short, 

 very slender and cajjillary, composed of numerous scaly joints, 

 pubescent beneath (1). 



Matidibles remote, small, elongate-trigonate, ciliated internally. 

 Maxillce spiral, very slender and twice as long as the palpi, but 

 scarcely so long as the antennae (3). 



Labial pafpi rather long, porrected considerably beyond the head, 

 triarticulate, basal joint robust, cleaver-shaped, 2nd long, stout, 

 somewhat shuttle-shaped and densely clothed with scales, pro- 

 jecting beyond the apex beneath, 3rd joint recurved, slender, 

 nearly as long as the 2nd, clothed with minute scales (4 and 4 a). 

 Head globose, densely clothed with hairy scales (7, the profile) : eyes 

 globose and prominent : ocelli 2, distinct. Thorax small and round. 

 Abdomen moderately long, linear and a little tufted at the apex in 

 the male, stouter and conical in the female. Wings expanded like 

 a fan in repose, each composed of 6 rays, beautifully and densely 

 ciliated on both sides (9 the apical portion). Legs long and slender, 

 especially the hinder : coxae, anterior long and stout : thighs, ante- 

 rior the shortest as well as the tibiae, these have an internal spine ; 

 intermediate with an unequal pair of long spurs at the apex, hinder 

 very long, with a tuft of bristles outside towards the base, a pair of 

 ufiequal spurs at the apex, and a longer pair a little below the 

 middle (Sf) .• tarsi 5-jointed, basal joint the longest: claws and 

 pulvilli extremely minute. 

 Larvae with 6 pectoral, 8 abdominal and 2 anal feet. Pupae inclosed 

 in transparent silken cocoons. Lat. 



Hexadactyla Linn. — Curt. Guide, Gen. 1041. 1. 

 In the Author s and other Cabinets. 



The moths forming this httle group are the most beautiful 

 objects that can be conceived when at rest, with their wings 



