132 



Family Notodontidae 



The pupae of this family never show more than a small triangular 

 or polygonal proximal portion of the labial palpi, and maxillary palpi 

 are never present. The femora of the prothoracic legs are never ex- 

 posed. The epicranial suture is present in the genera Apatelodes and 

 Melalopha. The maxillae never reach the caudal margin of the wings. 

 The antennae are always widest at their proximal ends, and there the 

 width exceeds the greatest width of the prothoracic legs. Each an- 

 tenna tapers gradually to a pointed tip and the tips often lie adjacent 

 on the meson caudad of the other appendages. The metathoracic legs 

 are seldom visible. The mesothoracic leg never reaches cephalad to 

 the eye-pieces. The abdomen is always punctate and in most species 

 the punctures are large. A cremaster is usually present and there are 

 various types, as in Figures iii, 112, 113. Packard divided the Noto- 

 dontidae into six subfamilies. The pupae examined show that these 

 subfamilies are well founded, but only tables to genera are given here 

 as so few species of Notodontidae were examined. The genera 

 Schizura and Heterocampa are not w^ell defined and the species are 

 separated with difficulty. The species are listed, however, under the 

 subfamily name. 



Some authors believe that the genus Apatelodes belongs to the 

 European family Eupterotidae, and is incorrectly listed with the Noto- 

 dontidae. As no pupae of Eupterotidae have been examined, it is im- 

 possible to say whether pupal characters would justify this change. 

 There are, however, no pupal characters as far as observed, which 

 would prevent its being included with the Notodontidae. The two 

 species differ widely and are possibly not congeneric. The following 

 tables will serve to separate the genera of Notodontidae : 



a. Maxillae one third, or less, the length of the wings ; both prothoracic 

 and mesothoracic legs meeting on the meson caudad of the maxillae ; 

 abdomen very finely punctate. 



b. Thorax and abdomen thickly covered with very fine, short setae; 

 cremaster a stout spine about one millimeter in length with two 

 short recurving hooks at the tip, each of which bears two or more 



very fine setae Meldoplia Hiibner. 



bb. Thorax and abdomen never thickly covered with fine, short setae ; 

 cephalic margin of first abdominal segment without tubercles; 

 cremaster never as described above, sometimes absent, 

 c. Abdominal segments 2-7 with distinct flanged plates at both 

 cephalic and caudal margins, the cephalic plate interrupted by 

 deep pits, giving it the appearance of a row of square tuber- 

 cles; appendages not at all elevated, making a smooth even 



