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VI. On the Genera and Species of the Lepidopterons Subfamily Ophiderinee inhabiting 

 the Indian Begion.^ By F. Mooee, F.Z.S. etc. 



Eeceived January 19th, read January 20th, 1880. 



[Plates XII.-XIV.] 



XHE genus Opkideres was fii'st characterized in 1832, in the 'Voyage de 1' Astrolabe ' 

 ("Entom." p. 245), by Dr. Boisduval, who described a single species from Brazil under 

 the name of O-i^finceps. In Guerin's ' Iconogr. Regn. Anim.' (" Ins." pi. Ixxxix. f. 1), he 

 further figured a Madagascar species as 0. imperator, which he redescribed and figured 

 (the male) in 1833, in the ' Faune Entom. Madagasc. Bourb. et Maur.' p. 99, pi. xiv. 

 fig. 3. 



In 1852 M. Guence, in the ' Spec. Gen. des Lep. Noctuelites,' iii. p. 109, recharac- 

 terized the genus, including in it and describing all the then known species of the 

 group. This arrangement was followed by Mr. Walker in 1857, in the British-Museum 

 ' Catalogue of Lepidoptera Heterocera,' and has been continued by all subsequent 

 writers. 



Having made a recent examination of the several species of this interesting group 

 of Moths, I submit the result in the following pages, treating therein, however, only of 

 the species of the Indian Region. The species being much diversified in the form of 

 the external outline of the fore wings, and also in the shape of the terminal joint of the 

 palpi, as well as exhibiting a dissimilarity in the pattern of markings in the sexes, I have 

 found it necessary to group them under various genera, and to restrict the genus 

 Ophideres to its type, namely 0. princeps. Of six of the species described, figures are 

 here given of the larva and pupa, copied from original drawings made in India by 

 Mr. A. Grote, Sir W. Elliot, and Mr. S. N. Ward, and from others made in Java by 

 the late Dr. Ilorsfield. 



Tliis group of Moths has hitherto been placed by entomologists between the families 

 Catocalidse and Erebida3 ; they have, however, closer affinity to the Ophiusidaj, their 

 larvsc also agreeing better with those of the latter in form. The genus Lagoptcra is 

 very closely allied to them. I therefore place them, together with the subfamily 

 Phyllodinse, between the Bendida3 (of which family Iltolodes caranca is a well-known 

 insect) and the Ophiusidaj. 



VOL. XI. — PART in. No. 1. — March, 1881. l 



