LEMONITD^. By Dr. K. GRtTNBERG. ISl 



8. Family: LemoniidaB. 



The genui? Lemonia, formerly placed with the Lusiommpiddc, and in 1895 still iinited^with the Eupte- 

 rotids (Strieluiopterygids) hy Auri\illif.s, is now regarded as the type of a distinct small family. It is distri- 

 buted from Europe to Central Asia, and occurrs also in the Mediterranean countries, replacing as it were the 

 Eupterotids and true Bombycids, which are absent. Among the characteristics of the family we call attention 

 above all to the venation, in which Lemonia, how'ever, closely resembles the Eupterotids, e. g., in vein 5 origin- 

 ating closely before the middle of the discocellular vein and in veins 6 to 10 being on a common stalk. On 

 the other hand, in the Eupterotids the cell is not longitudinally divided by a vein-like fold running from the 

 bend of the discocellular vein basad, or this cell-vein is only indicated. The position of vein 8 in the forewing is 

 also very characteristic in Lemonia. The feeble, primitive, development of the frenulum also deserves mention. 

 The structure of the legs with their minutely serrate and exceptionally strong claws is highly peculiar, being 

 most conspicuous in the short, strong and stout fore legs, and probably unique among Lepidoptera. The absence 

 of the cocoon is an important although more bionomical character, it is nevertheless the consequence of a 

 morphological peculiarity of the larva, tlie absence of silk-glands. The piipae lie uncovered in the ground, a very 

 curious circumstance for Lepidoptera which in their morphological structure and whole appearance undoubtedly 

 belong to the Bombyces. The stout cylindrical larvae, which are almost without warts and are clothed with 

 short hair, as well as certain external characters of the pupa (dorsal swelling, and structure of end of abdomen) 

 are, moreover, additional pecuUarities which, together with the characters mentioned above, render it evident 

 that the genus represents an isolated and rather ])iimitive type, and sufficiently justify the erection of a separate 

 family for its reception. 



1. Genus. I^eiuoiiia Hbn. 



Antennae in the o with long dense pectinations, in the? with short ones, the braiiches being longest in the 

 middle and becoming rapidly much shorter towards the apex. Palpi short, porrect, scarcely extending beyond 

 the frons, clothed with long dense hair below, especially in the (^. Eyes naked. Frons smooth, clothed with 

 comparatively short hair, thorax and abdomen covered with long and dense hair. Forewing triangular, with 

 rather pointed apex, costal margin almost straight, only slightly convex before the apex, distal margin evenly 

 convex, joining the slightly bent inner margin in a broad curve. Hindwing broad, with almost straight costal 

 margin and regularly convex distal edge. The distal margin of both wings entire. Forewing with 12 veins: vein 

 2 from about the middle of the cell, 3 and 4 separate, from the lower angle of the cell, 5 from the discocellular 

 vein, originating somewhat nearer the upper than the lower angle 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 on a common stalk from 

 the upper angle of the cell, or 6 almost directly from the apex of the cell; 11 close before the apex of the cell, 

 12 strong, placed close to the anterior margin of the cell; 2 to 8 into the distal margin, 9 into the costal 

 margin. Hindwing with 8 veins: 2 from the middle of the cell. 3 and 4 far apart, from the loMer angle of the 

 cell, 5 from the discocellular vein near its anterior end, 6 and 7 from a point or on a very short stalk from the 

 upper angle of the cell ; 8 strongly curved near the base, then almost straight to close before the apex of the wing, 

 connected Math the anterior margin of the cell by a very short transverse vein or united with 7 for a short 

 distance beyond the cell; 1 b to 6 into the distal margin, 7 into the apex. Cell closed in both wings and divided 

 by a thin longitudinal vein, which originates from the sharp angle of the lower portion of the cross-vein. Fore 

 legs very short, stout and strongly built, femur as long as tibia and tarsus together, stout and somewhat com- 

 pressed, carinate above, flat below, tibia and tarsus about equally long, claws exceptiomially large and stout, al- 

 most as long as the tarsus, minutely denticulate below. Middle and hind legs moderately long, of normal shape, 

 the claws likewise rather stout, but not nearly so much as in the fore legs. Mddle tibiae with two spurs, hind tibiae 

 with two or four. — The globular eggs bear a dark dot at one rather flattened pole, and also a dark median ring (du- 

 mi). The larvae are stout and cylindrical, with rather sparse stiff hair. Warts very feebly developed, segments 2 to 1 1 

 with four dorsal warts placed in pairs and three still less developed lateral warts. The warts bear rather longer 

 and stiffer hairs. The colour of the body is uniformly dark, the markings consisting of velvety black trans- 

 verse bands interrupted in the middle. The larvae pupate in the ground without a cocoon. The rather glossy 

 pupa is covered with minute dots on the abdominal segments. The anal end is strongly chitinised, flattened 

 dorso-ventrally and ends in two spiniform points, and also bears two small bristles on each side. At the base 

 of the abdomen a transverse swelling divided in the centre. The moths are on the wing in the summer and autumn. . 



L. taraxaci Esp. (30 a). Head and thorax bright yellow, back of abdomen black, lateral margins and apex (ara.raci. 

 the colour of the thorax. Wings uniformly ochreous in the S, lighter in the $, grejash yellow; forewing with 

 small black discal spot. Central Europe, southward to Southern Italy, eastward to Southern Russia. — ab. $ 

 strigata Rbl.. from Zara, has a dark grey postdiscal transverse stripe on the forewing. which is indistinctly con- sirir/ata. 

 tinned on the hindwing. — terranea Roths., from Le Lautaret in the High Alps of Savoy (2000 to 2300 m.). as lerranea. 



