PTERODECTA; SCHISTOMITRA. By Dr. E. Strand. 207 



12. Family: Callidulidte. 



Only a very few species of this otlierwise purely Indo-Australian family, comprising about 30 spe- 

 cies in 3 genera, are found in the extreme South-East of the Palearctic Region. They are all small moths 

 of black brown ground-colour, with orange yellow band on the forewing; only exceptionally the yellow colour 

 also appears as a broad band on the huidwing or entirely replaces the dark ground-colour, being rarely absent. 



The venation is distinguished by tlie middle discocellular being absent on both wings or only faintly 

 indicated on the forewing, so that the cells of the Callidulidae are open, as is the case in some Saturnids. 

 It must be left undecided whether the absence of the cross-vein in these small moths is a sign of the per- 

 fection of then- power of flight as in the Apaturids and many Saturnids; however, their agility on the wing 

 is very marked for such small insects. 



Head small, with rather broad frons, eyes naked, ocelli absent; palpi sometimes much enlarged, usually 

 of median length, second segment long, hairy, third usually bare, sometimes also prolonged; antennae of median 

 length, setiform, sometimes almost imperceptibly incrassate in the last third. Thorax slender, almost like 

 that of a butterfly; likewise the abdomen, which is only slightly stouter in the $ than in the ^. Fore and 

 middle tibiae scaled, the latter with long end-spiirs, hind tibiae with two pairs of spurs. Forewing broad, very 

 variable in shape, sometimes pointed, sometimes with rounded or truncate apex. Hindwing oval, often angulate 

 in the middle. Frenulum small [Callidula., Pterodecta) or entirely absent (Cleosiris). 



Nothing is known to me of the early stages. The moths briskly fly about by day in the sunshine 

 in open places in the woods and at road-sides, and like to suck the dew off the grass with their strong pro- 

 boscis; they also drink at damp places on roads. When settled they keep their wings half spread, nearly as in 

 Ckrysophanus; when asleep they close them like a butterfly. They are nearly all not rare, and some species 

 I found in considerable numbers together. Their principal home is the Malay Archipelago, especially the larger 

 tSunda Islands and New-Guinea; distributed northward to Amurland and Japan, eastward to the Philippines 

 and Moluccas, and southward to Northern Australia. 



The family has twice been monographed by A. Pagenstecher. Systematically the Geometer-like Ura- 

 niids are closely allied to it, but for technical reasons this family will be dealt with later. 



1. Genus: I*tero<lecta Bull. 



This genus contains larger species. It is at once recognisable by the truncate apex of the forewing, whose 

 apical edge is slightly concave. The antennae are curved somewhat in lyi'e-shape and slightly stouter towards 

 the apex ; the palpi are the longest among the Callidulids, especially in consequence of segment 2 being slightly 

 prolonged and segment 3, which is scaled like the others, very strongly so. Hindwing slightly angulate at 

 the upper median vein. Forewing with yellowish red luniform band; underside with colouring and markings 

 of a small diy leaf. Distributed from the Eastern Himalayas to Japan. 



P. felderi Br em. (= gloriosa Butl.) (22 f). Above dark brown, forewing with yellowish red hmiform felderi. 

 discal band, from the middle of which a tooth extends to below the middle of the cell. All the characteristics 

 claimed for the Japanese form (gloriosa Butl.) are also found in continental specimens, the luniform band varying 

 greatly m width and intensity of colouring; the wliite-centred dots in the middle of the disc on the under- 

 side may be absent, present or increased in number, etc. Not rare, in North- and Central-China, at I-chang, 

 Chang- Yang, in Amurland and m Japan. The moths are on the wing in the spring in the sunshine, and their 

 flight recalls that of certain sjjecies of Theda. 



P. anchora Butl. (22 f). Similar to the preceding species and perhaps only a western form of it. The anchora. 

 discal band of the forewing much narrower, more pointed at both ends, lighter (more yellow) in colour, the prox- 

 imal tooth continued as a light orange spot, which extends below the lower edge of the cell and sometimes 

 into the cell. — In Kashmir (Kulu, Dharmsala), but also in the Indian Himalayas. 



2. Genus: Slichistoiiiitra Butl. 



The only known species of this genus was described as a Chalcosid and placed near Chatamla. But 

 Chntumla is also no Chalcosid and was only placed in that subfamily of Zygaenidae on account of the super- 

 ficial, doubtless mimetic, resemblance of certain Chatamla (e. g. tricolor Butl.) to certain Chalcosids [Psa- 

 phis euschemoides, cf. vol. 10, pi. f d). Pryer still placed it among the Chalcosids, between Elcysmu (cf. this 

 vol. pi. 3 a) and Pidorus (2 c), but already expressed the opinion that this is not its proper place, suggesting 

 that Schistomitra belongs to the Geometrids. Only lately has it been classified among the Callidulidae, but 

 it is doubtful whether it will retain this position. Pagenstecher does not mention it in his two monographs 

 of this family. Leech correctly places it near Pterodecta. 



