254 RHOPALOPSYCHE; CELERIO. By Dr. K. JoRnAN. 



37. Genus : lSlio|>alops,v<*lie Butl. 



The only genus of Sphingidae in wliicli the antennae of both sexes are without ciha. Apart from this 

 characteristic the genus agrees with Macroglo.s.^iuti, but the antennae are yet more strongly club-shaped than in 

 any species of that genus, being also thinner towards the base and here scaled alh-ound. — India and China, 

 southward to Ceylon. 



nyrterii. R. nycteris Koll. (= volucris Walk.) (40 f). The lateral spots of the abdomen and the median band 



of the hindwing {)ale yellow. Markings nearly as M. pyrrhonlkta. but the ground of the forewing more grey 

 in tint. — Burma to Kashmir and West China; the moths from the spring until the autumn. 



E. Subfamily: Chaerocanipinae *). 



The small setiferous process situated at each side of the ro.;truiu coiu'eaied by the |iali)i and prohalily honiologous 

 to the mandibles, is divided only in this subfamily into an apical and a basal portion, the former bearing short or no hairs 

 and the latter long bristles. The inner surface of segment 2 of the palpus is naked for the greater part. The end-segment 

 of the antenna is likewise charakteristic; it is always elongate, almost without scales and bears in every species several ((i 

 or more) bristles at the tip and sometimes some additional ones on the side. The antennae are never dentate. The tiliiae 

 are never spinose, and the hind tibia has always two i)airs of si)urs. The paronychium has always 4 lobes, the pulvillus 

 on the contrary being sometimes reduced to a small triangular lobe. The abdomen is always pointed- conical an<l 

 bears a simple anal brush, in front of which the (Jo have a short tuft on each .side. 



Nearly 160 species are known, of which 11 occur in Europe, 23 being recorded from the whole l'iilear<tic Region. 



38. Genus: Ve\*fr\n Oken. 



This name is older than Oioerocampa Dup., Phryxus Hhn. and Thaumas Hbn. 



The antermae distally incrassate in both sexes, especially strongly clavate in the ?. Palpi smoothly 

 scaled, without erect hairs, concealing the base of the tongue; the scaling at the apex of segment 1 on the 

 inner surface not arranged as a regular border, but more or less roiigh, segment 2 without apical tuft. Abdomen 

 conically pointed, the dorsal spines strong, usually arranged in .*} rows. Anterior tarsus always with some en- 

 larged spines on the outer side; the inner apical spur of the hind tibia more than twice as long as the outer 

 one, being about half the length ot the tibia; mid and hind tarsi with a feebly developed basal comb. Forewing 

 entire, with pointed apex; subcostal and radial 1 of hindwing separate or from a point or very .shortly stalked, 

 radial 3 nearer to radial 2 than to median 1. Genitalia almost the same in the various .species, at any rate the 

 differences though constant are so minute that crossing between specimens of different species is not rendered 

 difficult by them. The modified scales on the outer surface of the valve of the <S are numerous and usually 

 small; the harpe with a siniple process tapering distally. Vaginal .sclerite of ? obtusely triangular, without 

 special characteristics, orifice large, placed in the median line. — Larva cylindrical, only slightly tapering an- 

 teriorly, with .subdorsal line and a row of ocelli, which latter are sometimes partly vestigial only. Tongue-case 

 of pupa not enlarged in keel-.shape; abdomen without sharply pointed granules; cremaster terminating in 2 

 points. — The genus is distributed over the whole globe as far as it is suitable for Sphingidae. 14 species are 

 known. 



The simplification of the genitalia is presumably one of the reasons wliy hybridisation occurs .so fre- 

 quently. The species can be divided into two groups according to the development of the pulvillus placed in 

 between the tarsal claws: 



1. Ptdvillus only vestigial as a small triangular lobe: c n phnrbiae, centralasiae, zygophylli, vespertilio, 

 hippophaes ; 



2. Pulvillus developed : gallii, nicaea, lineata. 



C. euphorbiae. Abdomen at each side with 2, sometimes 3 black s])ot (on segments 2 and 3. resp. 2, 

 3 and 4); scaling of antenna white. Forewing greyish yellow, the markings brownish olive, consisting of a 

 large basal s])ot reaching to the costal margin and being posteriorly sharply defined, a large spot at the 

 middle of the costa and a small one at %, further a band widening hindward and running from the apex to 

 the hind margin. Hindwing ro.sy red, the basal area and a submarginal band black, a spot at the abdominal 

 margin white. Variable. Egg pale green, small. Larva very variable; black before the first ecdysis. then green, 

 later on the ground-colour varying from yellow to black ; in the black specimens there are, in contradistinction 

 to the larva of gallii, usually numerous pale dots dispersed over the whole body; dorsal line red or grey; 

 on each side a complete row of ocelli, below which there is generally a row of smaller ocelli. On Euphorbia. 

 Pupa brownish yellow. One brood, in warm years and in the South two, of which the second is incomplete in 

 Central Europe. The moths according to the district from the spring till July and often again late in the 

 summer or in the autumn; comes to the light. Occurs from France to the Canaries and eastward across North 

 tithymali. Africa and Europe to North-West India and North China, in numerous geographical races. — tithymali Bdv. 



*) cf. foot-note p. 231. 



