428 ZEUZERA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 



tlieir extent seniitransparent, or witli semitraii«j)areiit patches; forewiiig usually with rounded apex, hindwmg 

 small. The moths are rarely obtained, and even the largest collections contain series only of S. australis, the 

 typical form. 



australis. S. australis Led. (= terebellum Hbn., leucomeJas 0.) (55 k). Thorax and forewing brown, more or 



less yellowish. Forewing with blackish markings abdomen and hmdwing black; the former with brownish 

 yellow dorsal stripe which is transsected by thin, dark, segmental bands; hindwing with semitransparent silvery 

 rosina. white rhomboidal discal spot. In Spain and at the Riviera, not common. — The form rosina Stgr., from the 

 Spanish province of Murcia, has tlie forewmg dark brown instead of yellowish brown, and the white discal 

 spot of the hindwing is smaller. — Larva in the roots of Echium, flat, ivory-white, with thin bristly hair, head 

 and nuchal plate blackish. The moth at Midsummer, resting in Echium-bushes towards evening, but not suekmg, 

 as it has no toiigue; very local. 



ledereri. S. ledereri Slyr. (= Dicida persa Strand, ? stygiella Bdv.) (55k). Usually smaller than australis 



(although very small specimens of this also occur), and with very characteristic colouring and markmg. The 

 wings are very transparent, forewing dusted with yellowish red at the base and costa, margins of hindwing 

 blackish. — From the Black Sea, Asia Minor and Persia. 



colchica. S. colchica H.-ScMff. (= amasina H.-Schdff.) (55 k). Almost exactly like a small ledereri, with which 



it is doubtless very closely allied, if it is not only a variety of it. Huidwmg somewhat lighter and more evenly 

 transparent. Has about the appearance of a Psychid. It is very doubtful whether colchica is a distmct 

 species. It was described from single specimens which differed distmctly from one another. — From the 

 South Russian steppes, Black Sea. 



dercetis. S. dercetis Gr.-Grsh. Very like colchica (55 k), perhaps only based on a fresher specimen, and there- 



fore the yellow colour at the head, thorax, abdomen, legs and costal and inner margin of forewmg more distmct. 

 — From Moabia. 



ahngcri. S. ahngeri Ch.-Grsh. Like dercetis, but the antennae with longer pectinations, black; head, thorax and 



the basal segment of the abdomen above yellowish, with blackish hairs. Forewing semitransparent, sooty grey, 

 occasionally with yellowish scales at the base. — Transcaspia. 



acihiops. S. aethiops Stgr. Very Uke colchica (55 k), but still smaller. Forewing shot with brownish. Distinguished 



from colchica and tricolor by the costal vein of the hindwing not being forked in both sexes, while it is forked 

 in the other species. — Discovered at Namangan by Haberhauee; Marghelan. 



tricolor. S. tricolor Led. (55 k). ,^ scarcely larger than colchica, and the $ also still smaller than that of ledereri. 



The form is mtermediate between the two species. Sooty black-browai, lighter in the costal area, more so 

 in cJ than in ?. Thorax and base of wings very slightly dusted with orange yellow. — Fairly widely distributed 

 and, apart from australis, the form most frequently foimd in collections. Southern Russia, Asia Minor and Sy- 

 ria. 

 psychidion. S. psycliidiotl Stgr. Larger, almost like a small australis in expanse, body and wings smoke-grey, 



or the prothorax clothed with somewhat lighter hair. — From the Taygetus Mts., in Asia Miiior, discovered 

 by Krueper; the author says that this insect is perhaps a form of Dyspessa ulula, to whose variety algeriensis 

 it would come nearest. Unknown to me in nature. 



psyche. S. psyche Gr.-Grsh. Antennae stout and long, and bipectinate in contradistinction to the preceding. 



Body stout, black, thorax grey, legs black, tibiae yellow on inside; hindwing transparent with a slight milky 

 gloss, only rarely with yellowish scales at the costal or hind margins as in ledereri or tricolor, but with the veins 

 and fringes yellowish. 7.5 mm. — From the steppes of the Kisil-Kum. 



10. Genus: Zeuzcra Latr. 



An economically important genus distinguished from most others by the often very conspicuous 

 colouring. Genume protective colourmg, otherwise quite common among the Cossids, is found here only in 

 exceptional cases, and even then only to a slight degree. On the other hand, bright golden or glossy metallic 

 blue markiiags and spots occur frequently. Many Zouzerids, e. g. the form auroguttata from W. Africa belonging 

 to the genus Chalcidica, and hypophinoe from Ceram, bemg among the most beautiful moths. The very bright 

 colours, such as a white ground spotted with steel-blue, ai-e evidently warning colours, for it has been observed 

 that when, for instance, various moths were given to hens, they would not touch L. pyrina, while they swallow- 

 ed the others greedily. 



The Zeuzeras are very easily distinguished by the elongate body, which has an almost cylindrical thorax 

 and m the $ a very long abdomen, and by the very short antennae, which are very slender, but have long 

 pectinations in the basal part in the ^. Eyes large ; palpi and tongue atrophied ; legs strong, long, with sharp 

 claws, especially the fore leg with stout femora and tibiae; wings ordinary m shape the edges of fore-and hind- 



