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DESCRIPTION 



NEOPHASIA EPYAXA, 



A new and curious Pierid from Arizona. 



By Dr. Herman Strecker, Reading, Pa., April 21, 1900. 



A remarkable insect was figured iu the last issue (April) of the Entomological News, No. 28, of t. II., 

 and designated in the text as Archonias Lyceas God.-Salv. This, however, is a mistake, as the insect iu 

 question is not an Archonias at all, hut a Neophasla, as is shown by the neuration, and for which I jjropose 

 the name Neophasia Epija.ra. 



I have only seen the female in nature, and from this a full description is scarcely necessary, as the figure 

 alluded to, which shows the upjier side, was made by photographic process, and is, of course, true to nature. 

 This female I received from Mr. O. C. Poling, wlio took it in Cochise County, Southern Arizona, last 

 year, and who also furnished the original of the figure already alluded to. It is the shape and size of 

 Neophaaia Jlenapia ?. The ground colour aljove is a bright orange, and the black markings are nearly as in 

 Menapia 9, but differ in that the whole discoidal cell of primaries is filled with black, which black extends 

 •beyoad-tlie middle disco-cellular veii>, and connects on third median with the black border. On all wings 

 tiie veins are heavily marked with black. The secondaries have a rather broad black outer margin, within 

 which is a row of not very conspicuous intervenular orange spots. Under surface, jirimaries marked as above, 

 and are orange except the marks or spots in the outer marginal band, which are light yellowish or buff. The 

 secondaries are also of this latter colour. The black outer marginal band contains conspicuous light yellowish 

 spots ; these are joined outwardly and connected with the edge by bright scarlet or vermilion spots. This 

 colour is also on the edge of costa and inner margin, near and where they join the body, and also extends 

 inwardly a short distance along the snbmedian, almost as in the more heavily red marked examples of 

 Menapia 9. The antennse are entirely lilack. Head and body black. Eyes encircled Ijelow and in front by 

 a yellow line. Abdomen with two pale ventnil lines, but being somewhat shriveled I cannot on this point 

 define more exactly. 



The male I have not seen in nature, Ijut am informed it is white. If this be the case, and I believe it is, 

 it presents the same sexual difference of colouration as is shown in the species of Perrhybrin, in which the 

 males are white and the females red or yellow. In the group of Archonias, containing Dismorphitcs, Eurytda, 

 etc., with a species of which this was confounded, the males do not differ iu colour from the females — both 

 sexes being dark coloured, mostly l)lack and ferruginous. 



Were it not for the orange colour of the female, the resemblance of this insect to Menapia would be startling. 

 It struck me the first time I saw it, especially the outer marginal parts of the under surface of secondaries, and 

 serves to illustrate further what a wonderland is Arizona and the contingent country, one of the latest marvels 

 from thence being a remarkable forni oi Ar<jynnis Nokomis, in which the female is blue. 



