NOTES ON MESAPIA PELORIA AND ITS ALLIES. 



lol 



Calinaga (now recognised as belonging to the Nymphalidge) and 

 Parnassius. 



Notwithstanding the extraordinary neuration of this insect, 

 especially on the fore wings, the presence of two submedian 

 nervures on the hind wings, and of a third false one beneath, 

 seem to indicate that its true affinities are probably with Aporia, 

 Mesapia, and allies. See also Leech (Butt. China, Japan, and 

 Corea, p. 474, pi. xxxiii. fig. 9), who properly places Davidina in 

 the Pierinse, and refers to it as resembling Mesapia peloria. 



Schatz (Exotische Schmetterlinge, ii. p. 59, 1886) discusses 

 Mesapia and Baltia, and pronounces both to be probably PieridaB. 



An examination of M. peloria proves this to be the case. The 

 claws are bifid, and there are two submedian nervures on the 

 hind wings. Of the described genera Mesapia is nearest in 

 neuration to Aporia and Metaporia ; but the density of its 

 scaling and the hairy fringe of the wings will distinguish it from 

 the former ; and the long hairs at the base of the wings, the 

 very long club of the antenna, and the peculiarities of neuration 

 detailed in the description, will amply separate it from both. 



Genus Mesapia. 



Gray, List Lep. Lis. B. M. i. p. 92 (1856). 



Palpi long, rather pointed ; antennae long, moderately stout, 

 with a large but gradually formed pyriform club. Body and 

 base of wings clothed with very long slender hairs ; fringes 

 with shorter hairs ; claws of front tarsi distinctly bifid ; wings 

 short, rounded, densely scaled; front wings very broad, sub- 

 triangular, costal nervure about two-thirds of the length of the 

 wing, subcostal four-branched, the first branch emitted at about 

 three-fourths of the length of the cell, and running obliquely 

 to the costa, the second emitted at or a little before the end 

 of the cell and slightly arched, the third emitted a little 

 beyond the cell and running to the costa just before the apex, 

 the fourth emitted about half-way between the end of the 

 cell and the apex, and running to the hind margin just below 

 the latter. Disco-cellular nervules oblique, the discoidal and 

 median nervules nearly straight. Hind wings with the upper 

 subcostal nervule emitted at half the distance between the base 

 and the upper disco-cellular nervules ; the nervules running to 

 the hind margin straight, and at nearly equal distances apart ; a 

 well-marked basal cell ; two submedian nervures. 



Type Mesapia peloria. 



Pierls peloria, Hewitson, Exot. Butt. i. ; Pieris, t. 2, f. 15, 16 



(1853) ; Aporia lama, Alph. Romanoff, Mem. Lep. iii. 



p. 404 (1887). 



Greenish white, with the nervures broadly margined with 



grey, and grey spots on the nervures on hind margin of the hind 



