NYMPHALID.E. DANAIN^. EUPLCEA. 7i 



52. EuplOSa diOCletiantlS, Fnbiicius. 

 PapUio diodciianus, Fabricius, Ent. Syst., vol. iii, pt. i, p. 40,11.118(1793); Danais diocletia, GoAart, 

 Enc. M^th., vol ix, p. 181, n. 16 (1819) : CaUiplctadiochtianiis. Butler, Trans. Linn. Soc, Zoology, second series, 

 vol. i, p. 535 (1876) : Euplxa diocUtianus, Distant, Rhop. Malay , p. 28, pi. iv, figs. 4 male, 5 /emaU (1882). 



Habitat : (Nepal, Assam ?), Penang, Malacca, Singapore, Siam, Java. 



Expanse : ^, 3-4 ; ? , 3-1 inches (from Distant's figures). 



Description : "Wings entire, black. Forewing vi\(\\ a white interrupted band. Hlndwinz 

 with some white lines at the base, and a double row of spots of this colour on the margin. 

 Of the size of D. datuiia [= Eupla-a vtiJamus], to which it is closely allied ; the underside 

 of both wings resemble the upperside. Forewin« black, with a white band formed of four 

 large spots, one transverse line of four dots of this colour, and some dots equally white along 

 the margin. Hinchumg blackish-brown, with some while longitudinal lines towards the base 

 and two rows of white spots along the margin. The head and thorax are of a deep black, 

 with some white spots ; the upperside of the abdomen is blackish, the underside ashy with 

 some very black bands." {Godart, 1. c.) 



E. diocletianus has usually been considered as indentlcal with E. rhadamanthus, but the 

 absence of all mention of the conspicuous violet blue shot, the pure white character of the 

 markings, and the bLick colour of the wings, seem to indicate its distinctness from that species 

 in both sexes. We have never seen a specimen, and if it occurs at all in " Nepal and Assam" 

 (which we doubt), it must be extremely rare. It is included in Butler's paper on the Butterflies 

 of Malacca* as Calliplaa diodetianus. It is probably a local form of E. rkadatnanthtis 

 developed in the Malay Peninsula. The Tenasserim female of E. rhadamanthus shows a 

 decided approach to this species in colouration, but it is small, far smaller than average 

 specimens of E. midamus. Distant remarks : " This is evidently a Malay race of E. rhada- 

 manthtis, a species which I follow Moore and Butler in considering as typically repre- 

 sented in Northern India, It possesses also another and very distinct Bornean race, described 

 as E' lowii. The principal difference between these three species or races is that of a gradually 

 increasing m-elanism, which is least in the Noith Indian E. rhadamanthus, and greatest in the 

 Bornean form E, lowii." According to Distant's description, the wings in this species are dark 

 indigo-blue, not black. 



Second group. — Macroplcea, Butler. — Mr. Butler has separated this group from the fore- 

 going in the following terms : — " This genus {^Salpinx, Hiibner], is not altogether a satisfactory 

 one ; it contains two groups, the one being much like an enormous form of Calliplcca (I refer 

 to the S. phanareta group), the other having a blue or sericeous brand upon the interno-median 

 area ; in other respects the species seem nearly allied. I propose to give the first of these 

 groups the subgeneric title of Macroplcea." (Butler, Journ. Linn. Soc, Zoology, vol. xiv, 

 p. 292 (1878). 



This subgroup is only represented by two species within Indian limits, of which one is 

 found is Ceylon ; the other, a native of the Malay Peninsula, extends into Burma, and has 

 been found in the Nicobar Isles. The Euplceas of this type are large insects, without the 

 brilliant purple or blue gloss, and usually with three more or less complete rows of marginal 

 and submarginal spots. They differ from the Salpinx group only in having 710 brand on the 

 interno-median area of the forewing of the male, and in their large size ; the outer margin of 

 the hindwing in the male too appears as if it had been oiled. 



Zey to the Indian species of Macroploei. 



A. Upperside golden-fuscous ; forewirn; with three rows of violet-white spots. 



a. With the violet-white markings prominent ; the three rows on forewing complete. 



53. E Ci1/acr(7//(ra^ cASTLENAUi, Burma, Nicobars. 



6. With the violet-white markings small ; the discal series incomplete. 



54. E. (Macroplcea) elisa, Ceylon. 



• Trans. Linn. Soc, Zoology, second series, vol. i, p. 535 (1876). 



