CHAP. XXI.] 



INSECTS. 



477 



Family 13.— LYC^NID^. (39 Genera, 1,220 Species.) 



General Distribution. 



The Lycaenidse — of the variety and heauty of which in tropical 

 regions our own " Blues " and " Coppers " give hr^t a faint idea 

 — are a group of universal distribution. "We shall therefore in- 

 dicate those genera which are restricted to one or more regions, 

 or are nearly cosmopolitan. The large genus Polyommatus (con- 

 taining 325 species) has the same universal distribution as the 

 entire family. Our common " Blues " well represent this genus. 

 Lycmna (comprising the " Coppers ") is more especially charac- 

 teristic of the Palsearctic and Nearctic regions, but stragglinigr 

 species occur also in North India, South Africa, Chili, and New 

 Zealand. Thecla is especially characteristic of the Neotropical 

 region, where there are about 370 species; in the Nearctic 

 region, 36 ; in the Palsearctic 13 ; and in the Ethiopian 3. 

 Miletus, Lucia, Hypolycmna, Myrina, and Deudorix are common 

 to the three tropical regions of the Eastern Hemisphere — the 

 Ethiopian, Oriental, and Australian. Aphneus and lolaus are 

 common to the Ethiopian and Oriental regions, the latter 

 extending to Celebes. lalmenus, Pscudodipsas, Curetis, and 

 Amblypodia are common to the Oriental and Australian regions, 

 but the first-named is found also in Madagascar. Zephyrus is 

 found only in the Nearctic and Palsearctic, Eumceus in the 

 Nearctic and Neotropical regions. The Nearctic region has one 

 peculiar genus {Feniseca) ; the Palaearctic has two — Thestor and 

 LcBosopis ; the Ethiopian has nine — Pentila, Liptana, U Urhania, 

 Axiocerces, Capys, PMjtala, Epitola, Hewitsonia, and Pelmieura ; 

 the Oriental has five — Allotinus, Ilerda, Poritia, Camena, and 

 Liphyra; the Australian has three — Hypochrysops, Utica, and 

 Ogyris ; and the Neotropical also three — Zamprospilus, Theorema, 

 and Trichonis. 



