298 



OPSIPHANES. By H. Fruhstorfer. 



tioned in the description of the genus. The ? differs from that of sikyon, wliich it closely resembles, in the 

 white median band of the forewing terminating £ft the lower median; under surface of the forowing costally 

 less, anally more broadly tinged with white than in Mexican examples. 



hogotanus. 0. bogotanus inhabits Colombia. Imago very large, above nearly black, velvety, with dull purple 



gloss. Transverse band narrower than in sikyon, composed of separate, nearly white spots, wliich in their turn 

 are again dusted with purple. Hindwing with the hair-pencils which are also so characteristic of tamarindi: a 

 very broad, bushy one beyond the praecostal cell, a somewhat smaller one before the apex of the cell and a third, 

 of yellowish or blackish hairs, in the bare friction-patch of the inner margin. Under surface especially brilliant, 

 the subapical part white, basal area sharjjly contrasting with it, dark cocoa-brown. Apical ocellus of the hind- 

 wing uiuisually large, almost suggesting those of the Caligonae. Two local forms : bogotanus Dist. Type prol)al)ly 

 from Muzo, as the species scarcely seems to ascend above 1000m.; very large with the distal margin of both 

 wings boldly projecting. Forewing with a whitish, purple-edged oblic_iue band, composed of irregular, isolated 

 ■phrata- spots not placed in regular alignment. Under surface of the hindwing predominantly light brown. — phrata- 

 phernes. phernes Fruhst. was recently discovered by Fassl, is smaller than the name-tyjje and presents a melanotic 

 cxti'eme of the collective species; a phenomenon which is parallelled in O. quiteria from the same localties 

 and which we also observe in 0. tamarindi, of which the brightly coloured branch inhabits the West Cordilleras 

 {kleisthenes Fruhsf.), whilst the dark [chcrodes) occurs together with plmtfaithernes. cJ with the band of the 

 forewing dull yellow, narrow and more iniiform. C4round-colour deeper black than in Muzo examples. $ with 

 relatively narrow white transverse band on the forewing and a distinct marginal liordcr on the hindwing, 

 but scarcely more than 1 mm. in breadth, which is anteriorly whitish, posteriorly yellowisli, and terminates 

 at the lower radial. Under surface of the ,^ with yellowish instead of whil^e ))and on the hindwing ; in the $ the band 

 is broader and chalk-white. Apical ocellus of the hindwing somewhat smaller than in hofjotanvs, more c^uadrate 

 instead of oval. The striation of the median part more delicate and placed on a darker ground than in hogo- 

 taniis. Upper Rio Negro, from elevations of 800 m. 0. bogotanus was treated by Stichel as the Colombian 

 branch of 0. tamarindi. But the discovery of two actual local forms agreeing in habitus with 0. tamarindi, one 

 of which even flies together with bogotanus phrataphernes in the same localities, removed the last doubt as to 

 the specific status of this Opsiphanes, which already differs from taviarindl hi its size. Tiie egg of this beautiful 

 Brassolid is somewhat larger than that of Sphinx ligustri, elongate-rounded, cream-yellow with fine longitudi- 

 nal grooves. The larva nearly approaches the long known tamarindi larva, is merely of a lighter green and with 2 

 {tamarindi 1) dorsal lines of a less glaring red. Food-plant: holly. The cremaster of the pupa is strongly 

 curved proximad and the forewing-case has the inner margin projecting acutely, which gives the chrysalis a 

 boat- or rather gondola-shaped appearance; it is of grey-green colour. As with most Brassolids the eggs are 

 laid readily even in captivity, and in good numbers. I believe that in future attempts to breed South American 

 butterflies in temperate climates the Brassolids will take the first place. For besides the circumstance just 

 mentioned two other factors of importance have to be considered. The food-plants (species of banana and palm) 

 thrive very well even in quite temperate climates if taken care of and protected from frost, and the plants 

 are propagated not primarily by seeding, but most rapidly and abundantly by suckers. Moreover, the in- 

 sects do not i^air in the sunshine, as in most other families of Diurni, but during the flight of the butterflies in 

 the evenmg and niornmg twilight (Fassl). 



0. quiteria is one of the most widely distributed species of the genus and is met with from Central 

 America to Bolivia and on the Atlantic side from Guiana to Paraguay and Santa Catharina. In the most northerly 

 race the sexes are dimorphic and the Colombian subspecies differ strikingly from the name-type. Larva green 



quirimis. sprinkled with white dots, lives on palms. — quirinus Godm., described from Guatemala, in my collection 

 from Honduras, extends as far as Panama, but is considered very rare. ,^ above with an ochreous band 

 posteriorly lost in the ground-colour and two very large white subapical patches. Hindwing predominantly 

 red-brown with traces of a yellow band between the radials. 5 with white transverse band on the forewing, 

 hindwing entirely chestnut-brown, before its terminal margin «'ith three rounded yellow spots between the 



quiteria. radials. — quiteria Cr. (61 b), originally described from Surinam but also known from the Lower Amazon, 

 has the ochreous band on the forewing of the ,^ broader than in qvirinns. The $ varies only inconsiderably 



obidonus. in the extent of the short subcostal band on the hindwing. — obidonus Fruhst. (62 d), the form from the Middle 

 Amazon, differs from quiteria' from Surinam as follows: cJ with the yellowish oblique band on the forewing 

 nari'ower, submarginal band of the hindwing longer and narrower. $ with the half-band on the forewing more 

 shaii)ly incised proximally and distally; submarginal band of the hindwing narrower, and sharply expressed 

 as far as the 1st median vein; the anal area broadly suffused with red-brown nearly to the cell. Obidos, August 

 mylasa. and September. Coll. Fruhstorfer. ■ — The race from the Upper Uaupes may be introduced as mylasa 

 Fruhst. and is at once conspicuous by the much widened, orange band on the forewing. The yellowish ante- 

 marginal band of the hindwing is entirely obsolete anteriorly and only marked by 3 obscure round dots of the 

 size of a pin's head, but below the second median is continued to the anal angle as a slightly glossed, narrow, 



