342 



coek'stls. 



MOEPHO. By H. Fruhstorfer. 



yellow, very small, on the forewing only one instead of the usual three. According to Burmeister trojana 

 occurs' also in the province of Misiones in Argentina. — coelestis Btlr. (= achiUides Fldr.), a well specialized 

 branch-race of southern Brazil, approximates closely to trojana Rob., from which it differs in its smaller size 

 and in having the white submarginal patches of the forewing almost twice as broad, and further in the narrower 

 and lighter, but more glossy blue median band on the upper surface. The red submarginal spots of the liind- 

 wing are also more strongly marked and the basal tinge on the upperside of both wings is predominantly steel- 

 blue, with decidedly brighter reflection than in trojana. The under surface approaches that of achiUaena Hbn. 

 in the prominent, very broad white submarginal and median bands. The bronze-green bordering of the ocelli, 

 however, again as in trojana. Very local and at the same time rare, not eiunnerated in any of the local lists 

 of the fauna of Rio Grande do Sul; two ,^,^ oidy in coll. Fruh.storfer. 



M. achillaena inhabits a smaller area than achilles; the species is accordingly also less rich in forms> 

 the local variations confined to narrower limits; the extent of the the colour and markings is shown in our 

 figures pi. 70 a and b. The charactei's which distinguish it from ac.hilles are the absence of a sharply defined 

 black or otherwise considerably darkened basal region on both wings and the more extended transcellular area 

 on the forewing. Structure of the valve analogous to M. achilles L. Penis likewise with horny process. 

 Uncus characterized by a very broad ventral swelling, which in achilles is absent or scarcely indicated, run- 

 ning out into two pointed processes which are also present in achilles. It is worthy of note that the $$ 

 of all the achillaena races are commoner that those of the achilles forms, with wluch they otherwise agree 

 bionomically, both sexes remaining near the ground in the woods and never taking lofty, circling flights like 

 the species of the menelaus, cypris and rhetenor groups, or traversing long distances like the members of the 

 amkreon. catenarius and polyphemus series. — anakreon Fruhst. has the most northerly distribution of the known races 

 of the west coast. Upper surface near that of bnhiana (70 b), but the black distal border costally somewhat 

 broader, anally narrower, the white costal spot of the forewing reduced, not encroacliing into the transcellular 

 area. . Under surface very dark. The median band of the forewing relatively narrow, ocelli ringed with dark 



hahiana. yellow hke those of trojana. Pernambuco, type in coll. Staudinger in the Berlin Museum. — bahiana Fruhst. 

 (70 b) does not differ materially in the S from the $, which we figure, even the wliite median spots are pre- 

 sent, although much reduced. In the ^^ also the white spot of the forewing does not extend beyond the 

 subcostal veins and the small size of this patch distinguishes bahiana from all the other subspecies of achil- 

 laena. bahiana is also paler beneath than anakreon and the more southerly representatives. The rows of 

 ocelli proximally bounded by a nearly always continuous elbowed grey-white median band. Not rare in Bahia 

 achillavna. and found in company with Agrias ferdinandi Fruhst. in the dry, open forests of that province. ■ — achillaena 

 Hbn. (= subfasciata Bob. ex Peru, loc. err.) as one of the most easily captured butterflies very commonly 

 finds its way into European collections, achillaena flies at Rio de Janeiro and in Espiritu Santo all the year 

 round and prefers shady lowlands. The species does not ascend into the Organ Mountains and is already 

 absent at Petropolis. Larva accoring to von Bonninghausen on a prickly climbing-plant; according to 

 Burmeister yellow-grey with somewhat darker lateral stripes. (^ near the figured achillides (70 a), but with 

 light blue basal area, the white costal spot of the forewing not materially broader in the $. $ as a rule 

 much larger than the ,^, the reddish yellow submarginal lunules of the hindwing standing out more distinctly 

 than in bahiana. The rows of eye-spots on the under surface surrounded by extended whitish bands. The 

 red anteterminal spots essentially more prominent than in bahiana. In the province of Minas Geraes we meet 

 pHldiia. with a transition from the Rio type to the northern race; this has been described as pellana Fruhst. S. The 

 wliite costal spot of the forewing only extends to the subcostal and consists in the (J of only 2 parts, instead 

 of 3 as in achillaena. Black distal border of the forewing narrower, more sharply defined. In the $ the white 

 costal spot more extended than in achillaena, there are even traces of white patches between the medians. 

 General colouring lighter blue. Under surface: ocelli smaller than in the other achillaena, submarginal and 



yaulislu. ultracellular transverse bands of both wings considerably broader. — paulista Fruhst. Distal border of both 

 wings more deeply incised. The white costal spot consists of 4 narrow divisions. Basal area of both wings 

 darker than in achillaena, the blue reflection deeper, but even more glossy, with the first traces of the violet 

 tone of achillides. The white transverse band on the underside of the forewing strikingly pure white and very 

 extended. Under surface very dark. Sao Paulo. Concerning the habits Dr. Seitz writes that the weakness 

 of the body leads to a slow, measured flapping of the wings, producing a gentle, oscillating motion which 



violace.iis. shows the magnificent gloss of the azure-blue wings to great advantage. — violaceus subsp. nov. (70 a) (as 

 achillide.s). Both sexes brilliant dark blue-violet above. The costal white spot is continued in the $ between 

 the median veins. Submarginal patches of the forewing much enlarged. Under surface considerably darker 

 than in achillaena and as in paulista characterized by reddish white anteterminal bands on the hindwing. 

 Bordering of the ocelli on the forewing a peculiar grey-lilac, that of the hindwing pale grey, very much nar- 

 rower than in the more northerly forms of achillaena. violaceus scarcely ascends to the higher foothills of the 

 mountains; it is a true lowland species, flies on shady forest-paths and does not come to banana-bait. In the 

 neighbourhood of Blumenau violaceus does not seem to be rare; but it has never been recorded as occurring 

 in such abundance as achilles trojana. According to Dr. W. Muller the eggs are hemispherical in shape 



