c.ranu img 



PREPONA. By H. Frlh.storker. 563 



derably reduced. All the black dots and comma-like .streaks in the wliite Inisal area of all the wings more preg- 

 nant. Ecuador, from 1000 m. 



P. dexamenus was formeily known only from Peru and the Up])er Amazon, Init was discovered by 

 my collector Julius Michaelis also near Obidos, iia 8m'inam, as well as in Espiritu Santo and lately also in 

 Mato Grosso. Marking of the upper surface plain. ^,^ without preapical spots. $ always with a moderately 

 large transcellular spot and one or two indistinct blots. Hindwing with an anal eye-spot showing through 

 from beneath, being in the $ sometimes surrounded by an ochreou.s periphery. The under surface resembles 

 that of P. amphimach'us (112 c) from which it differs by the presence of 2 blue-pupilled ocelli, being characteristic 

 of the P. laerte.s-group. Four local forms are to be registered: krates FruJi.sl. (112 b) a geographical form of A/vi/r.v. 

 small habitus; the gorgeous area of the upper surface someA\hat darker and narrower than in specimens of the 

 Andine region. Under surface rather uniform, the distal half loam-yellow. Surinam, Lower Amazon.- — leuctra Iciiclni. 

 Fruhst., an eminently differentiated race with still more advanced darkening and narrowing of the blue liands. 

 Under surface in 5 specimens of my collection uniformly dark grey, something like in P. gnorima (112 b). All 

 the black markings of the under surface besides more strongly arranged and the black areas in the submedian 

 zone of the forewings nearly again as broad as in leuctra. >So far only known from Esph'itu Santo, leuctrn is 

 presumably found yet in Minas Geraes and perhajis in the state of Rio de Janeiro. — psacon subsp. nov. forms iisamn. 

 the transition from leuctra to dexamenus. The gorgeous area of the upper surface more extensive than in the 

 other individuals lying before me, the sliape considerably larger. Distal colour jjeculiarly greyish-brown and 

 especially strongly contrasting with the basal zone, being conspicuously decorated in a wonderful silvery white. 

 Mato Grosso. — dexamenus Hpjf. (112 a, $ instead of ,^), originally de.ra»ienus described from the Chancha- (l< 

 mayo in Peru, lies before me from Bolivia from whence also our figured $ originates, which Mi-. Fassl has disco- 

 vered there. The J^ are surpassed in size by those from Mato Giosso; the magnificent area is lighter, of a 

 brighter lustre than in the races of the Atlantic region of the continent. The distal half of the under surface 

 of both the wings either darker loam-yellow than in krates. or light coffee-brown as in the J"(5' of psacon 

 from Mato Grosso. The $ from Bolivia has, contrary to the black eyespotted $$ of krates and letictra. an ochre- 

 yellowish defined ocellus on the upper surface of the hindwings. In the Coll. Staudingee there are specimens 

 from Colombia. 



P. neoterpe. An imposing species of the Andine region, approximating above P. dexamenus, beneath 

 more /-". ijnorint.a, eugenes and pylene by an especially luxurious median silvery band of the forewings. The 

 alliance with P. omj)hale and P. gnorima is, furthermore, indicated by a magnificent violet hue in the basal 

 zone of the forewings. Clasping-organs with very long uncus. Valve somewhat like in laertes, but still a little 

 more slender; the club at the uncus considerably longer and more robust; oedeagus broader. Two areal forms: 

 neoterpe Honr. (112 d). Beneath sometimes reddish ochre-yellow, occasionally also more fallow, more loam- nniin-iic. 

 coloured, as in our figure having been depicted according to a (^ from Pozzuzo. The $ which we represent by 

 a figure, is in the collection of Mi\ Robert Biedeemann. The type originates from the Chanchamayo. — pho- plwlkiia. 

 tidia Fruhst. A northern areal race, considerably differing from the Peruvian name-type by the conspicuously 

 stunted, scarcely half as broad and besides much darker blue median bands of all the wings. On the under 

 surface, however, there are no differences noticeable, photidia. by the colouring of the upper surface, forms 

 a transition to P. lygia Fruhst. from Chiriqui (Iris XVII, Table 6, fig. 2), which seems to replace neoterpe in 

 Central America. From the Upper Rio Negro, from an altitude of aliouj SOO m, discovered by A. H. Fassl. 



P. lygia Fruhst. In lygia the melanotic reduction of the blue magnificent band of the upper sur- hjijut. 

 face is still further advanced than in photidia. and in it the othei'wise resistent under surface takes also part 

 in the sombre discoloration, the ochre-yellow of neoterpe turning into a gi-eyish-black and the transcellular 

 silvery spots on the forewings disappearing, too. It is now most likely that another Prepona will be discovered 

 also in the Western Cordilleras of Colombia, losing the character of neoterpe still more than photidia and esta- 

 blishing a more complete transition to P. lygia. In case this should come true, P. lygia would no more be rightly 

 called a species, but degraded to the northernmost branch of neoterpe. Lygia has abov^e little likeness with 

 otriphale and gnorima Bates and reminds us beneath somewhat of P. gnorima but without being in any way 

 allied to it. The forewings bear along-stretched and pointed apex, but the hindwings are narrow oval and very 

 little undulated. On the forewings there is a very narrow dark-blue, glossy discal band running from the anal 

 margin anteriorly, growing narrower in order to dissolve into minute blue grains of dust between the anterior 

 medians. On the hindwings the band is somewhat broader and is reduced in width towards the anal argle. 

 The blue discal band on the forewings is proxijnally surrounded by a magnificent, extensive, dark violet reflec- 

 tion being continued on the hindwings towards the base, as a narrow zone. The ocelli of the under surface 

 show through above, otherwise the wings are without any markings. On the under surface, the basal third 

 of the forewings is of a silvery white, with a slight grey tinge in the basal part of the cellule of both the wings. 

 Beyond the cellule we notice a large, dark brown spot being encircled by black. Above this there is a silvery 

 white jnaeula at the costal margin like in gnorinia. and 3 white spots are beyond the cell as a distal bordering 

 of the black discal band. The submarginal band of the forewings is strongly curved, though not so sernated 



