742 LYCAENIDAE. General Topics by Dr. A. Seitz. 



Against their function as scent-generators it was assigned that the frictional movements which were to generate 

 the scent, were performed also by the females and by species in which both sexes were without the scent-pads 

 as well as male scales, so that one must consider these frictional movements to be more the expression of comfort 

 than that of sexual activity. But the strange fact that the Lycaenini in which the male scales are particularly 

 well developed, are devoid of the scent-pads, and that, on the other hand, the Thecla, with distinct scent-spots, 

 are apparently entirely without the androconia scattered over the surface of the wings, makes us anyhow 

 think that both the formations replace each other. The striking fact remains that in several Chrysophanini 

 that were examined neither pads nor male scales were found. 



Most peculiar is a gibbous distortion exhibited by the forewing of some species at its costal margin. 

 Shortly before the cell-end the costa grows into a linguiform continuation mostly matching well the scheme of 

 markings beneath, as for instance in Th. gibberosa, tomlinsoni and some other species. There the under surface 

 shows dark transverse bands on a white ground, and as if they would have to be prolonged beyond the surface 

 of the wings, a lobate appendage extends beyond the margin of the wings, at their discharging-place at the 

 costa. Tlie purpose of this quaint formation is not to be ascertained, unless the biology of the different species 

 be exactly known; the obvious presumption that room had to be made here for a greatly expanded scent-spot 

 is not conclusive, since this appendage is not less developed in females than it is in males. 



As to the variation, the American Lycaenidae are generally speaking most constant in their formation. 

 Certainly in some forms, being to-day dealt with as separate species, it may turn out on getting knowledge 

 of their biology and which as yet has been ascertained in but very few tropical species, that they are seasonal- 

 or local-dimorphous forms of a species. Rome species seem to be most peculiarly variable, since they are able 

 to transform themselves from red into blue, in a similar way as e. g. in the palearctic Chrysophanus alciphron 

 northern specimens are covered with a bright bluish violet, southern ones, however, of a glaring yellowish-red 

 colour. It is a striking fact, however, that, while in the Chrysophanus the heat of the south takes away the 

 violettish-blue cover, so that the fiery red shines forth unsubdued, in the American Thecla loxurina, according 

 to A. H. Fassl's observations, the alpine climate of the Cordilleras favours the pure red, and the hot-house- 

 heat of the lower districts changes the red into blue. 



In many cases of the American Lycaenidae we may speak of a general adaptation of a brown under 

 surface in species resting on the ground, of a green under surface in those resting in the dense foliage; but we 

 do not notice an extremely minute copy of stones on the road, of tree-blossoms or of accurately ribbed leaves 

 as we find it so much in Nymphalidae, Satyridae, and also in very many night-butterflies. The American 

 Lycaenidae mostly rest hidden, often beneath the leaves or at the leaf-stalk, often they creep very far into 

 the interior of the bushes, so that the enemies lying in wait in open spaces do not get much sight of them. Their 

 tactic of escaping them consists in an intense concealment or slipping away (so-called ,,siip2Jers"), during the 

 swarming-time, however, in a very well developed flying-power to which I shall revert later on. A disguising 

 by borrowed attires does not occur at all in the real American Lycaenidae; only one genus — Eumaeus being 

 somewhat problematic in its position — shows a resemblance with patented butterflies of its range. The most 

 remarkable resemblance of Etimaeus atala or minyas with the homochromous Actinote neleus is the more amazing, 

 as beside the black, metallic-reflecting wings also the vermilion abdomen serves to complete the mimicry. From 

 innumerable examples of other groups we know that just the mimetic adaptation of glaringly red places of the 

 body cannot be so plain as spots or markings on the surface of the wings, because otherwise very well hit-off 

 copies (e. g. the $ of Papilio rheterior) are not able to imitate the red on the body of their model {Papilio scm- 

 peri) and are thereby forced to transfer it on the wings in the shape of a red stripe being placed close to the 

 body (which is of course not to be noticed in the living animal, since rhetenor is used to cover the red stripes of 

 the wings partly over the body). It is therefore most amazing that in the family of the Lycaenidae exhibiting 

 otherwise, except Africa, no mimicry and a very little developed adaptation, this high degree of mimicry is 

 found in this one genus. 



Another very striking mark in this genus just mentioned are the relations to the Erycinid-genus Hades 

 with which it exhibits an extensive biological correspondance. Its gregarious occurrence at certain, mostly 

 damp localities, its habitus, colour, size and way of flying, the same patria (Central America and the northern- 

 most parts of South America) and the joint swarming-places with the likewise gregariously occurring Morpheis 

 ehrenbergii are too evident to be regarded as a mere accidental coincidence. In the Hades and Morpheis the 

 abdomen is certainly not red itself, but like in the mimicry-case already mentioned of Papilio (s. s.) rhetenor 

 and Papilio (Pharmacophagus) semperi from the Philippines the red is attached directly next to the body on 

 the under surface of the hindwings, somewhat proximally to the place where also the West-Indian Eumaeus 

 atala Poey exhibits a red spot. 



