( 170 ) 



of a long tongue-case iu the short-tongued Acherontidy proves the short-tongueil 

 forms to be derivations from longer-tongued species. There occur some peculiar 

 pupae in this subfamily : for instance, that of Langia, which is truncate apically 

 and has no cremastcr : the chrysalis of Cressonia with the preanal segments 

 flattened ventrally and carinate laterally ; the chrysalis of Plq/llospliitiyia with 

 prominent tubercles serving locomotion. 



From the mor|)liological characters of the imagines stated above it will have 

 become clear that the genera Protambulyx, Amph/pterus, etc., represent the earlier 

 AmImUciiKie, and are not separable from this subfamily. The elongate fore wings 

 are not a character confined to Protambuli/x and allies ; the comparatively strong and 

 long tongue is met with also among Poli/ptychus and near relatives; and the lateral 

 "expansions" of tiie abdomen — they are tufts of scales — by which Hampson 

 characterised the '■^ Amhulicinae" are found only in the Indian genus Ox)/ambulyx. 

 On the other hand, the tongue is very short in some American forms which are 

 close allies oi Aii/pli/pterKs, and one of these has even the outer margin of the 

 forewing of the ordinary irregular type ( Trogolegnum). Callambuh/x rubricosa, 

 hitherto considered a true Protambuli/x, is much more closely related to Sphinx ocellata 

 than to Protam.bi(li/x. The connection between the specialised species oi Ambidicinae 

 and Protnmbiihix and allies is so close that there is no justification for separating 

 Protambulyx and allies as another subfamily. This will more clearly be understood 

 by comparing the following key to the probable phylogenetic connection between the 

 various genera. It will be noticed that here, as among the Acherontiinae (p. 4), 

 similarity in structure arrived at in consequence of the reduction or loss of organs does 

 not necessarily mean close relationship, the most specialised forms of the various 

 branches agreeing in several characters which they have independently acquired. 

 The various genera represent in this key steps in the development of the organs 

 mentioned ; each genus has besides, as a rule, its own specialisations not mentioned 

 iu the key, making it obvious that probably not one of the genera is the ancestor 

 of the nest higher one, but that both come from a common stem. 



There are 130 odd species known, which fall into 44 genera. The subfamily is 

 distributed all over the globe, except the far north. South and Central America 

 have few representatives, all of the lower type (Pro/xmbiilyx) or closely related td 

 it. The headquarters of the subfamily are in Africa and India. On the former 

 continent many new forms will be discovered when the fauna, especially of the 

 western side, becomes more fully explored. 



Though the Ambulicinae do not fall into several definable tribes, there are 

 nevertheless some groups of genera closely related inter se. The four Neotropical 

 genera, Protambulyx, Amplypterus, Orecta and Trogolegnum, form one group ; the 

 last two genera are developments from ancestral Amplypterus, having acquired 

 specialisations which are found again in other branches oi Ambulicinae : for instance, 

 the undulated distal margin of the forewing of Trogolegnum and the apical protibial 

 thorn of Orecta, specialisations accompanied by a strong reduction of the tongne, 

 and in the S by the loss of the friction-patch. Another rather well circumscribed 

 group are the eyed Ambulicinae, of which Callambulyx rubricosa is the most 

 generalised member, while Cressonia is the most specialised ; the group is Holarctic, 

 extending into the Oriental Region with two genera. 



The connection between Clanis, Psettdoclanis, and Platysphinx is very obvious, 

 and the relationship of LeucopMcbia and Leptoehinis with the same branch becomes 

 also evident on a close comjiarison of the structure, as pointed out under Lcptoclams. 



