REVISION OF AUSTRALIAN LEPWOPTEBA. 



Saturniadae^ Bombycidae, Eupterotidae^ Notodontidae. 



By A. Jepferis Tuenbe, M.D., F.E.S. 



[Read 30th August, 1922.] 



In this instalment a few additions are made to the families previously dealt 

 with, and four families, three of which have very few Australian representatives, 

 are subjected to revision. So far we have been dealing with families which I 

 ascribe to the group Noctuoidea, though the Anthelidae are an aberrant family 

 in the group, but we now proceed to widely divergent groups. The Saturniadae 

 (in which I include the Ceratocampidae) are derived by specialisation, especially 

 by the loss of two veins in the forewing, from the same stem as the Bombycidae, 

 and for them we may form the group Bombycoidea. To this also we refer 

 the Neotropical Sematuridae, very similar to the Saturniadae in the neuration 

 of the forewing-s, but peculiar in the neuration and tailing of the hindwing's, 

 and with strong tongue, long palpi, fllifonn antennae, and short, doubtfully 

 functional frenulum. I think the Lemoniadae and Brahmaeidae, which should 

 perhaps be merged into one family, are also Bombycoidea. The essential 

 character of the gi'oup is, I think, the small cell, invariable absence of an areole, 

 and long-stalking of vein 10. I conceive that the absence' of an areole is in- 

 dicated in the pupal tracheation by the distal position of the fork 9, 10, and 

 that this will distinguish the group from the Notodontoidea; but this remains 

 to be proved. 



The Eupterotidae should also, I think, be referred to the Bombycoidea. 

 From what material I have been able to examine, this conclusion appears natural 

 and, though the forewing neuration of Gangarides, as described by Hampson 

 (Moths Ind., i., p. 42), is anomalous, it is evident that the structure he describes 

 cannot be a true areole. 



The Notodontoidea have the areole present in all primitive genera, and vein 

 5 of the forewing from the middle or above the middle of the cell, that is to say, 

 the second branch of the media either retains its original position, or is annexed 

 by the radius, never by the cubitus. In the latter respect it agrees with the 

 Bombycoidea. It consists of the geometriform families, which constitute a 

 separate tribe, the Geometrites, the Notodontidae, Cymatophoridae, probably the 

 Sphingidae, and possibly other families. 



