NOTHOPTERYX. By L. B. Prout. 



183 



25. Gcmis: BfotllOpteryx Prout 



Face smooth. Palpus generally rather short, in sahinata, obscuraria and rivuhtria long. Antenna in 

 both sexes simple. Hindtibia with terminal spurs only. Thorax and abdomen not crested. Forewing with 

 areole double. Hindwing: in cf with small but distinct lobe at base, costal separate (sometimes even widely 

 separate) from subcostal, connected by a bar near the end of the cell, 2"'' subcostal arising separate, or some- 

 times from the same point with P' radial, submedians wanting, 2"*^ median short, running to inner margin; 

 in ? with costal anastomosing, 2"'' subcostal stalked, all veins present; in both sexes the discocellulars usually 

 not biangulate, the 2"'' radial arising from or from above the middle. According to Meyrick the ? occasionally 

 shows the characteristic costal and subcostal neuration of the cf. 



Larva moderately stout, smooth, tapering somewhat anteriorly and posteriorly, anal extremity with 

 2 small, horizontally directed points. On trees and shrubs. The winter is usually passed in the pupal stage. 



Distributed in the Palearctic Region and Tibet, at least one species also in North America. 



N. ustata Chr. ( = choaspitis Ob.) (6 f ) is distinguishable at once from all the other Palearctic species usUita. 

 by the form of the postmedian line, which is sharply angulated at the hinder angle of the cell and then runs 

 basewards for some distance along the median vein. The whitish groundcolour is sometimes more suffused 

 with brownish than in the specimen figured, especially forming a subterminal blotch between the radials. 

 Under surface somewhat more reddish, the markings of the forewing faintly showing through, cf antenna thicker 

 than in folijcommata, abdomen long, wing -lobes as in carpinata. Eastern Siberia and Japan. In Amurland 

 Christoph took it in May on oak-trunks. 



N. sabinata Hbn-Geij. (6f), easily recognizable from our figures, differs from most of the genus in its sahinata. 

 long palpus. The darker brown ground-colour of both wings is also distinctive, only the narrow lines which 

 bound the median area of the forewing remaining white. The cT is as a rule slightly darker and more violet-tinged 

 than the ?, which inclines more towards yellowish brown. The larva is short and stout, green with darker dorsal 

 line and feeds in June on Juniperus sabina. The moth is very local, occurring in July in the Alps of Switzerland and 

 Bavaria and Tyrol, perhaps also at Herculesbad ; the only recorded locality outside Europe is the neighbourhood of Brusa. 



N. obscuraria Leec^ (6g). Closely related to sabinata, shape and ground-colour the same but the mar- obscuraria. 

 kings of the forewing very much weaker, the median band only very finely and inconspicuously pale- (not 

 white-) edged. The antemedian line (scarcely traceable in weakly marked specimens) is quite differently 

 formed, projecting in two very strong V-marks, in the cell and on the fold; postmedian line nearer the distal 

 margin; the black marks on the veins in the median area are obsolete, except at inner margin, on the other 

 hand two dark dashes in the distal area, between the radials, are generally conspicuous. Japan, Loochoo and 

 Chekiang. 



N. polycomtnata Schif. (= hyemata Bkh.) (6f). A handsome species and easily recognized by its polycom- 

 rather elongate forewing and by the form and arrangement of the rich, red-brown markings on the glossy, ^''^ "" 

 brownish-white wing. Hindwing with discocellulars biangulate, 2"* radial from lower angle. Not generally 

 very variable; in typical examples, such as we figure, the distal area of the forewing shows a moderately 

 distinct dark band or shade, set off by the pale subterminal. — In ab. prospicua ab. iiov., however, the white prospicua. 

 ground-colour is scarcely dark marked, the median band somewhat darkened, in consequence showing up very 

 clearly and effectively. I have only seen English examples. — ab. albinea Tgstr., which I have not seen, is albinea. 

 said to be almost entirely white, the forewing only with very little fuscous marking. If this was intended 

 to denote the preceding form, the description is exceedingly bad. Finland. — Larva moderately stout, nearly 

 cylindrical, but rather ridged and wrinkled laterally, anal points small; head rather small, rounded, green; body 

 dark green with darker mediodorsal and slender whitish subdorsal line; lateral stripe narrow, white or pale yellow. 

 On privet, or sometimes ash or honeysuckle, when young in the buds; full fed in June. Pupa of medium thickness, 

 wing and leg-cases dull green, dorsum and abdomen yellowish red-brown, the former with slight greenish 

 tinge anteriorly. In a moderately compact cocoon on the surface of the earth. The moth appears early in 

 the following spring (March or April) and is found locally in Central Europe, S. Sweden and Russia. 



N. coartata Piing. Apparently related to polycommata, perhaps on an average somewhat smaller, palpus coartafa. 

 decidedly shorter, distal margin rather more bowed. Forewing greenish grey with the dark markings arranged 

 somewhat as in polycommata, the median band, however, divided into two throughout its entire course, thus en- 

 closing a complete, pale central band, which is whitest at the inner margin; a fine dark discal dot in this pale 

 band. Hindwing whitish grey with quite fine discal dot, the light band beyond the middle broader and more 

 distinct than in polycommata. Underside of forewing pale grey, of hindwing whitish. Koko-Nor, Tibet. 



