ARIGHANNA. By L. 11 Prout. 3o3 



6. Subfamily: Geometrinae. 



An enormous subfamily, or perhaps group of subfamilies, variously known as Boavmiinae, Selidoseminae, 

 or Ennominae, but containing the typical genus Phalaena- Geometra Linn. Characterized by the partial or 

 complete obsolescence of the 2"" radial vein of the hindwing put otherwise showing little or nothing in common. 

 Hindwing nearly always fully spurred. Frenulum present. Forewing often with one vein wanting. The classi- 

 fication is exceedingly difficult and no existing system is at all satisfactory. It is impossible within the time 

 and space at command to attempt any systematic revision here; indeed we can scarcely do more than provide 

 an illustrated catalogue, following the order of Staudinger's with merely the correction of the most glaring 

 errors and the addition of the many eastern forms and recent discoveries. 



The eggs are sometimes very beautifully sculptured and those of Oarapteryx are remarkable for being 

 true „upright eggs.'' The larvae are as diversified as the moths, in many of the groups humped and twiglike, 

 in others quite smooth. Very many feed on trees or shrubs, but some of the groups (as Gnophos, the Fidonia 

 group, etc.) chiefly or exclusively on low plants. The moths of the Boarmia-Gnophos group] and some 

 others rest with wings outspread on tree-trunks or rocks and are mostly well protected; other tree-feeders 

 (Selenia, Ennomos, etc.) resemble withered leaves; a few mountain species {Psodos, etc.) and one or two others 

 fly in the sunshine. The warning coloration of the Abraxas group has been mentioned in our Introduction, 

 and its mimics under the Larentiinae {Eucosmia, Callahraxas, Calleidijpe, etc.) 



The subfamily is distributed throughout the habitable world, tough rather unequally, being far outnumbe- 

 red in New Zealand by the Larentiinae. Some of the typical forms [Braccinae of Warren) are gorgeously 

 coloured with metallic blues and bright reds. 



• 1. Genus: Aricliaima Moore. 



Face shortly rough-scaled. Palpus shortish or moderate, longescaled beneath. Wing-margins entire. 

 Forewing usually with a fovea; P' and 2"'^ subcostals separate, the former often anastomosing with costal. 



Early stages insufficiently known. 



A chiefly Indian genus, though numerous species just enter the Southeastern Palearctic Region. Only 

 one species reaches Europe and this is absent from the west. They are large or moderate-sized moths, often 

 with the habitus of Abraxas, though Hampson includes also species which scarcely differ from Boarmia except 

 in the smooth wing margins. 



A. Antenna in c/' with fascicles of cilia (Arichanna). 



A. marginata Warr. (14 a) may be known by the ocellated discal mark of the forewing, the course marginata. 

 of the black postmedian line, which curves strongly inwards and becomes thicker behind the cell, and by the 

 dark distal shading of the hindwing (sometimes more strongly developed than in our figure). It inhabits N. 

 India and Formosa; Dharmsala is the only known Palearctic locality. 



A. ramosa Walk. (14 a). Reconizable by the anteriorly bifurcate white median and postmedian bands ramosa. 

 of the forewing, the ochreous suffusion at the 3'''^ radial and P* median, etc. Chang- Yang, Pu-tsu-fang and 

 Tibet. Smaller and less sharply marked than Indian specimens. 



A. tetrica Btlr. (14 a) represents rawosa in Japan and differs in its stronger irroration and consequently tetrica. 

 more confused markings, weakly marked hindwing and under surface. The large discal spot of the forewing 

 is less connected by dark shading with the costa. Yokohama, Hakodate, etc. 



A. pryeraria Leech (14a) differs in its browner colour, differently formed median area, etc. Japan; pryeraria. 

 Yokohama, Oiwake. 



A. interruptaria Leech (14 a) shows in addition to the paired antemedian and postmedian lines a single /nfez-ra/^far/a. 

 median, touching a large black cellspot. Omei-shan, July — August. 



A. albomacularia Leech (14 a) differs from all the other species in the conspicuous white spots at the albomacu- 

 apex and near the anal angle of the forewing. Japan: Oiwake and Gifu. Nearest to the Indian subalbida Warr. ^"™- 



A. concinna Warr. (described as Abraxas'^) is very distinct in its chalky white ground colour and concinna. 

 curved transverse rows of symmetrically arranged roundish brown-grey spots; basal third of forewing with 

 irregular greyish markings; distal area with dark suffusion anteriorly and posteriorly, subterminal line distinct. 

 Tibet, without more exact locality. 



