MEGANOTON. 73 



6. Meganoton nyctiphanes (Walk.). (Fig. 12 E-G, genitalia; 

 PL IX, fig. 8, larva ; fig. 9, pupa). 



Macrosila nyctiphanes, Walker, 1856, p. 209 (Silhet). 



Meganoton nyctiphanes, Boisduval, 1875, p. 59 (N. India) ; Roths. & 



Jord., 1903, p. 35 ; Seitz, 1928, p. 528, t. 60 c. 

 Pseudosphinx nyctiphanes, Butler, 1877 A, p. 610; id., 1881 B, 



p. 15, pi. lxxxi, fig. 7 ; Hampson, 1892, p. 105, fig. 59 (1., p.). 

 Pseudosphinx cyrtolophia, Butler, 1875, p. 259 (Madras) ; id., 



1877 A, p. 611, pi. xci, figs. 11-13, pi. xcii, fig. 6 (1., p.) ; Hampson, 



1892, p. 168. 



Imago. — <$Q. Upper side dark brown. Fore wing variegated 

 with various shades of brown and grey scales and crossed by 

 numerous waved dark lines, of which about six are median 

 and one submarginal ; a pale small spot in end of cell ; black 

 streaks from the cell under R 1 and M 1 not reaching outer 

 margin, which is undulate. Hind wing dark brown with 

 a series of pale spots across the disc, cilia brown and whitish. 

 Thorax with black streaks at sides nearly meeting on the 

 dorsal line, where there are a few blue scales ; head, thorax 

 and abdomen white below : abdomen with white segmental 

 streaks at sides. Eye large. Palpus very large. Fore 

 tarsus with first segment as long as segments 2 to 4 together. 

 Expanse: ^120 mm., 2 140 mm. 



<$. Tenth tergite long, compressed, carinate below, highest 

 beyond middle, strongly curved at base, then nearly straight, 

 and at apex again curved, tip truncate ; the broad and rather 

 long lobe of sternite flat, slightly curved upwards, deeply 

 sinuate, each half rounded externally, angulated at sinus. 

 Clasper broad, dilated dorsad before middle, long hair-scales 

 of dorsal margin and scaling proximally of patch of modified 

 scales white ; this patch clay- colour, large, the scales small, 

 very close together, longer than broad, somewhat narrowed 

 at end, bidentate ; harpe (fig. 12 E) with a spatulate process, 

 which is curved upwards at end, the oblique upper edge 

 irregularly notched and toothed. Penis-sheath (fig. 12 F) 

 with two long unequal processes close together, the longer one 

 denticulate. Eighth segment laterally tufted ; on the inner 

 surface on each side a series of large friction-scales, which 

 are not present in the other two species of the genus. 



$. Vaginal plate (fig. 12 G) much folded, raised mesially 

 from base to vaginal cavity ; proximal edge of the latter 

 raised into a double tubercle. 



Hab. E. Himalayas, S. India, Ceylon, Burma and the 

 Andamans ; also in Malaya. A rare, local insect, apparently 

 confined to forests with heavy rainfall up to 1,000 feet elevation. 

 We have bred the species in S. India. 



Egg. — Spherical, surface smooth and shining, colour green. 

 Diameter 1-75 mm. 



