FAM. XVMPHALID^E 



b' . First subcostal of forciuing from cell 2. Genus Acraea Fabricius. 



c' . First subcostal of forewing stalked with the other 



subcostals 3. Genus Planema Doubleday. 



B. Th: sialk of the subcostals much before the apex of the cell 4. Genus Pardopsis Trimen. 



I. Genus ACTINOTE Hubner 



Papilio Heliconius Linnasus, Syst. Nat. (ed. 10), p. 465 (1758) (partim). 



Acraea Fabricius, in Illiger, Mag. Ins. Vol. 6, p. 2S4 (1807) (partim). 



Heliconius Latreille, in Humboldt & Bonpland, Rec. Observ. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 86 (1S11) (partim). 



Actinote Hubner, Verz. bek. Schmett. p. 27 (i8i6-i8r7) (partim). 



Acraea Godart, Enc. Method. Vol. 9, p. 23i (1819) (partim). 



Acraea Sect. Actinote. Doubleday, Gen. diurn. Lep. Vol. 1, p. 142 (1848); Lucas, in Chenu, Enc. 



Hist. Nat., Pap. Vol. 1, p. So (i85i-i853). 

 Acraea Kirby, Cat. diurn. Lep. p. 130(1871) (partim); Burmeister, Descr. Rep. Argent., Lep., Vol. 5, 



p. 129 (rS78); F. Miiller, Stett. Ent. Zeit. p. 296 (1878). 

 Actinote Godman & Salvin, Biol. Centr.-Amer. Lep. Rhop. Vol. 1, p. 140 (1881). 

 Acraea F. Miiller. Kosmos, Vol. i3, p. 197 (i883); idem, Zool. Anzeig. Vol. 6, p. 415 (iS83); 



Staudinger, Exot. Tagf. p. Si (iS85) (partim); W. Miiller, Zool. Jahrb., Syst. Vol. 1, p. 426 



(1S86). 

 Acraea 6. Actinote. Schatz, Fam. Gatt. Tagf. p. io3 (1S87). 

 Actinote Kirby, in Allen's Natural. Libr., Butt. Vol. 1, p. 3S (1894); Jordan, in Wagner, Lep. Cat. 



Pt. 1 1, p. 1 (igi3); idem, in Seitz, Grossschmett. Vol. 5, p. 35g (igi3). 



Genotype : A. thalia Linnaeus (1758). 



Characters. — The genus is characterised by the palpus being black and not swollen, the upper 

 submedian vein (1 c) of the hindwing being developed as a real vein distally and bearing a row of stiff 

 bristles, as do all the other veins of the hindwing. The second discocellular is concave in both wings, 

 and the upper radial (vein 6) originates close to the subcostals or is stalked with them ; the first subcostal 

 of the forewing branches off from the cell. Xone of the species have the basal area of the wings dotted 

 with black, nor bear any of them marginal or submarginal lunules on the hindwing as is so frequently 

 the case in species of the eastern Hemisphere. On the other hand, a strong metallic blue and green gloss 

 occurs very often on the upper side. 



The stile of colouring common to all the species of the zf/Ww-section of Actinote is the more 

 primitive one, consisting in the main of black-brown stripes and bands on a deeper or lighter tawny or 

 ochraceous ground. These forms bear a more or less superficial resemblance to American Danainae. The 

 species of the nehus-section have a much more modified pattern and colouring of the upper side; 

 the} - resemble Nymphalinae of the genera Eresia, Gnaihotriche and Phyciodes, by which they are mimicked. 



Early stages. — The larva and chrysalis are only known of a very few species. The species differ 

 among themselves in the length of the spines and in the colouring, but whether the earl}' stages of the 

 genus as a whole present any constant differences from Acraea appears to be doubtful. 



Systematics. — The genus consists of two main sections, which differ in the scaling of the 

 costal margin of the forewing. As this structural distinction, slight as it appeals at first sight, is 

 accompanied by different colouring, the two sections are undoubtedly two phylogenetic branches of the 



