﻿Genus TROGONOPTERA, Mihi. 



<? . Primary wings elongate, subtriangulate, somewhat 

 tumid outward at the base, straight for nearly two thirds, 

 then curved to the outer angle, which is not so sharply 

 pointed as in Ornithoptera and Priamoptera, but more 

 so than in Pompeoptera ; posterior margin nearly straight 

 in some specimens, or only slightly curved ; inner margin 

 nearly straight ; discoidal cell elongate and narrow, con- 

 siderably more than half the length of costa (44 out of 80 

 mm.); all the veins very straight ; median and subcostal only 

 moderately robust ; nervules very thin and very slightly 

 visible on upper side in the black ; the distance between 

 the basal junction of the three branches of subcostal 

 nervures much greater in proportion than in other Orni- 

 thoptera ; the 1st discocellular, and 2nd and 5th subcostals 

 form a junction very nearly at the points of divergence 

 in both sexes more persistently and closely than in 

 Pompeoptera ; the Pseudoneura (or false nervules) which 

 occupy the discoidal cell, differ in the arrangement of 

 their branchings from those of other groups, cominghowever 

 nearest to the typical genus Ornithoptera ; while they 

 all start from the base, they appear to be divided into 2 

 stems as in Pompeoptera, — the lowest proceeding parallel 

 with about half of the median nervure at a distance of 

 3 mm. from it, then branching off, the posterior branch 

 curving to the base of the 2nd median nervule, the anterior 

 to midway of the 2nd discoidal and 1st median nervules, 

 becoming a part of the fold outside the cell. The upper 

 stem is rather more complex, proceeds less than i-6th 

 from the base, then branches off very curiously — the 

 posterior running nearly straight to the 1st discocellular 

 nervule, the anterior divided again into two, which form 

 a very elongated oval or loop, united again at their 

 terminal point on the subcostal at very near to the base 

 of the 2nd subcostal nervule. This latter arrangement is 

 also to be found in Ornithoptera and its subgenus. 

 The 2 differs only in the relative lengths of the branches 

 and the position of the terminal point of the upper stem, 

 which is below instead of above the base of the first discoidal 

 nervule. The fringe is always indicated in whitish very 

 finely and delicately, the folds between the nervules being 

 without the interrupted whitish sublunate spots of other 

 forms. Secondaries, smaller in proportion to the front wings 

 than in other Ornithoptera ; discoidal cell narrow, but not so 

 proportionally long as in upper wings ; all the veins very 

 straight and long, the nervures not robust ; the subcostal 



nervure shorter than in Pompeoptera or ^Etheoptera; with- 

 out any light lunate spots or lines between the ends of the 

 nervules ; the fringe merely a delicate whitish thin line as 

 in the upper wings. Abdominal fold half the length of 

 the inner margin, broader than in the other Ornithoptera ; 

 closed, and containing a brownish-white cottony or hairy 

 material, closely packed. Head and eyes bolder and 



slightly larger relatively than in other subgenera ; villose 

 covering of the palpi projecting to a slightly greater length 

 also ; the pronotal red collar more than twice as broad as 

 usual, and divided by a fine line of black at its nearest 

 to the head, the lower division being four times the width 

 of the other. The thorax stout, densely clothed with 

 velvety black hairs, the outlines of the tegulse invisible ; 

 underside with two oblique bands following the lines of 

 the femorse, and reaching from the trochanters to the base 

 of the wings, and a tuft of red at the base of the abdomen ; 

 abdomen also silky bluish or greenish black in both sexes ; 

 anal valves small, almost circular, densely clothed with 

 minute scales on dead brownish black, which extend 

 beyond and clothe all the space of three or four of the 

 subdorsal segments. Antennae straighter or a little less 

 robust than in other groups. Legs, with tarsi of second 

 and third pairs longer than first, and tibia of first pair 

 shortest ; the spur at the end of the tibiae less prominent 

 than in Ornithoptera or Pompeoptera ; the spur on the 

 middle of the first tibia not so long as in ^Etheoptera ; 

 the ungues the same as in other groups. 



2 . Little or no difference except that the width of the 

 pronotal collar is less than in the <? , and that the interno- 

 median nervule on upper wing, is not quite so long, and 

 is more upright, and that the precostal nervure has also a 

 very slightly different position and form. The pronotal 

 collar however in the var. Eleanor, Walker is as broad as 

 in the $ , and of the same shape. 



Type of the subgenus . 0. Brookeana. 



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