﻿120 



P0MPE0PTERA MIRANDA, var. Neomiranda. 



Friihstorfer, Ornithoptera Neomiranda, " Societas Entomologica, Zurich," t.c. p. 57 (1903) ; "Osthalfte Sumatra," p. 1903 (1903). 



This splendid insect may be worthy of full specific rank. 

 It is a much larger form than the $ of Miranda, and though 

 the anterior wings closely resemble those of the latter, 

 their great size, more rounded apex, and the adnervular 

 yellow rays, with the distal yellow mark of the cell differ- 

 entiate Neomiranda from Miranda. But in the posterior 

 wings we observe greater differences. The wings have a 

 stronger, bolder appearance, the submarginal (or admar- 

 ginal) border of black is wider and more strongly denticu- 

 lated than in Miranda, and altogether there is a strong 

 suggestion of its specific difference. 



$ . Anterior wings deep velvet black, with an appear- 

 ance or suggestion of a bluish tint : but this is so faint and 

 fugitive as to completely elude any definition of it. In 

 Miranda the violet tint is easily seen in a proper light, but 

 here we have a strong black which we know must have a 

 violet blue mingling, though the eye is unable to find that 

 tint. 



The veins, except the median, are almost invisible, being 

 hidden by the velvety black, except where they pass 

 through the yellow rays ; the adnervular rays extend from 

 the inner angle to the 2nd subcostal nervule, and are 

 longer than in Miranda : these are all yellow and graduated 

 into a dull grey towards the outer margin, and uniformly 

 subdued by brown scales ; a small area of the same colour 

 is at the distal end of the discoidal cell, and the terminal 

 of the central pseudoneurus. 



Posterior wings : very rich golden yellow, with prominent 

 black veins ; base of wings black ; the submarginal (or 

 admarginal) dark border broad, especially towards the 

 anal angle, with long dentations or lunations interiorly, 

 and with the outline of the wing also deeply dentate or 

 lunate : this border is violet black, like the black of the 



anterior wing ; the interior marginal fold is also purple 

 black. A delicate hairy fringe flows from the base over 

 the yellow of the cell and submedian area. 



Undersurface of anterior wings as above, except that 

 undefinable sheen of the black, is rather more seen, and 

 the yellow ravs and yellow end of the cell are not subdued 

 by the brown scaling. 



Undersurface of posterior wings as above, except that 

 the yellow is slightly richer, and the admarginal dentate 

 black border is slightly narrower than above — the apices 

 of the dentations of the upper surface appearing through 

 as green apices above the black of the undersurface ; the 

 costal, sub costal and basal areas of the wings black ; the 

 interior or abdominal margin black, light sienna, and with 

 a burnt umber fringe. 



The hind or outer margin is nearly straight, with white 

 fringe lunules : the interior margin is also nearly straight. 

 Length of abdomen or antennae 35 mms. [In the example 

 before me the antennae are too short, having been broken 

 and glued on again.] Length of thorax with head 23 mms. 



Head, antennae and thorax black ; eyes nitid brown ; 

 abdomen golden yellow, with a dorsal burnt sienna stripe ; 

 anal valves buff white. 



Length of costa 90, of outer margin 63, and of inner 

 margin about 45 mms ; greatest length of posterior wing 

 63, and width about 40 mms. 



Habitat, W. Sumatra, (Friihstorfer). 



In the Tring Museum. 



