ACHEKONTIA. 



67 



Genus ACHERONTIA. 



Acherontia, Ochsen. Schmett. Eur. iv, p. 44 (1816). 



Type, A. atropos, L., from Europe. 



Range. India ; Java ; China ; Japan ; Philippines ; Europe ; 

 Africa. 



Palpi closely appressed to the face and but moderately thick ; 

 legs short and thick. Hind wing with the subcostals stalked. 



88. Acherontia styx, Westw. Cab. Or. Ent. p. 88, pi. 42, fig. 3 ; C.fy S. 



no. 164; Moore, Lep. Ceyl. ii, pi. 76, figs. 1, 1 a-c (pupa and larva). 



Acherontia medusa, JButl. Trans. Z. S. ix, p. 597 ; C. 8f S. no. 165. 



Head brown ; thorax dark blue-grey, with black lateral lines 

 which meet behind ; the centre of the thorax occupied by a fulvous 

 "skull-mark" with two black "eyes"; abdomen yellow, with 

 blackish segmental bands and a blue-grey stripe down the vertex. 

 Pore wing mottled with various shades of brown, fulvous, and 

 grey ; three indistinct antemedial lines ; a pale spot in the end of 

 cell ; two lunulate curved postmedial lines. Hind wing yellow 



ill 





Fig. 40. — Acherontia, styx, $ . \. 



with a postmedial black band not reaching the costa or anal angle ; 

 a similar submarginal maculate band. 



Differs from A. atropos in having two medial bands on the 

 underside of the fore wing instead of one, and no bands on the 

 underside of abdomen. 



Larva green, with oblique lateral yellow streaks on somites 4-10. 



Hab. Throughout India and Ceylon ; Asia Minor ; China ; Siam ; 

 Borneo ; Celebes ; Timor ; Philippines ; Japan. Exp. 106 millim. 



89. Acherontia lachesis, Fabr. Ent. Syst. Suppl. p. 434. 



Acherontia morta, Hilbn. Verz. p. 140; C. fy S. no. 166; Moore, 



Lep. Ceyl. ii, pi. 77, figs. 1, 1 a-c (larva and pupa). 

 Acherontia satanas, Boisd. Sp. Gen. pi. 16, fio\ 1. 

 Acherontia lethe, Westw. Cab. Or. Ent. p. 87, pi. 42, fig. 2. 



p2 



