MEGALURA. By Dr. A. Szrrz. 469 
M. crethon F. (= crithon Godt.) (96 b). Under surface very similar to the preceding species, likewise 
satiny white, but with a peculiar rosy violet tinge. Above the wings are earth-brown with white median band 
and 6 small white spots in the distal area, of which the one in cellule 5 is displaced proximally, that in cellule 6 
distally. Before the distal margin often white dots. Probably distributed over the whole of northern South 
America, sometimes occurring with broader, sometimes with narrower white band, but seems to be often rather 
rare. 
M. catulus Fldr. is quite similar to crethon, but the median band is very narrow, the hindwing before 
the distal margin with stronger stripes and at the anal angle with more distinct orange spot; on the forewing 
only the upper white dots are clear and well developed. Ecuador. 
M. orsilochus F. (= cinna Cr.) (96b). Likewise resembles crethon above, but in the distal area of the 
forewing instead of the row of dots a second, narrower, white band runs about parallel to the proximal one. 
Under surface, however, quite different; this is not traversed by fine grey lines, as in crethon, but by broad 
brown bands tinged with gold-yellow. The tails of the hindwing very long and pointed. Northern South America, 
especially Venezuela; in many places rare. 
M. corinna Latr. (96c). Brown, forewing with rather narrow orange band, hindwing with violet 
reflection on the disc. Under surface distinctive, showing besides other silvery markings a silver median band 
(quite straight on the hindwing). The 9 has on the upperside of the forewing a white band, according 
to STAUDINGER sometimes light yellow. Colombia to Amazons. — lazulina Fruhst. (96 c) are specimens of the 
smaller Peru form, such as are obtained in numbers from Chanchamayo; they are quite like corinna, but have 
the proximal boundary of the orange band of the forewing irregular and the tails of the hindwing brighter 
red-yellow. 
M. marcella Fldr. (Q = valetta Btlr. & Druce) (96d). In this common butterfly the whole disc of the 
forewing in the ¢ is orange, and in addition the apical part of the hindwing. The under surface is almost 
exactly like that of corinna, so that the two were for a long time regarded as forms of one species. Central 
America and northern South America. 
M. corita Ww. (= theonis Bdv.) (96d). Upper surface almost exactly as in marcella; the apex of the 
forewing perhaps somewhat more pointed, the hindwing before the tail with beautiful violet metallic crescents, 
which in marcella are at most only indicated. Quite different is the under surface, where a dark brown band, 
only shaded with silver, runs through the-middle. Mexico to Central America. Common in the woods of Vera 
Paz, on river-beds. — phiale Godm. & Salv. is said to be quite like corita in the 3 upperside, but differs in the 
more red-yellow under surface. The 9, which in corita is dark brown with ochreous band on the forewing, is in 
phiale vouch paler, with narrower ochre band, but with lighter, yellow-grey transverse bands and stripes. From 
the volcano Atitlan in Guatemala. 
M. hermione Fidr. (= heraldicus Bates, 9 = funebris Btlr.) (96d). In the 3 the larger inner-marginal 
half of the forewing is bright orange, the distal part of the wing black-brown; the 9, which BurTiEer described 
as funebris, is reddish yellow-brown, with ferruginous transverse bands. The species is distributed from Guate- 
mala to Peru and Bolivia and varies strongly, but more according to habitat and elevation or individually than 
geographically. The 2° in particular are very inconstant and the gg vary with regard to the delimitation 
of the orange basal part; many show violet-blue reflections at the proximal edge of the black distal part, but 
never so strong as in ole. — Kirpy’s Catalogue cites with this form an M. poeyi Sagra from Cuba; this is un- 
known to me, but the following species, iole, has been occasionally recorded from the Antilles, as by CRAMER 
and Drury. 
M. iole Drury (= furcula F., zosteria Hbn.) (96 e). The colours of the g as in the preceding, but 
the red-yellow on the basal part restricted, often only visible on the forewing, and behind it on the black disc 
a very intensive, glorious violet-blue reflection. The 9 is distinguished from the more grey-brown @ of 
the preceding species by the red-brown tone and rust-yellow oblique band, yet both species vary strongly 
in this. From Central America through Colombia and Venezuela to Ecuador and Peru. Common. 
M. peleus Sulz (= petreus Bates) (96 e). Fiery fox-red with black (southern form) or brown (northern 
form) transverse stripes. Recognizable by the tooth of the forewing below the apex, which projects far distal, 
the long, quite straight, somewhat spatulate tail at the median of the hindwing and the shorter (but always 
several mm in length) tail at the anal angle. Costal and distal margins, especially in southern specimens, strongly 
blackened. — Larva violet-reddish, white on the venter, the abdominal segments sulphur-yellow above. The 
head bears 2 horns, the 5th, 7th, 9th and 11th segments each an erect, soft filiform process on the back. The 
pupa dull white with small black spots and long spines on head, thorax and abdominal segments and distinct dorsal 
carina. The larva on Cachou (Anacardium). The butterfly is common; in consequence of the strongly produced 
forewing it much resembles Colaenis julia, Dione juno etc., with which I took it on the same flowering shrubs. 
crethon. 
calulus. 
orsilochus. 
corinna. 
luzulina. 
marcella. 
corita 
phiale. 
hermione. 
poeyi. 
iole. 
peleus. 
