314 CALIGO. By H. Frtthstorfer. 



7. Genus: Califfo Hbn. 



To this genus belong the most imposing forms of the whole family, which equally with the Morphids 

 contribute to the character of the South American insect fauna, as some sj)ecies are even among the commonest 

 butterflies tluroughout the whole region. They are noteworthy not only for theii' gigantic size and the peculiar, 

 mostly dull but nevertheless often ver}^ rich colouring of the wings, but also for their crepuscular habits, which 

 do not fail to impress even the layman. Structurally Galigo nearly approaches the genus Eryphanis, with 

 which it agrees in the small precostal cell of the liindAving, notwithstanding the gigantic size of the species. 

 The Caligonids differ, however, from Eryphanis in the longer and more distinctly angled middle discocellular 

 of the forewing, and the lower discocellular is steeper, not placed almost transversely. The oval androconial 

 spot at the inner margin of the hindwing which is characteristic of Eryphanis is wanting in Galigo, but they have in 

 common with the former a bare friction-area adjoninig the submedian, either with or without hair-pencil, and ante- 

 riorly at the subcosteJ a more or less distinct mealy spot. The pattern of the under surface reaches in Galigo the high- 

 est development of all the Brassolids and consists of delicate, reticulate, waved figures and striation, arranged in 

 alternately light and dark shades on and in contrast with the yellowish ground. On the hindwing two large, brilliant- 

 ly marked ocelli stand out very effectively, the anterior often crescentic, placed between the costal and subcostal, 

 the posterior larger and placed between the first two median veins, often extending across them. These ocelli 

 bear in their designs the greatest resemblance to the eyes m a peacock's tail, except that the latter are of a 

 shining blue, whilst in Galigo the ground-colour is a beautiful orange, gradually shading off through brown 

 into the deepest velvety black. The brilliant markings of the mider surface induced Latreille to give to the 

 genus the much more characteristic name of Pavonia, which unfortunately has had to sink on the score of prio- 

 rity. — Eyes naked or hairy. Palpus rather large, projecting far bej^oncl the head, anteriorly densely covered 

 with long, appressed hah's, with a hair-tuft dorsally. Terminal joint pointed. Antenna thin and delicate, 

 scarcely reaching % the length of the wing, only gradually tliiekened towards the end. Forewing with strong 

 costal vein and 5-branched subcostal, the fu'st two veins arising before the end of the cell, but branches 

 3 and 4 placed near together almost in the apex of the wing. Cell broad and large, reaching almost to % of 

 the wing, all 3 discocellulars well developed. Upper discocellular nearly as long as the loAver. Larva slender, 

 slightly arched in the middle, head with two to eight horns, some of which bear bristles. Abdomen produced 

 into two pomts. Dorsum with five or six false spines. Ground-colour whitish or brown, frequently also green, 

 always with both lateral and dorsal stripes. Favourite food-plants bananas, also Marantaceae; larva as a 

 rule on the underside of the leaves, feeding chiefly at night, in the later stages hiding between diy, hanging 

 leaves. Pupa moderately broad, a little narrowed anteriorly and posteriorly. Dorsal edge mostly strongly 

 projecting. Colour yellowish to brown or reddish, on the wing-cases sometimes silvery spots. Pupal stage 

 20 — 25 days, but in some species of shorter duration. The imagmes mhabit exclusively the dense forests, where 

 they keep near the ground and by preference at the foot of-the old trees. They are crepuscular butterflies which 

 are only rarely met with by day. But if one happens to start them up they hide themselves very cleverly 

 in the tliickets and on the tree-trmiks with the wmgs folded, and thus find protection. On the Amazon Dr. 

 HJlHNel once observed a bu'd chasmg a Galigo euriloclius, but the butterfly eluded the beak of its pursuer 

 again and again with incredible dexterity, as it flew from one thicket to another, until at last the hunted 

 insect was concealed in the thickest confusion of branches and the tired bird had to desist from further pur- 

 suit. Profiting by the habit of the Caligos of frequenting those places where fallen fruit is lying, one can 

 bait them with bananas, and I often succeeded in tliis way in capturing 20 — 25 examples of G. beltrao in one 

 day. Some species, such as G. martia, visit bleeding trees, where they often sit for hours at the exudations. 

 Occasionally on e.specially sultry days they even leave the wood and rest at its edge or on the road, and on the 

 Capivary River in Santa Catharina I once found whole columns of G. beltrao, which, arranged like out- 

 posts, sat in long lines, one near to another, so that I did not laiown which to take first. In Colombia G. oileus 

 Fldr. was met with on mule dung. 



Like all large-winged species the Caligos uoAvhere ascend above the densest vegetation zone and it is 

 probable that they never reach beyond 1000 m. above sea-level. Consequently they prefer the tropical zone, 

 with a few offshoots into the subtropical region. Northwards some forms extend as far as Mexico, south- 

 wards to Paraguay and Bolivia. According to GodmAis"^ and SALvrx two groups may be separated on the ground 

 of the copulatory organs. 1) G. oileus and eurilochus group with the valve simply dentate dorsally. 2) G. 

 atreus group, valve with a dorsal, medial process, which itself is again dentate. 



I. Sect. Anagraph! Stick. 



Hindwing of the o ""itliout liair-pencil on the bare fi'ictiou-area at the hindmargin. 



