DANAIS. By B. Hacnsch. 113 



3. Family: Danaidae. 



Particulars as to the characters of this family are given in the Palaearctic part of this work (vol. I, p. 75). 

 The Danaids are distinguished from the Pierids especialh' bj' the aborted forelegs ; from the Heliconines, Nj'mph- 

 alids and Satyrids by the basally bifurcate submedian of the forewing. The antennae are thin, without distinct club. 

 Cell of the hindwing long and closed. In America the true Danaids are only represented by a few species of the 

 genus Danais, which belong to the subgroup Anosia and are mostly met with in a large number of individuals 

 iu wooded country (especially in North America). In South America on the contrary an externally very dif- 

 ferent subfamily, the ItJiomiinae, is developed in numerous genera and hundreds of species, which are com- 

 monest at the tributaries of the Upper Amazon, in the valleys of the Andes, but occur singly as far as Argen- 

 tina and North America. A third small group, the Lycoreinae, forms the transition between the two before- 

 mentioned subfamilies and combines characters of both. Its representatives are most numerous in the central 

 part of America. 



1. Subfamily: Danainae. 



Wings broad, abdomen short. The scent-organ of the cJ^J consists of scale-like structures or pouches on 

 the hindwing. The forelegs of the $$ are short, clubbed at the end. 



1. Clenus: Danais Latr. 



Powerful, mostly yellow-brown butterflies with dark margins and whitish dots. They have a long- 

 sustained flight and are fond of the open country, accompanying cultivation further and further into the prim- 

 eval forests as soon as a few clearings have been formed where the foodplants of the larvae, species of As- 

 clepias, can get a foothold. The larvae are bright-coloured, with transverse stripes, and provided with soft 

 appendages. Pupae bell-shaped, with gold ridges or dots. 



A. Archippus Group. 



Larvae with 2 pairs of fleshy appendages. Cell of the hindwing long. ^ with moderately small scent-spot. 



D. archippus F. (= plexippus L.) (vol. I, pi. 28c). Body black-brown, hairy, with whitish dots archippus. 

 and streaks. Wings above brown-A^ellow with dark veins and margins; at the distal margin a double row of 

 small whitish spots. Above the end of the cell of the forewing a black-brown patch with several brownish whit- 

 ish spots. On the imder surface the hindwing is yellowish, the veins with broader edges and the white marginal 

 spots larger. — From Nicaragua southwards occurs a local race which I call nigrippus form. nov. In this the nigrippus. 

 whole apex of the forewing as far as the end of the cell is black-brown and the spots are pure white. This form 

 especially is found also in the north of South America. — Hulst designates as fumosus a form of archippus with fumosus. 

 dark black-brown ground-colour. — Larva yellowish with black transverse stripes and has on the 3. and on the 

 11. segment 1 pair of fleshj' appendages. It lives on Asclepias curassavica and requires about 3 weeks for its 

 development. It is protected by its pungent, nauseous smell. Pupa light green, transparent, with golden dots. 

 In North America archippus has as many as four broods. The butterflies of the first appear at the end of May. 

 Sometimes they occur in large swarms. In America the species is found from Canada to Paraguay. The typical 

 northern form, however, extends southwards only to Central America. 



D. erippus Cr. (31a) is very nearly allied to archipipus, but always differs from it by the absence of erippus. 

 the black-brown inner margin of the forewing. Moreover the veins on the under surface of the hindwing are 

 broadly margined with white. Larva yellowish with black head and transverse stripes. On the 2. and 11. seg- 

 ments 2 appendages each; the anterior ones are used as antennae. Pupa berry-shaped, thickest at segment 6, 

 transparent white-green with shiny gold dots. The habitat of erippus is Brazil from whence it has spread south- 

 wards to Patagonia (Berg) and northwards to Central America and the West Indian islands. 



D. cleophile Godt. The smallest American species; it differs from all the other forms in having the mar- cleopliile. 

 ginal and apical spots yellowish instead of white. The apex of the forewing is broadly black. This rare and 

 beautiful species occurs only on the West Indian islands, particularly Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica. 



B. GUippus Group. 



Larvae with 3 pairs of fleshy appendages. Cell of the hindwing short. ^ with moderately large scent-spot. 



D. gilippus Cr. (= vincetoxici Hbn., manuja Ersch.) (31a). Similar to erippus, but smaller and with- rjiUppus. 

 out the black transverse band in the apex of the forewing. Between the median veins of the forewing inside 

 th£ black margin 4 additional larger, white spots. Further a number of white spots are placed at the end of the 

 cell of the hindwing. Veins in the disc of the hindwing beneath only narrowly edged with white. Abdomen 

 brownish. South America, especially at the coast near Eio de Janeiro, but also in Bolivia. — nivosus Godm. nivnsus. 



V 15 



