16^ 



DISMENITIS. By B. Haensch. 

 33. Genus: Disuienitis Esch. 



The species of this genus were formerly united with those of Hymenitis. In the ^^ the lower radial 

 of the hindwing is completely developed, hence the cell is closed. In the $ the upper radial is partly coin- 

 cident with the subcostal; the lower radial is distinctly present; the lower discocellular is angled, with short 

 upper arm and recurrent vein. 



The genus contains for the most part imposing-looking species, some of them brightly coloured, which 

 inhabit especially the high mountain range of the eastern Andes near the Equator. Some species also fly 

 in the mountains of Central America. 



zavaleta. D. zavaleta Hew. (41 c), from Colombia and Peru, has yellow-dusted wings, a transverse band in the 



cell of the forewing and broad black distal margin to the hindwing with white dots. The distal half of 



amaretta. the antenna is yellowish. — In the form amaretta Hsch., from eastern Ecuador, the transverse band through 



the cell of the forewing is absent, on the other hand the basal third of the cell is dark-shaded. The distal 



margin of the hindwing is narrower and the white dots are smaller. In the Q the base of the hindwing is 



matronalis. broadly black. — matronalis Weym., from Ecuador and the Upper Amazon, is a form of zavaleta in which 



telesilla. the white marginal dots are entirely absent above and beneath. — telesilla Hew., from western Ecuador, 



has a similar cj to amaretta, with weaker yellow dusting and without the dark half-band across the end 



of the cell of the forewing. The distal margin of the hindwing is broader with very small white dots. The 



$, in which the distal margin of the hindwing is twice as broad, may be recognised -especiallj' by a large 



red-yellow spot at the inner margin of the hindwing. 



nonussa. D. gonussa Hew. (41 c, d, (^, 5)! from Colombia, is somewhat larger than the preceding species. The 



(J is similarly marked to the 5 of zavaleta. The half-band at the end of the cell of the forewing is broader 

 and the wing has white marginal dots on the upper surface also. In the $ the black markings are much 

 broader and the yellow dusting of the ^ is in this red-brown. The white marginal dots of the hindwing 

 peiersi. are much larger. — petersi Dew., also from Colombia, is a form of the preceding in which the red-brown 

 colour on the forewing and at the apex of the hindwing becomes bright yellow. 



zygia. D. zygia Godm. & Salv. (41 d), from Costa Eica, is similar to gonussa. In the ^J not oirly the trans- 



verse band in the cell but also the whole of the forewing is shaded with dark. The yellowish spots round 

 the end of the cell are larger and joined into a band. The disc of the hindwing is brownish yellow near 

 the veins, especially at the inner margin. In the $ the inner margin of the forewing is red-brown in the 

 middle as far as the median, as is also the entire disc of the hindwing. The black distal margin is narrower 

 sosunga. than in gonussa and not proximallj^ dentate at the veins. — sosunga Beak, is a form from Honduras with 

 broader yellow oblique band on the forewing and broadly blackish apex to the hindwing. Hence in the ^ 

 only the basal half of the hindwing is red brown. 



dircenna. D. dircenna Fldr. (41 c) strongly recalls certain species of the genus Dircenna, such as e.fidero, etc.,- 



but may be recognised by the neuration of the hindwing. The forewing has 2 narrow half-bands across 

 the end of the cell and through the middle of it. The black distal margin of the hindwing is broadened and 

 dentate at the anal angle and in the $ there is a roundish black spot at the end of the cell. This interesting 



■pittheis. species flies in the eastern Andes from Colombia to Bolivia. — pittheis Weym., from Colombia, is a similar 

 form, without the bands on the hindwing and with diaphanous forewing. On the under surface the margins 



barrdti. are yellow-brown, with a white dot at the apex and the distal margin of the hindwing. — barretti Dan. 

 is another similar form from Peru without the bands in the cell of the forewing and at the end of the 

 cell and the distal margin of the hindwing. There are 4 white dots in the black distal margin of the hind- 

 wing aboA^e. 



duilia. D. duilia Hew. (41 d) is one of the largest and most beautiful species of the whole family. When 



the sunlight falls on the bluish-white-dusted wings the most magnificent colour effects are produced. On 

 the forewing the veins and margins are edged with dark brown; only beyond the end of the cell at the costal 

 margin there is a yellow-red stripe. The hindwing has a broad dark brown costal margin and a broad red- 

 brown inner margin as far as the 1. median vein, duilia flies in the eastern Andes from Colombia to Bolivia 

 and is not rare at certain places. A deceptively similar species is the smaller Hymenitis alphesiboea (41 f). 



nepos. Another similar form is nepos Weyin. (= lora Stgr.), from Colombia. The streak at the costal margin of the 

 forewing is only half as long and yellow-brown. The costal margin of the hindwing is much more narrowly 

 bordered i^dth dark. The inner margin is likewise narrower and dark brown, only reddish at the base. The 

 neuration is also somewhat different. 



Ihcudclinda. D. theudelinda Hew. (41 d), from the eastern Andes from Colombia to Peru, is very similar to Vel- 



amysta jmrdalis (40 e). But the band-like marking at the apex of both wings is absent, on the other hand 



a dark spot is placed at the end of the cell of the hindwing. The marking is fairly similar in both sexes. 



hermana. — hertnana Hsch., from Ecuador, is a very similar form. In the ^ the costal and subcostal of the hindwing 



