A REVISION OF THE ETHIOPIAN DREPANIDAE (LEPIDOPTER A) 7 



Madagascar 



Six genera of Oretinae, including 22 species, are present in Madagascar. Two of 

 these, Epicampoptera and Gonoreta, are mainly African in distribution but are 

 represented by three and one species respectively in Madagascar. The remaining 

 four genera are endemic to Madagascar. Crocinis is closely allied to the endemic 

 African genus Spidia and may have been derived from it ; Gonoretodes probably 

 has similar affinities with Gonoreta. Without more evidence it is difficult to decide 

 whether the two species-groups of Crocinis are the result of divergence from a single 

 ancestral stock probably originating in Africa or whether the two groups are derived 

 from two separate invasions from Africa. The affinities of the monotypic 

 Archidrepana Warren are obscure ; it seems to have no particularly close relative 

 in either Madagascar or Africa. Oretopsis gen. n. is possibly most closely related to 

 the Austro-oriental Oreta Walker and Psiloreta Warren, and may be a relict of a 

 once continuous fauna extending through Africa to India. 



No Drepaninae are known to occur in Madagascar. 



A new subfamily has been established for the endemic Nidara Mabille. 



Most of the species of Madagascan Drepanidae are known only from very short 

 series, and conclusions concerning their distribution in the island can not yet be 

 drawn, although the available data suggests that at least some of the species may be 

 restricted to humid, forested regions. 



TREATMENT 



Those species not fully described in the original description have been redescribed. 

 The following characters have been used : length and colour of the labial palps ; 

 degree of development of the proboscis ; shape of clypeo-frons ; colour and shape 

 of antennae (see note on antennal pectination ratio below) ; colour of thorax, legs 

 and abdomen ; presence or absence of tibial spurs and of fore tibial epiphysis ; 

 shape, size, coloration, colour-pattern and venation of wings; presence or absence 

 of brush-organs in the abdomen ; presence or absence of a frenulum on the male 

 hind wing ; structure of the male and female genitalia. Because of the high degree 

 of individual variation and the tendency of many pigments to fade, generalized 

 colour-terms such as " reddish brown ", " scarlet " and " pink " have been used 

 in preference to a more accurate method of colour description based on a colour-atlas. 



Wing measurements are given in the following form : mean of measurements 



taken (measured from apex of fore wing to centre of mesoscutum, with anal margin 



of wing at right-angles to longitudinal axis of thorax) ; range of measurements 



taken ; and, in brackets, the number of specimens measured. The length of the 



pectinations of the antennae is expressed as a percentage : A.P.R. (antennal 



. . length of longest antennal pectination x ioo 



pectination ratio) = — - — — j— = 



total length of antenna 



The genitalia of both sexes (where known) of every Ethiopian species have been 



illustrated. The drawings of the male genitalia of one species of each genus have 



been labelled according to the terms used in the corresponding generic description 



