GENERA OF AFRICAN LYCAENIDAE 



177 



Wing shape. Fore wing, costa arched at the base, then straight, apex slightly rounded, 

 outer margin convex ; hind wing oval, apex rounded, outer margin slightly scalloped at the 

 endings of the veins. 



The shape of the hind wing is not constant in the genus Poecilmitis. Whilst in 

 aethon, dicksoni, and Pyroeis it is approximately the same as in the type-species, 

 there is a short broad tail at vein ib in chrysaor, palmns and felthami which is more 

 or less pronounced also in the thysbe group. 



Wing venation (Text-fig. 311). Fore wing with 12 veins ; 6 and 7 from the upper angle of 

 the cell. 



Male genitalia (Text-fig. 158). Uncus roughly rectangular with broadly rounded angles and 

 a shallow median depression in the distal margin ; subunci long, curved; robust, with a short 

 apophysis on the lower edge of the curve, apex blunt ; tegumen oval ; vinculum rather narrow 

 with a short rounded saccus ; lower fultura small, shield-shaped, notched apically ; valves 

 oblong, with apex digitate, the upper processes connected on their inner surfaces by a thin 

 membrane which surrounds the penis ; penis long ; curving, swollen at its base, apex obliquely 

 truncate ; uncus and distal portion of valves sparsely pilose. 



In P. thysbe, P. palmns, P. felthami, P. chrysaor and P. aethon, the subunci bear an 

 apophysis as in lycegenes. This is lacking in dicksoni. 



In aethon and felthami the saccus is rounded and not prominent, but in thysbe, 

 palmus and chrysaor it is quadrangular and very prominent. 



The early stages of thysbe, palmus, chrysaor and pyroeis have been described by 

 Dickson 1943 (J. ent. Soc. sth. Afr. 6 : 37 ; 1944, 7 : 97 ; 1945, 8 : 99 ; 1947, 

 9 : 178, 10 : 128 ; 1948, 11 : 50). 



List of Species of Poecilmitis 



Poecilmitis adonis Pennington, 1962, /. ent. Soc. sth. Afr. 25 : 277, fig. 

 * Poecilmitis aethon (Trimen), 1887. 



Poecilmitis aridus Pennington, 1953, J. ent. Soc. sth. Afr. 16 : 104, fig. 



Poecilmitis atlantica Dickson, 1966, Entomologist's Rec. J. Var. 78 : 181, fig. 



Poecilmitis beaufortia Dickson, 1966, I.e., 78 : 109, fig. 

 *Poecilmitis chrysaor (Trimen), 1864. Fig. Trimen, 1887. 



Fig. 158. Poecilmitis lycegenes (Trimen), o* genitalia. 



