GENERA OF AFRICAN LYCAENIDAE 



215 



Group IV : virgae excitatae absent, tectorius present, uncus and subunci well 

 developed. 

 T. bowkeri Trimen ; Bethune Baker, 1918 : 295, pi. 17, fig. 15. 

 T. thespis L. ; Bethune Baker, 1918 : 296. 



This fourth group of species departs rather markedly from the others. The 

 venation differs slightly in that vein n of the fore wing is anastomosed with vein 12 

 for some distance, whereas in the other species the two veins only touch at a point. 

 The external appearance is also different, the pattern of the underside being heavier ; 

 in respect of the genitalia, in thespis (Text-fig. 188) the uncus consists of two narrow 

 subtriangular lobes with rounded apices, the subunci are bent, very long and slender, 

 with a terminal hook ; the tegumen is reduced to a narrow band, vinculum 

 moderately broad above, narrow below, tectorius well developed, valves fusiform, 

 very elongate, broadly fused to the vinculum and apically rounded ; penis elongate, 

 very swollen at the level of the floor of the genital cavity, then suddenly narrowed 

 and ending in a sharp point ; vesica shagreened in appearance ; lobes of the uncus 

 and apices of the valves pilose. 



The early stages of T. rosacea have been described by Chapman and Buxton (1919, 

 Entomologist's mon. Mag. 55 : 163-173), those of T. sybaris by Murray (1935, 153), 

 Gowan C. Clark (1942,/. ent.Soc. sth. Afr. 5 : 115-118), and Pinhey (1949, : 112) ; 

 those of T. thespis by Dickson (1944, /. ent. Soc. sth. Afr. 7 : 20-29). 



The caterpillars of thespis feed on species of Rhamnaceae, those of rosacea and 

 sybaris on species of Zizyphus. In Europe theophrastus has been found on Zizyphus 

 vulgaris Lam. 



Fig. 188. Tarucus thespis (Linnaeus), $ genitalia. 



