ARCTIIDAE AND CTENUCHIDAE FORMERLY IN AUTOMOLIS 43 



palatability of priscilla, but it did produce the same type of warning display as in 

 those species of Selenarctia and Viviennea shown to be unpalatable by Blest. 

 Nothing is known about the early stages of any of the above species. 



Amphelarctia priscilla (Schaus) comb. n. 

 (Text-figs 9, 10; PI. 18, figs 106-110) 



Automolis priscilla Schaus, 191 1 : 183. Lectotype £, Costa Rica (BMNH), designated by- 

 Watson, 1971 -.76 [examined]. 

 Automolis priscilla Schaus; Hampson, 1920 : 171. [Fig. lacks dilated yellow mark.] 

 Automolis priscilla Schaus; Watson, 1971 : 76, pis 32 (type) and 130 (genitalia). 

 Automolis priscilla Schaus; Blest, 1964. [Protective display.] 



O*. Basal segment of palp orange-yellow, middle and apical segment light yellow, with 

 yellowish grey laterally. Front of head orange-yellow, with dark brown transverse bar in 

 middle which extends ventrally on each side of front in some specimens; vertex orange-yellow, 

 with small dark brown spot between antennae, and similar but larger spot posteromedially, 

 the latter with some pale yellow scales in middle. Antenna yellowish grey laterally, pale 

 yellow dorsally. Patagia orange-yellow, each with longitudinal yellowish brown band enclosing 

 pale yellow band near medial margin. Tegulae orange-yellow in middle, edged laterally and 

 medially with yellowish brown and pale yellow, with anterolateral patch of yellowish brown 

 edged with pale yellow. Rest of dorsal surface of thorax yellowish brown, with pale yellow 

 medial line. Ventral and pleural regions of thorax greyish yellow except for few orange- 

 yellow scales close to head and immediately ventral to wing bases. Tymbal organ with about 

 60 microtymbals. Fore-coxa orange-yellow; rest of leg pale greyish yellow, except for yellowish 

 brown band along front, outer and inner surfaces of femur, and along front surface of tibia 

 and tarsus; mid- and hindlegs as foreleg but yellowish brown on outer surface of femur 

 restricted to short distal streak. Wing venation as in figure. Upper surface of forewing dark 

 brown or yellowish brown, with orange-yellow postmedial patch anteriorly and with orange- 

 yellow vein vestiture (including vestige of Cu 2 and stem of M. Yellow line along lA dilated 

 at middle, the yellow extending to vestige of Cu 2 in some specimens (not lectotype) ; hindwing 

 orange-yellow, with dark brown terminal band, the latter broadest at anal margin; not reaching 

 apex of wing in one specimen from Peru. Under surface similar to upper surface, but forewing 

 invariably with large, orange-yellow area extending from base distally to about two-thirds 

 distance along anal margin and anteriorly to near posterior margin of cell. Dorsal surface of 

 abdominal segments 1 to 4 very dark brown medially, with weak, dark blue iridescence ; orange 

 laterally; 5 to 7 orange-yellow; 8 dark grey with yellowish white medial patch and yellowish 

 white posterior fringe; ventral surface of 2-6 orange-yellow, 7 similar but laterally with some 

 dark grey and with long, yellowish white, posterior fringe; 8 similar to 7, but lateral, dark 

 areas larger and posterior fringe much larger. 



§. Similar to <§ but antennae less densely setose, hindwing relatively greater in area, dark 

 brown terminal band of hindwing extending some distance along costal margin in the two 

 females from Fonte Boa, and posterior segment (7) of abdomen without long posterior fringe. 



Forewing length: lectotype g 18-5 mm; <$ 18-0-19-0 mm; § 19-5-22-0 mm. 



$ genitalia. Apodemes of eighth tergite and sternite approximately triangular ; apex of left- 

 hand valve directed anteriorly; apex of right-hand valve directed towards medial line; middle 

 of saccular margin of valve finely serrate, base of valve setose on inner (medial) surface ; uncus 

 weakly emarginate at apex ; vesica with four main lobes, three of these scobinate. 



$ genitalia as in figure. Lamella postvaginalis narrow; weakly emarginate at middle. 



