A RECLASSIFICATION 



OF THE ARCTIIDAE AND CTENUCHIDAE 



FORMERLY PLACED IN THE THYRETID 



GENUS AUTOMOLIS HUBNER (LEPIDOPTERA) 



WITH NOTES ON WARNING COLORATION AND SOUND 



By A. WATSON 



CONTENTS 



Synopsis ..... 



Introduction .... 



Supra-generic classification 



Species classification 



Warning coloration and mimicry . 



Warning sounds .... 



Scent-distributing organs 



Early stages .... 



Abbreviations of depositories 



Acknowledgements 



Reclassification of species formerly in 



New genera . . . 



Previously described genera . 

 References ..... 

 Index ...... 



Automolis 



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SYNOPSIS 



The 1 68 Neotropical species of Arctiidae and Ctenuchidae hitherto placed in Automolis 

 Hubner are redescribed and reassigned to 35 other genera, of which 32 (11 new) are Arctiid 

 and three Ctenuchid. Only the type-species, an African Thyretid, remains in Automolis. 

 Four new species are described and 16 species-group names are newly synonymized. Aposematic 

 coloration, sound production, mimicry and male scent-producing organs are discussed. 



INTRODUCTION 



The primary purpose of this paper is to reclassify the numerous species of Neotropical 

 Arctiinae hitherto placed in the genus Automolis Hubner ([18196] : 170), the type- 



