Uranotaenia in Solomon Islands — Belkin 
S. Hollingshead, V. R. Roa); lM(Sta. 5) 
Matanikau, night hand catch, Mar. 14, 1944 
(M. Cohen); 4M, 9F, HL, 3P, Tenaru, Oct. 
18, 1943 (J. G. Franclemont) ; 3M(K-949) 
Aug. 24, 1943 (K. L. Knight); lM(K-892) 
Dec. 26, 1943 (K. L. Knight); lF(K-962) 
Dec. 27, 1943 (K. L. Knight); IM, 2F, 
4L(NMSS-29-39) Mar. 3, 1943 (Weathersby 
and Knapp); lM(0-24) Sept. 10, 1943 (P. 
W. Oman); lM(0-33) Sept. 10, 1943 (P. W. 
Oman); 2M, 3F(0-34) Sept. 10, 1943 (P. W. 
Oman); IM, 2F(0-35) Sept. 13, 1943 (P. W. 
Oman); lF(0-38) June 19, 1944 (P. W. 
Oman); lL(K-889), 2L(K-908) (K. L. 
Knight); IL, lP(K-782) Oct. 14, 1943 (K. 
L. Knight). 
Variation 
The variation in the extent of the light- 
scaling of the head and thorax of adults of 
U. solomonis is much less than in any other 
species of Uranotaenia from the Solomons. 
The light scales are almost pure white, show- 
ing only rarely a faint bluish tinge, and are 
always arranged in narrow lines. The abdom- 
inal light-scaling shows a moderate variation 
but is always extensive on segments 1,2, and 
3. It is frequently greatly reduced on segment 
4 and can be almost completely absent from 
this segment. The transverse apical white band 
on segment 5 is generally very prominent and 
reaches the sternite laterally, but in a few spec- 
imens it is not complete, perhaps due to a 
teneral condition. The white-scaling on seg- 
ment 3 of the hind tarsus covers from one to 
two thirds of the segment. The light-scaling 
of the wing shows the usual variation in ex- 
tent but is invariably white. 
The variation in the chaetotaxy of immature 
stages is shown in Tables 1 and 2. There is 
more variation in the branching of the stellate 
hairs of the larva than in any other species 
studied. Extremes of variation frequently oc- 
cur in the same collection and even in the 
same individual. The range of variation in the 
branching of pupal hairs is moderate. Two 
pupae have hair 12-11 well developed, the 
357 
only instance of the occurrence of this hair 
outside of U. quadrimaculata. 
The majority of specimens from New 
Georgia show a reduction of the light-scaling 
on the abdomen with an almost complete 
absence of light-scaling on segment 4 and a 
corresponding weakening of the apical band 
on segment 5, particularly in the female. 
There is also in these specimens a more ex- 
tensive white-scaling of segment 3 of the hind 
tarsus. This is more pronounced in the female, 
and in a few specimens there remains only a 
faint basal dorsal dark streak on this segment. 
I have not been able to find any constant 
differences in the immature stages in this ma- 
terial and, therefore, am regarding the New 
Georgia specimens as a local race for the 
present. The Bougainville specimens agree 
very well with the material from Guadalcanal. 
Specimens examined: 163M; 194F; 89P; 
478L. Individual rearings: 36 larval. 
Taxonomic Discussion 
Uranotaenia solomonis is closely related to U. 
albescens Taylor, 1914, described from Towns- 
ville, Queensland, and has been treated as a 
part of that species in the past (Paine and 
Edwards, 1929: 304; Edwards, 1932: 97; Lee, 
1944: 19; and Knight, Bohart, and Bohart, 
1944: 68). I have not seen specimens of Tay- 
lor’s species, but from his description as well 
as Lee’s figures of the larva of U. albescens 
from New Guinea (1944: 19) it appears that 
U. solomonis is at least a distinct subspecies. 
The adults of U. solomonis appear to differ 
from U. albescens in the more extensive white- 
scaling on segment 3 of the hind tarsus as 
Taylor states that only its apex is white in 
77. albescens. If Taylor’s description is correct, 
U. solomonis differs also in that it has a very 
narrow line of white scales on apn and less 
extensive scaling on abdominal segment 4 
and perhaps also 5. 
Taylor’s description of the larva is not suf- 
ficiently detailed for comparison. It only in- 
dicates that the larvae of the two forms belong 
to the same group. Lee’s figures (1944: 19) 
