36 
SYNTOMIDAE; GENERAL TOPICS. By Dr. A. Seitz. 
other, I mention besides the Macrocneme also the Antichloris, Pompilicdes, Saurita, Calonotus, Psoloptera, 
Ichoria, Eriphioides, Horama, and Pseudopompilia- species. As in many districts 2 species of wasps belong to 
the most common Marimbondos, one of which has cpiite blackish-blue forewings, the other such with white 
apices, we also have two different types of imitators: Pompiliodes aliena with, and Pomp, tenebrosa without 
white apices of the wings; Macrocneme evelina with them and Macr. lades w i t h o u t them; Pterygopterus 
leucomelas w i t h and Pt. caeruleus without them, and so on. To the imitators of quite different insect- 
orders belong yet the Correbia and Correbidia, as well as single species of Dycladia, which have copied the un¬ 
eatable species of coleopters of the soft-winged genus of Colobothea. 
As regards the habits of the Syntomidae, it is easily comprehensible that they are not the same in all 
the more than 1800 American species. It seems also that the behaviour is not the same in the different countries. 
Schrottky, for instance, reports that in Paraguay the Syntomidae are the most common in the dense forest. 
The contrary is the case in Brazil, where the Syntomidae, like all the diurnal butterflies, are absent altogether 
on account of the lack of flowers. On the other hand, they bustle about on open hillsides, on the slopes of 
mountains, on clearings, and on broad roads; at any rate I have gained the impression that they in any case 
need sunshine which is entirely absent in the dense woods. 
As Schrottky infers from this behaviour the inefficiency of the masking of the Syntomidae, the actual 
behaviour of the mimetic species must be also dealt with here. Schrottky furthermore concludes that the 
theory of the protective mimicry is disproved by the fact that the Syntomidae are timid butterflies. ,,If indeed“, 
he argues, ,,any protective effect is produced by the similarity to valiant wasps, this would be expressed by 
the behaviour of the animal and the butterflies themselves would show their confidence in their mimicry by 
being to a certain degree phlegmatic". What is missed here by the observer, I have been able to observe in 
fact in so great a number of American Syntomidae that 1 must consider it to be common to all the mimetic 
forms. Not one Syntomid known to me is difficult to capture; many may simply be taken with the hands, or 
they scarcely fly off; certainly they are not more timid than their patented models. The Pepsis wasps, it is 
true, in spite of their fearful venomous sting, also fly off on approaching them uncautiously; they are even 
much less confident than their European allies Ammophila sabulosa, Psammophila viatica etc. swarming about 
before our feet on sunny roads. I cannot make out which of the'mimetic Syntomidae Schrottky has meant 
in his observations; he only mentions the Macrocneme , and with respect to them I must absolutely contest 
the behaviour stated by him. The only true fact is that the animals, when flying, exhibit a swift flight (exactly 
like their models!); but when they sit on a blossom, one may often capture one specimen from a bush, without 
the one next to it taking to flight. 
Some Syntomidae, however, are so daring that they do not even fly up on being touched, but move their 
abdomen in a wagging way, with their wings being spread, consequently just as if they would wish to threaten 
thereby, as also some of our Aegeriidae do. Already in dealing with the Syntomis- species of the germanus-gxoxvp 
(Vol. II, p. 38) I have mentioned that the Syntomis copy even the jerking movements of the model wasp 
( Poli-stes), and this also applies to very many American species. 
I have thought it necessary to deal with this matter particularly exhaustively, because a real disproval 
of the explanation of the protective mimicry would render the exterior and the biological behaviour of most of 
the American Syntomidae incomprehensible; all the other commentaries one has tried to give with respect to 
its exterior being unlike a butterfly have not been able to stand the ground of a logical examination and do 
not throw any light whatever on many biological peculiarities making the presumption of a protective mimicry 
easily comprehensible. 
Although most of the Syntomidae (in contrast with very many butterflies of Tropical America) seem 
to be bound to a certain season, still members of the family are met with rather all the year round. The time 
when most of the Brazilian trees are blossoming, seemed to me to be also the height of the season for the 
Syntomidae ; on such blossoming trees, I found particularly the larger species, Isanthrene, Homoeocera, Cosmo- 
soma, Gymnelia, Mesolasia, and the like. Trichura, Tipulodes, Ctenucha, Napata are fond of sitting on umbels, 
about in the attitude of our Zygaena, and Macrocneme, Dinia, Antichloris, Pseudomya, Psoloptera love bushes 
covered with blossoms. Even the small Papilionaceae growing in low bolsters of blossoms and replacing in 
America our Thymus, are much frequented by some low-flying forms, as we have them before us in certain 
Abrochia, Diptilon, Loxophlebia, Pheia, Chrostosoma, Leucotmemis and many others. 
Particularly favourite plants for Syntomidae are furthermore the Senecio-species, also Eupatorium, 
Vernonia, Solidago, and similar herbs; sometimes Syntomidae are gregariously met with there, and the said 
blossoms seems to be for the American Syntomidae the same what the thistles and scabious are for the Zygaena- 
species with us. Jorgensen has observed that Synthomidae were sucking up the sap of Senecio to which the 
stings of Hymenoptera on the stalk and leaves of the plant provided access. 
Although the Syntomidae love the day-time and the sun, yet they also fly at night and like to go on 
