SYNTOMIDAE; GENERAL TOPICS. By Dr. A. Seitz. 
35 
many, otherwise numerous exploits (as for instance the so-called Bogota-exploits) there are relatively few 
Syntomidae found, it would be wrong to infer therefrom a scarcity of Syntomidae in these districts, since the 
mostly unintelligent (Indian) collectors are subject to being deceived by mimicry in just the same way as the 
enemies of the butterflies are, against which the masking is directed. Whoever glances over the numerous 
new species which are established here in the following pages from Colombia, and considers which great part 
originates from the exploit of o n e collector — of Mr. A. H. Fassl at Teplitz ■—, will be able to estimate what 
enormous treasures of Syntomidae are still to be brought to light, if the upper course of the great tributaries of 
the Amazon River will once be more minutely examined with regard to more insignificant insects. 
It is just in the level, damp-hot lowlands, where the Syntomidae gather in particularly great numbers. 
The fact that just in the almost extremely prolific Syntomid country of Colombia, according to Fassl near 
Bogota, this group of butterflies is only very sparsely found, sIioavs us that in a vertical direction the same 
rapid and often sudden decrease of Syntomidae takes place as towards the higher latitudes. In Santos, being 
at a Ioav altitude and close to extensive SAA'amps, the Syntomid fauna is very much more abundant Ilian in 
the neighbouring, though higher elevated Sao Paido; just like at the more elevated suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, 
Avhere it appears again more copiously than near Petropolis high up in the Organ Mountains, where I sometimes 
did not get sight of any Syntomid at all in excursions lasting several days, what hardly ever occurred near Rio 
and never near Santos. According to an account by Prof. Dr. Draudt, in Mexico, OAving to the orographical for¬ 
mation of the country, southern forms go far up to the north on both the coasts along the temperate and hot 
altitudes, whereas on the high plateau of the interior northern forms go fa*- to the south; this is very well to 
be followed up as far as the valley of Mexico. There are no confines here between north and south, but in the 
greatest part of the country a division into western and eastern forms AA'hich are equalized again only in the 
south, towards the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The reason for this is to be found in the entirely different hygro- 
logical conditions of the tA\ r o coast districts. The eastern coast has no real dry period at all, whereas on the 
western coast absolute aridness is prevalent in winter. The range of the Syntomidae, therefore, naturally is 
the greatest in the districts of the eastern coast between 3000 and 1500 m, AA’here the luxuriant vegetation is 
never intermitted during the Avhole year owing to the incessant humidity, for which reason one generation 
follows here the other. The western coast and the highlands of the interior, on account of the desert-like 
character, has only very few species thriving only in the oasis-like depressions and glens. 
The conduct of the different Syntomid species frequently depends on their mimetic relations. A disguise 
is, of course, then most effective, if not only the exterior shape, but also the demeanour, the way of flying, 
the attitude when being at rest etc. are adapted to the model. This is the case in many species in so excellent 
a way that merely by these peculiarities of the attitude and conduct the mimetic pendant would have to be 
recognized. Already in Vol. X (p. 62) I have mentioned that a Trichura ( Tr. dixanthia, 18 d) being common 
near Santos, has a yellow spot at the side of the 3rd abdominal segment, over which, when being at rest, the 
hyaline wings are placed in such a Avay that it appears at those places, where in the Pimpla- like model-wasp 
the mark of the wings (called stigma or carpus), being distinct in most of the Hymenoptera, is found. The 
female Pimpla- wasp, however, has besides a thicker and particularly strong ovipository sting, because the 
ichneumons of this genus prick more pupae than larvae and therefore, in order to pierce also the cocon, need a 
particularly strong and long sting. This sting, being one of the most conspicuous organs, must be imitated, 
which is done in the Tr. dixanthia by a thread-like chitinous appendage attaining the thickness necessary for 
the deception by means of densely arranged scales. In Tr. cerbera (18 cl), approximating this species, this appen¬ 
dage sometimes grows so long that it exceeds the length of the AAdiole animal. In a similar AA-ay AA^e find, in the 
genus Macrocneme, the hind-tibiae monstrously thickened by a pinnate scaling, so that the genus was deno¬ 
minated hereby. The most interesting fact, however, is that the owner of these legs succeeds in becoming entirely 
similar to the model — the crabronidae Pejj.sis — by means of letting these long legs hanging long down AA’hen 
flying, so that its harmless, velvety, little paws are trailing along exactly like the spinous prehensile feet with 
which the wasp uses to carry about its victims — enormous spiders of the forests or roads. The blue Pepsis- 
wasp, vulgarly called marimbondo by the Brazilians, may certainly be considered the most dreaded insect of 
the districts there. It even easily vanquishes birdspiders, and natives told me repeatedly that children may 
die from its stings. Thus it is quite comprehensible that all kinds of insects of different orders agree in copying 
this rapacious animal, as for instance beside the Reduviid Spiniger mentioned above, also the grass-hopper 
Scaphura nigra. 
In models from the group of the fold-wasps, the costal margins darkened by folding the wings on the 
one hand, the strangulation of the waist on the other hand, are to be exactly copied in order to become mime- 
tically similar, and the degree, in which this is performed by certain Pseudospliex, precludes any casual similarity; 
compare for instance Ps. steinbachi (10 e), klage.si (10 d) and their allies. Phaeosphecia opaca (10 c) exhibits 
a shape of the body which deviates from nearly all the Lepidoptera by the abdomen being differently shaped, 
and which would be unexplainable unless the animal assumes the resemblance of a AA'asp by a freak of nature. 
Bombopsyche ruatana (10k) represents a tiny bee; Pompilopsis tarsalis an Eumenid. The most favourite model, 
however, is the said Pepsis. Among its imitators and other Syntomid genera, being somewhat allied to each 
