EUCLIMACIA; MALTHACA. By Dr. K. Jordan. 
21 
2. Family: Zygaenidae. 
This family, for the description of which we refer the reader to Vol. 2 (p. 3,- 4) and Vol. X (p. 5), 
is very poorly represented in America. The forms which occur there are all small and in general appearance 
as well as in colouring resemble species of other families, especially Lithosias and Micros, so that it is only 
recently that they have been recognised as belonging to the Zygaenids. They were formerly treated as a 
distinct family under the name of Pyromorphidae, but there is nothing in their structure to justify a se¬ 
paration from the Zygaenidae. The head is similar in build to that of the Zygaenidae of the Old World, 
the legs and antennae agree with those of many of the Old World species of this family, the claws are tooth¬ 
less as in the latter, and the submedian vein (vein 1 c) is well developed in both wings. 
With the exception of a few species found in the United States, the American Zygaenids are very 
rarely met with. They are very poorly represented in collections, and their study is consequently very difficult, 
especially as many of the species are uniform in colour and variable in venation. The classification here 
adopted must therefore be regarded as merely a temporary one. The number of the species actually exist¬ 
ing is evidently very much larger than the number of those as yet known. 
The moths are sluggish and in daytime rest on leaves, twigs and low herbage, or suck at damp stones 
in brooks. 
The early stages are only known of a few North American forms; practically no observations have 
been recorded of the larvae, pupae, food-plants and habits of the moths of Central and South America. All 
that we know of these species are a few specimens in museums, which, moreover, are generally in a bad state 
of preservation. 
The American Zygaenids all have the tongue well developed and the palpi short. The spurs of the 
middle and hindtibiae are always very short, and the hindtibia has always only one pair. The spur of the 
foretibia (epiphysis) is usually present. The absence or presence of this spur is of no great importance, as 
quite closely allied species differ in this respect. Our division of the Old World Zygaenidae into Zygaeninae 
with epiphysis, and Chalcosiinae without it, therefore cannot be strictly applied to the American forms. 
But I believe the American species without epiphysis to be Zygaeninae which have secondarily lost this spur. 
A. Hindwing with 8 veins. 
1. Genus: Eucllniacla gen. nov. 
Antenna of with short pectinations, of $ dentate. Foretibia with spur. Spurs of middle and 
hindtibiae exceedingly short. Venation differing from that of all other Zygaenids. In the forewing 13 veins 
(instead of 12), 11 of which branch off from the cell, costal vein very short, the first four branches almost 
vertical to the costal margin, cell very long, extending beyond %. of the length of the wing, the first subcostal 
branch originating at 2 /s of the cell, the lower median branch being opposite the 4th subcostal branch. In the 
hindwing the costal vein confluent with the subcostal vein almost to the apex of the cell, the middle and 
lower radials close together from the lower angle of the cell, the lower median branching off at 3 / 5 . 
One species. 
E. tortricalis Druce (9 a). Bluish black; head and thorax with light stripes; abdomen above ringed 
with orange. Wings reddish orange, costal and outer margins of forewing black with pale yellow streaks bet¬ 
ween the veins, in the hindwing a longitudinal stripe and a band of elongate marginal spots blue-black. 
— Costa Rica, one pair in the British Museum. 
2. Genus: Malthaca Clem. (== Pyromorpha H.-Schdff. indescr.) 
Antennae bipectinate or dentate. Venation complete in both wings, in forewing 12, in hindwing 8 veins. 
Anterior and posterior angles of the cell of hindwing at the same level or the posterior angle produced. —- The 
fairly numerous species here united have hitherto been placed in a number of genera, which were thought to 
differ particularly in outline and in some details of venation. 
The only character in venation which is apparently fairly constant, and divides the species into two 
groups, lies in the connection of the costal vein with the cell of the hindwing. 
a) The costal vein of the hindwing is to the greater extent confluent with the cell and the oblique vein 
which connects the costal vein (vein 8) with the free subcostal branch (vein 7) is short. - Here 
belong dimidiata (genotype of Malthaca Clem. — Pyromorpha H.-Schdff. indescr. et partim), 
tortrical 
