BOMBYCIDAE. Introduction by Dr. M. Draudt 
675 
11. Family: Bombycidae. 
The American faunistic region, according to our present knowledge, contains about 200 forms which 
are more or less correctly placed to this group the principal range of which is the Indo-Australian region. For 
particulars about this family we refer the readers to Vol. X, p. 433, In the palaearctic and Ethiopian regions 
there occur so few characteristic representatives of this family that we mentioned in a very brief way their 
systematical morphological relations in Vol. II, p. 189, and Vol. XIV, p. 283. We are sorry to confess that 
we know almost next to nothing about the biology of the American representatives; the early stages are 
entirely unknown, so that nothing whatever can be said about the outward appearance of the Epiinae (see below) 
being evidently closely allied to the genuine Bombycidae in their early stages. The second subfamily joined 
with the Bombycidae, the Zanolinae, differs biologically — only the larvae of 2 North-American represen¬ 
tatives are known hitherto — so widely from the usual types of the genuine Bombycid larvae that an 
unprejudiced observer will at first object to the insects being ranged here. As to the latter divergent group, 
the Apatelodes — presumably named owing to the resemblance of the larvae to the Noctuid genus A-patela 
(= Acronycta) - have undergone many systematical changes; they were probably the most correctly inserted 
by Packard in the Notodentid tribe, whilst they were hardly less justly regarded as Eupterotidae. According 
to recent researches, however, they are morphologically so closely allied to the Bombycidae that we decided 
to annex them to this group as a subfamily, although they are hardly connected with them by their outward 
appearance. The genus Zanola resembles more certain Liparidae. A much greater external resemblance to 
the smaller eastern Bombycid forms is exhibited by the Epiinae, especially in the shape of the wings. 
Particularly similar is the genus Quentalia, formerly known as Carthara. Some representatives of Cotta recall 
the Ocinera etc. The imagines are exclusively nocturnal insects, being only captured at night on the lantern, 
where they sometimes appear in great numbers, as for instance the Mexican small species of Apatelodes. We 
had formerly mentioned at another place that the inner margin of the hindwing in the resting insect remains 
uncovered and consequently exhibits a colouring similar to that of the forewing, in contrast with the other¬ 
wise pale hindwing. 
As to the early stages we merely know that, as we stated above, the larva of Apatelodes torrefacta is 
very similar to that of the palaearctic Apatela ; moreover, the entirely flat plateshaped eggs exactly correspond 
with the disk-shaped flat ones of Acronycta, which are partly deposited like tiles one above the other. (M. 
Draudt.) 
No typical species of Bombycidae occur in America, but the Epiinae are well represented in tropical 
America, though none have been found as yet in the United States. The true Bombycidae have vein 8 on hind¬ 
wing highly arched from base and usually connected with vein 7 by a bar, whereas in the Epiinae and Zanolinae 
(Draudt) vein 8 is deflected near base, touching vein 7. or anastomosing with it and then continuing almost 
straight towards apex. 
The Epiinae and Zanolinae can be separated by vein 8 on forewing, which in the former is downbent 
or down arched as in the Bombycidae, whereas in the Zanolinae vein 8 is straight or convex; in many species 
veins 8, 9, 10 on costa are also convex. Nothing is known of the larvae of the Epiinae. All the genera have 
vein 10 absent except Arotros in which it is present. (W. Schaus.) 
