804 
SYSSPHINX. By Dr. M. Draudt. 
line from the costal margin almost to the inner margin; the round cellular spot is transparent, bordered with 
violettish-grey. Hindwing narrower than in masoni, inner margin longer than the costal margin, the margin 
less rounded, a subbasal spot, the posterior transverse line and a marginal band violettish-grey with a reddish 
hue. British Guiana; South-Eastern Peru. 
ormondei. E. ormondei Schs. (131 c) is again more similar to the niepelti- group, but much more abundantly yellow, 
forming the transition to the following imperialis. The $ is almost quite yolk-coloured, feebly tinted red-brown, 
intensely speckled blackish-brown, all the transverse lines except the exterior one of the forewing very undulate- 
dentate. All the discal spots with black rings and greyish-white centres. Mexico. 
(juhmensis. E. guianensis Schs. resembles imperialis, but the lines and spots are different. The yellow forewings 
are almost entirely suffused with dark violet except a large apical spot and at the inner margin on each side 
of the exterior transverse line which is very broad, as well as the interior one; marginal area not striated at all; 
a hyaline spot with a violet ring at the cell-end. On the hindwing the broad distal line is interrupted by the 
discal spot, the margin is speckled violet, with violet marginal spots between the veins; the violet irregular 
basal band is expanded towards the inner margin and extends upwards only into the cell. British and French Guiana. 
imperialis. E. imperialis (= imperatoria Abb. db Sm.) has an enormously wide range extending from the United 
States down to Argentina. — imperialis Dm,. the nomenclatural form from North America, is yellow in the C, 
more or less intensely speckled dark in the larger basal half, and brownish-violet before the margin, as well as 
in the inner-marginal area of the hindwing, the anterior transverse lines are invisible, the posterior ones 
undulate-dentate, the discal spots centred light violettish-grey. The $ is quite yellow, the basal transverse 
oslari. lines of both wings distinct and broad. This is the form of the Atlantic States. oslari Rothsch., from Arizona, 
has as broad wings as those of the Atlantic specimens, both sides of the hindwing show a broad discal line 
magnifica. widening in front. - magnifica Wlcr. (= cacicus Bsclv.) is larger, stronger, and much more brightly coloured, 
likewise with rather broad wings, but with a more pointed and almost sickle-shaped apex. On the C antennae 
decoris. fewer segments are pectinated than in imperialis. Mexico to Paraguay. — decoris Rothsch. (132 c as “imperialis”) 
is intermediary between the two preceding ones, the antennae as in imperialis, i. e. more segments are pectinated 
than in magnifica. Forewing somewhat narrower, but less pointed and sickle-shaped than in the latter form; 
discal line as broad as in imperialis, broader than in magnifica-, basal area yellow, the anterior transverse line 
as broad as in imperialis. This is the Central-American form from Mexico and Guatemala, but almost typical 
approxi- magnifica- forms occur already in Mexico. approximans Bouv., described from Venezuela, resembles magnifica 
mams. ; n g enera l ; but it is smaller and shows much smaller discal spots. opaca Burm., from Southern Brazil, is very 
upaui. yellow, the violettish-brown colour turns more blackish-brown and does not extend to the discal spots 
in the C> but it may also cover almost the whole forewing. The specimens are small, with narrow forewings, 
tucumana. but the apex only little pointed sickle-shaped. tucumana Rothsch, resembles magnifica, forewing very pointed, 
discal line broad above and beneath, continued to the inner margin. Hindwing likewise with a broad discal 
punctatis- line on both sides. Argentina. - - Aberrative forms have also been described, e. g. punctatissima Neum. in 
sima. w jq c ] 1 all the blackish-brown striae are so much increased and confluent at the base and inner margin that 
the ground-colour appears to be monotonously blackish-brown, only the costal-marginal area of the hindwing 
didyma. being yellow. f. didyma Beauv., quite monotonously dull cinnamon-red, the basal portion and marginal area 
nobilis. with a greyish-violet hue. All the yellow tints have also disappeared on the body. nobilis Neum. (135 b) is 
like didyma , densely strewn with black, but with a deep rusty-red triangular area in the apical half, the base 
of it being the costal margin, and the apex on the median. From North-Western Texas. — Larva green or brown 
with oval yellowish-white, dark-ringed spots above the somewhat darker lateral line; the 2nd and 3rd as well 
as 11th rings exhibit longer hairy yellowish fleshy cones, the other rings tubercles with tufted hair. It lives 
on nearly all kinds of trees and shrubs and changes into a smooth black pupa. 
3. Genus: Syssplainx Hbn. 
As there are no essential differences between Syssphinx and Adelocephala, the former name must have 
the priority. We combine with it also Othorene Hbn. and Sphingicampa Walsh,, because they cannot be strictly 
separated. In general very similar to Citheronia from which they are at once sepai’able by the absence of vein 
9 of the forewing. Compared with the long pointed wings the body is still stronger, the prothorax is very 
convex, so that the small head with the very short palpi is pressed down and not visible from above. The 
abdomen projects far beyond the hindwings, at least in the AC- Costal margin of hindwing very convex basally, 
cell short. Antennae of the AC pectinated in the basal halves, set with fine cilia in the distal halves. A great 
number of species which are often difficult to distinguish. 
Type: cadmus H.-S. 
hodeva. S. hodeva Drc. (= rubra Schs.) (135 d) is one of the largest species, above brown with a dark violet 
reflection, with a white discal dot and 2 transverse lines, a subterminal purple brightening behind the exterior 
line. Hindwing brownish carmine. Guiana to Brazil. 
o 
