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NEMEOBIIDI. By H. Fruhstorfer. 
Tribus: Nemeobiidi. 
The characteristic mark common to the Nemeobiidi, by which they are separated from the N ymphalidae, 
are the stunted forefeet of the while the forefeet of the $$ are fully developed though smaller than the 
middle- and hind-feet. They bear not only fully developed foot-joints, but also claws and appendages to the 
last joint. The same characters are also possessed by the Libythea which are, however, easily distinguished 
from the Nemeobiidi by their prominent palpi, the nymphaloid sexual organs, as well as by the distinct anterior 
discocellular and the basal vein of the forewings. The Nemeobiiai exhibit only small palpi projecting'rarely 
beyond the head, but they have, compared with the Libythea, extremely complicated, though partly stunted 
prehensile-organs. Thus there is instead of the chitinous uncus Libythea has in common with the Apatura, 
only a skinny, cap-shaped formation of the tegumen with ventral horns, the latter differing in size and shape 
according to the genus. A valve exists only in the genus Taxila in the shape of chitinous styli; otherwise we 
find only delicate skinny formations in their place. Contrary to the Nymphalidae and Libythea, however, the 
penis-tube is most eminently developed, being surrounded by strange, finely bent buckles, while the penis 
itself is sometimes set and armed with clusters of small teeth arranged side by side like a comb. 
As to the structure, the few genera in question are not greatly differentiated. The forewing, as a rule, 
has 4 or 5 subcostal veins, two or one of which always branch off before the cell-end. The first subcostal vein 
remains very short, is sometimes absent or stunted. The anterior radial is always grown together with the 
subcostal, for which reason there is one anterior discocellular absent on both wings. Contrary to the neotropical 
sister-subfamily Riodinini there exists no basal nerve of the hindwing. Precostal varying from one genus to the 
other — sometimes even from one group of species to another —, either short, almost vertical, or long with 
a delicate clistally bent-off point. Costal vein of the hindwing either only slightly curved ( Abisara , Dodona, 
Zemeros) or strongly bent at the rising of the precostal, in the latter case running parallel for some distance 
to the radial stem ( Dicallaneura, Taxila , Praetaxila) . The two radials of the hindwings are mostly of the same 
length, the first subcostal and anterior radial rising from a common base. The branching off may take place 
near the cell-wall ( Zemeros , Abisara), at a greater distance from it ( Praetaxila ), or even quite close to the distal 
margin of the hindwings ( Neotaxila ). Sexual heteromorphism is most remarkably developed in many genera 
(Dodona, Praetaxila, Dicallaneura, Laxita), and not only in the colouring, but also in the shape of the wings; 
even the most striking analogies in the Satyrids are attained or even excelled ( Praetaxila, Laxita). Another 
resemblance to Satyrids, Euploea and Amathusiids exists by the inner margin of the forewings projecting con¬ 
vex in the <$$, whereas it is smoothly cut off in the 9?. Divergently from the Nymphalidae and Libythea there 
are in some genera highly developed tertiary sexual characters. Haase already knew the silvery grey, arrow- 
shaped androconial spot before the subcostal of the upper surface of the hindwings, to which a friction-spot 
corresponds at the expanded inner margin of the under surface of the forewings. In Laxita there exists a 
large reflection with a concentric yellowish or black scale-spot and a friction-area extended as far as to the 
cell-wall. In Praetaxila, a genus hitherto unappreciated and unrecognized, the submedian of the forewing 
groove-like indented and the costal and the radial stem of the hindwings traverse a narrow area of modified 
scales. 
Egg according to Doherty not so high as broad, grainy or spiny, but neither with reticular nor radiati- 
form striation. Larva short, with dense hairs standing sometimes together in rows, sometimes also with lateral 
fleshy appendages. Pupa short, only little angled or not at all. Suspended by the tail, with a median belt 
(Moore). There are two centres to be considered as the ranges of the imago: the Himalaya with its off-branches, 
and the Papua District. Contrary to the ubiquistic expansibility of the Libythea, all the genera are bound 
to the region, some to a certain country or an island. The species preponderantly inhabit the mountains, some 
are extremely isolated and therefore also rare. Only a few common species ( Zemeros flegyas, Abisara kausambi) 
occur in the whole oriental region. Not one genus is common to the Indian and Melanesian faunae. Particu¬ 
larly the Papuan genera Dicallaneura and Praetaxila extend neither to the eastern archipelagos nor beyond 
the Key Islands in the west, and of the Indo-Malayan genera Abisara and Zemeros there are no representatives 
found beyond the subregion of Celebes. From the Bismarck Archipelago and the Salomons we as yet do not 
know ajiy Nemeobiidi. In China the frontier of Tibet-Szetchuan forms the periphery of their occurrence, in the 
archipelago the southernmost Liu-Kiu Islands. In the south we meet them from Ceylon to the small satellite 
islands of East British New Guinea. Java has yet 8 species, Lombok and Sumatra 3, Celebes 2. In the Moluc¬ 
cas the family is no more represented, from the Philippines we know only 2 species. As to the vertical range 
there are elevations known of up to 3000 m, but most of the interesting species occur in the favourite zone 
of the Delias, i. e. between 1200 and 1800 m. Imago always single, also the common species, such as 
