Publ. 22 . 1 J. 1911 . 
ARGYRONYMPHA. By H. Fruhstorfer. 
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small apical eye-spot and to the anal one, which is twice as large. ■— nephthys subsp. nov. was discovered by nephthys. 
Meek in the year 1899 at Milne Bay and in November to March 1904—5 on the Aroa River. Smaller than osyris, 
it naturally shows also smaller ocelli on the hindwing, with scarcely appreciable dark brown bordering. The 
white basal area of the hindwing is almost quadrate, does not extend beyond the cell, and is shaded, with yellow¬ 
ish grey. On the underside of the forewing the white median area is much restricted and the distal more 
extended. — frenus subsp. nov. approaches osyris in its larger size and is distinguished from nephthys by the from a. 
somewhat more extended white basal area of the hindwing above, and beneath by broader grey-black and 
metallic bands. British New Guinea at altitudes of over 2000 m. November to February. 
H. hathor spec. nov. approximates in both sexes to serapis from Dorey, but is easy to distinguish from hathor. 
this and especially also from isis isis by the very broad but short white area, which already at the cell-wall 
of the hindwing gives place to the ground-colour. Anal ocelli of the hindwing narrower than in isis. British 
New Guinea, January and February, collected by Meek. 
H. aroa Beth.-Bak. is a particularly large and striking species, recognizable by the very broad, pure aroa. 
white area of the forewing and the distally pointed, dazzling white area of the hindwing, which extends far 
beyond the cell. Both sexes differ from all the other known Hypocysta in the entire absence of the yellowish 
bordering to the ocelli of the hindwing, which hence appear very narrow above. British New Guinea, from 
the upper Aroa River. Flies in March—April. — serapis subsp. nov. is the race from Dutch New Guinea, whose serapis. 
<$ approaches that of isis in the yellowish instead of white patches on the forewing. $ with much narrower 
white area on both wings, on the under surface not entering the cell of the fore wing, as in aroa. Dorey, Dutch 
New Guinea. 
H. haemonia is only known as yet from the Aru Islands and Dutch New Guinea. Three local forms 
deserve mention: fenestrella subsp. nov. (93 d), from Sekar, Dutch South-West New Guinea, which differs in fenestrella. 
the lighter forewing and the narrower black, tri-pupilled ocelli of the hindwing from haemonia Hew., from the haemonia. 
Aru Islands, whose $ is only distinguished from the $ by the more rounded wings, and the somewhat more 
extended tripartite black ocelli of the hindwing and their broader yellow-brown bordering. Flies (according 
to Kuhn) in September. — pelusiota subsp. nov. is a distinct form from Humboldt Bay, Dutch New Guinea, pelusiota. 
almost a third larger than haemonia <$, with the hindwing also lighter, showing a grey-yellow basal area. $ with 
grey-white, very broad median area on both wings. Under surface with the silver bands almost twice as broad 
as in haemonia , the proximal one distinctly bordered with brown proximally also. Flies in September—October, 
discovered by W. Doherty. Types in the Tring Museum. 
H. leucomelas R. J. (93 cl) was placed by its authors in the genus Platypthima, but it seems to leucomelas. 
agree better with the other Hypocysta than with ornata R. & J., the type of Platypthima, which we figure 
pi. 99 c. The under surface differs from all the known Papuan Hypocysta in the absence of any apical ocellus 
on the hindwing and the rounded instead of oblong anal ocellus. British New Guinea, Aroa River, rare. 
6. Genus: Argyroiiymplia Math. 
The only species probably of this charming group deserves its name of ,,Silver Nymph“ by reason of the 
brilliant adornment, which in the numerous island races decorates the under surface of both wings in the form 
of metallically glossy, beautifully undulated bands and fine streaks. The ground-colour of the upper surface 
varies from light yellow to black-brown in the different localities. It shares with Hypocysta, of which genus it 
is really the eastern continuation, the inflation of the three principal veins of the fore wing and the absence of 
secondary scent-pencils on the hindwing. Cell of the forewing somewhat shorter, the recurrent spur in the 
cell likewise less developed. Cell of the hindwing more than a third shorter. Lower discocellular on both wings 
scarcely half as broad as in Hypocysta. Thus there are sufficient differences to establish the genus, hitherto 
founded on no scientific diagnosis. The species are not rare, apparently easy to catch and the coloration seems 
to become progressively lighter towards the east of their restricted range. Ribbe writes concerning the habits: 
,,The representatives of this genus, which I have taken only on the Solomon Islands, are small, delicate insects, 
which love the dense forest and are mostly found where the ground is moistened by a fresh water spring. The 
butterflies rest with folded wings, so that the glitter of the metallic under surface is visible from quite a distance, 
sitting on the leaves of the lower shrubs at about the height of a man. Their flight is slow and heavy, a mere 
flutter from shrub to shrub. The scales are only loosely attached to the wings, so that but few good specimens 
are captured. I never found the insects common, although they are to be met with singly throughout the woods. 
A. pulchra is a very variable butterfly, for on the Shortlands Islands I took specimens which, in the colouring 
of the under surface, closely approach rubianensis and on the other hand uleva. pulchra and rubianensis are 
well defined forms, but uleva is only a casual dark aberration, pulchra is known from the Shortlands Islands 
(Alu, Fowi, Munia, Tauro, Tanua), North Choiseul, Bougainville and Treasury, rubianensis from New Georgia”. 
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