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DISCOPHORA. By H. Fruhstorfer. 
Subfamily Discophorinse. 
Uncus with dorsal pointed duplication. Forewings without middle disco cellular. 
14. Genus: Discopliora Bsd. 
The character of this genus is indicated by the name, and consists in a sharply defined spot in the disc 
on the upperside of the hindwings in the dtD It is a rather large, silky, ovate raised spot, situated at the lower 
apex of the cell, from the anterior median branch to the fork of the posterior. The scales on it are three times as 
large as the rest, elongate, with a slender stalk, finely striate, curved like a tile and apically slightly emargi- 
nate. They stand upright and adhere so loosely to the membrane, that they are easily removed. It is probable 
that they emit the aromatic scent, which, in the living butterfly, exceeds in intensity all scents of other lepi- 
doptera, even of the other Amathusiidae, and is observable in dead and dried specimens after a lapse of ten 
years. The neuration approaches that of the Zeuxidiae, with which they have in common the anastomosis of 
the first costal branches; but the median spur is wanting, and the central discocellular is so short, that the 
two radial nervures spring from the same point. To some extent this genus leads from the Amathusiidae to the 
Nymphalidae, having the more robust and shorter wings in common with the latter, also the extent of the 
wings being more in proportion to the size of the body. The clasping organs being furnished with an appendage 
to the uncus betrays leanings towards certain genera of the Nymphalidae ( Kallima , Mynes) and it is naturally 
separated from the remaining Amathusiidae by the appendage to the tegumen, discovered by Doherty, and 
named “uncus anticus” by Stichel. Hence the separation of an independent family, as formerly attempted 
by Stichel, has a better justification than the entirely unsuccessful cutting off of the Hyantidae, yet the larval 
form connects Discopliora so closely with Amathusia, tha the separation cannot be more than nominal. Accor¬ 
ding to Dr. Piepers, the larva is extremely curious, not to be distinguished at first glance from that of the 
Heterocerous genus Gastropacha. In the not very successful illustration the body is cylindrical, with two short 
anal processes; the colour is dull, striped and spotted, densely covered with fine hairs and a few dorsal and la¬ 
teral tufts; the incisures of the anterior segments blackish. Head large, black or dark brown, without the 
horn like formation as in the other Amathusiidae, but covered with small excrescences above and laterally. 
Pupa boat-shaped, centrally thickened, ventral surface flat and straight, the dorsal strongly curvate, the head 
prolonged into two points; fastened at the anal end, colour yellowish, reddish or greenish. Pupal rest three 
weeks. The larva lives on palms, especially on young shoots of the coco palm, on sugar cane, bamboos, and 
according to Martin, also on Lalang grass. The body of the imago has a most peculiar character, possessed 
by no other genus of the Amathusiidae, being basally ventrally strongly compressed as in some families of the 
Hymenoptera and with two lateral patches of scent scales. According to Reuter, the spot on the palpi is also 
unusual; it is flat, reniform, inflated and elongate, instead of short, broad and very convex. 
The Discopliora fly also by day, and recall the Nymphalidae in their habits, eagerly seeking faeces 
on the roads, on which they feed with closed wings; if disturbed, they fly aside among the bushes where they 
settle on the underside of leaves or under sheltering twigs, and shortly after the danger has passed, they return 
to the same spot. The much scarcer do not fly till evening at the setting of the sun, and usually very 
high, over the roofs of the houses, so that one sees them only as stilhouettes against the evening sky; they 
are captured when they come down to rest or to deposit their eggs, when, like the they seek the most 
sheltered places. The flight of Discopliora is rather rapid and strong, in a series of short curves (Martin). 
The area of distribution of the 9 or 10 species extends on the continent from India to southern China, 
and on the islands from the Andamans to the Philippines and across Macromalayana eastwards to Lombok. 
Two groups of species, with simple or complicated formation of the uncus anticus. 
a) Uncus anticus Avith only one point. Scent patch on the hindwings longer than broad. 
D. tullia described by Cramer as far back as 1779, must be considered as the longest known species 
of the genus. Its distribution is chiefly continental, with branches in the macromalayan region. The sexes 
