484 
CIRROCHROA. By H. Fruhstorfer. 
points. Pupa as usual extremely grotesque, either yellow brown or green, also very lively and defending it- 
obscura. self at every touch by energetic movements of the abdomen. — obscura Ribbe is the form from the Short- 
land Islands and the Northern Solomons. (J somewhat larger than the $of sapor and on the undersides with more 
extended red-bordered white median bands to the hindwings. $ with olive green ground color, which in the 
basal portion of the hindwings becomes red-brown. Fore wings with four rows of yellowish green median- and 
submarginal spots. Hindwings with two large black ocelli, which are situated in a grey-green inwardly slightly 
black bordered area. Underside with pale yellow-grey lightly greenish shining areas, which are traversed by 
a whitish median and submarginal bands. $ smaller than that of obscura, underside the middle band less flus¬ 
hed with red. $ Vandyke brown with only three rows of pure white median crescents on the fore wings and 
sharply defined milk-white median area. Underside with pale redbrown basal zone and white distal area to 
mesima. all wings, the latter being traversed by beautiful redbrown lines and similarly shaded. — mesima subsp. nov. 
is also more nearly allied to obscura. Only one $ is present in my collection, which is easily separated from 
obscura $, by the four almost pure white instead of yellowish green rows of crescents on the forewings. The 
pale green median area of the hindwings without the dark grey shading and bearing on the innerside anothei 
series of four connected spots which form a slate coloured intermedian band. Undersides as in obscura but 
with narrower central bands. Guadalcanar, time of flight April. 
11. Genus: Cirrocliroa Dbl. 
Cirrochroa is very nearly allied tW Cynthia ; but one'can immediately recognize them through the de¬ 
licate'antennae, which are only slightly thickened at the end, and which bear no distinctly defined club. Fur¬ 
ther distinguishing characters are to be found in the strongly swollen palpi, the last joint of which is very 
finely pointed, the naked eyes and the simple precostal vein, which branches from behind the base of the 
subcostal, and which is slightly bent outwards. The neuration of Cirrochroa does not differ essentially 
from that of Cynthia and on this account is sharply divided from Cupha, the only other Argynnis-Genus, which 
possesses clubless antennae. The cell of the forewings is closed by a fine rear discocellular vein, which arises 
before the base of the 2nd. median nervure and not before the branching of the latter as in Cynthia. Cell 
of the hindwings open, but the <$<S possess a fold of skin as in Cynthia, which can be mistaken for an end to 
the cell. The rear discocellular vein of the forewings is straight, not concave proximally, the two first subcostal 
nervures are more separated and not so squeezed together towards the base as is the case in Cynthia. The 
dU of some species exhibit a sharp deep black or blue layer of scales on the outer half of the veins, which is 
especially well developed in C. bajadeta, C. semiramis Fldr. and C. regina Wall., whereas in C. aoris etc. it is 
hardly developed at all. Genital organs remarkable for abnormally large, shell shaped flat valves, with an 
extraordinary hook-shaped protuberance, which differs in the various species and is distally bent at a broad 
or sharp angle. The Cirrochroa are less under the influence of geographical situation and as far as the conti¬ 
nent is concerned differ very slightly; but on the other hand are very sensitive to climatic changes and the 
sexual dimorphism of some species is very noticeable. The $$ are polychrome and as in Cynthia they occur 
with male coloration and also with strongly contrasting color tones; color aberrations are also frequently found 
as in Argynnis and hemophrodites are also known. Larva on Hydnocarpus wightiana, without head-thorns. 
The single segments similar to the Atella larva with two dorsal and two lateral rows of black thorns. Pupa 
hung by the tail in a horizontal direction, with distinct dorsal tubercles and two somewhat longer thoracic 
protuberances. Head bifurcate. The species of the genus which are rich in individuals are amongst the com¬ 
monest butterflies of the Indian region, only the eastern insular species are somewhat rare. Principly inhabi¬ 
tants of the plains, but are found up to 2000 m. They are partly lively and fast flying insects, which prefer 
sunny woods, they also collect round puddles and are often found in large numbers together with Papilios and 
Pieridae. They also visit Lantana flowers and sit either with closed wings or with gently moving half closed 
wings. Chief centre of distribution Macromalayana, on the continent only penetrating as far as Sikkim, north¬ 
wards not found beyond Hainan, in Micromalayana it is already missing on Bali, but on Celebes, the North 
Molukkas and New-Guinea it is represented by a fine collective species. The species can be divided into two 
groups a. Ducapa Moore with three radial scent streaks on the forewings and a subcostal on the hindwings 
an Cirrochroa Dbld. without sexual streaks, but the with the veins covered with black scales. 
Group Ducapa Moore (Paduca Moore). 
.U 
Small delicate insects with a short fork to the forth and fifth subcostal nervures of the forewing and therefore the 
tlirid subcostal nervure further removed than in Cirrochroa. 
C. fasciata has yellow sexual streaks on the uppersides of both pairs of wings, which are traversed by a 
yellow-oclire median area, a narrow submarginal band and a very thin anteterminal wavy line. Hindwings with 
the black spots which are typical of Cirrochroa. Undersides greyish yellow with black shading, two black 
parallel anteterminal wavy lines, which enclose a redbrown area and a regular repetition of the markings 
fasciata. of the upperside. $ larger than the <$, with more extended and lighter transverse bands. — fasciata Fldr. 
