44 
PROTOPHYTA; HELIOMYSTLS. By L. B. Protjt. 
castanea. 
elect rica. 
2. Subfamily: Hemitheinae. 
Some general notice of the Hemitheinae of the Indo-Australian Region has already been given in the 
Introduction to this volume. The subfamily shows in this region its full range of development, all the most 
archaic forms —■ Genus 1 to 4 beloAV —- as well as the overwhelming majority of the Pingasa group, belonging 
exclusively to it, while on the other hand some of the most specialised, such as the Australian Genochlora, also 
have their home here. 
On account of the comparative rarity of individuals relatively to the number of species, it is often 
difficult to collect enough material in a single locality to allow of a definite judgment as to the delimitation 
of the species and probably in some of the more difficult and obscure genera ( Hemithea , Iodi-s, etc.) many 
single specimens are passing as mere aberrations which will ultimately prove to be overlooked species. As a 
matter of fact the Hemitheinae are for the most part not at all variable or only so to a very minor degree. 
Most Hemitheinae are recognizable as such at a glance, on account of their bright green coloration, 
but the student most beware of a few pitfalls. One or two Geometrinae (= Boarmiinae ) are of an ecpiallv vivid 
green and at least one genus ( Aplochlora) has such a strongly Hemitheine facies as to have deceived even expe¬ 
rienced workers. Conversely, a few brown or grey Hemithe\nae (such as Apodasmia and Gnophosema) present 
a really Boarmiine appearance. The presence of the 2nd radial vein of the hindwing and its position — usually 
very near the 1st radial at its origin — are distinctive. Fpom the Oenochrominae they are not always quite 
sharply differentiable. From almost all Sterrhinae (= Acidaliinae) and Larentiinae in lacking the characteristic 
anastomoses of the subcostal veins of the forewing which form the so-called ,,areole“. 
Face generally smooth. Palpus variable in length, commonly differing in the sexes, rarely strongly hairy. 
Legs nearly always fully developed, but the proximal spurs of the hindtibia often wanting, especially in the 
G, in which sex even the terminal spurs are also at times obsolete. Wings generally ample, nearly always with 
all the veins present. 
Comparatively few of the larvae of the Indo-Australian Hemitheinae are yet known, although their 
discovery ought not to be very difficult, as they probably feed, for the most part, on trees and shrubs. The 
Comibaena-gvowp shows the same interesting larval habit as in the Palaearctic Region. Anisozyga larvae show 
some affinity with the Hipparchus- group but the protuberances are more highly developed, giving them a 
more fantastic appearance. 
1. Genus: I*rotopli # vts» Turn. 
This and the four following genera are distinguished from almost the whole of the Hemitheinae by 
having the 2nd subcostal of the forewing arising from the cell, not from the stalk of the 3rd—5th. Protophyta 
is distinguished from the rest of its group by having no thoracic nor abdominal crests. More slenderly built 
than most of the primitive genera of the subfamily. Antenna of pectinate. Pectus strongly hairy. Hind- 
tibia with all spurs. Forewing rather elongate. Distal margin of forewing moderately, of hindwing strongly 
crenulate, the latter with longer teeth at the ends of the 1st and the 3rd radials. 
The early stages are not described. 
This and the three following genera consist each of a single Australian species. 
P. castanea Lower. Ochreous whitish, with red-brown markings. Forewing with a suffused subcostal 
streak, wavy antemedian and central lines, the latter followed by a dark mark on hindmargin, and interrupted 
subterminal and terminal lines. Hindwing with a suffused antemedian band and double subterminal line. Near 
Sydney in January, very rare, suspected of feeding on tea-tree. 
2. Genus: frflcvlloiiiystis Meyr. 
Distinguished from Protophyta by the strongly crested metathorax and abdomen, the somewhat hairy 
face, the dilated hindtibia of the (with a groove containing a hair-pencil) and by the coloration and markings. 
Early stages unknown. 
H. electrica Meyr. Unknown to me, but will be recognizable at once by the generic characters, coupled 
with the bright orange, dark-bordered hindwing. The forewing is light brown, with scattered dark grey strigulae, 
the lines fine and black. First line extremely oblique outward, second beyond middle of wing, strongly angu- 
lated in the middle, its anterior half being straight, its posterior half incurved and dentate. A very fine, acutely 
dentate white subterminal line, nearly obsolete in its posterior half. Cell-mark of forewing crescentic, of hind¬ 
wing linear. Victoria, in December, extremely rare. 
