186 
PROBLEBSIS. By L. B. Prout. 
omicraria. 
triocellata. 
scenica. 
transvehens. 
craspediata. 
frosti. 
rot if era. 
longimacula. 
evanida. 
argentea. 
clemens. 
plenorbis. 
S. omicraria F. (= cana Hmps., $ = extrusata Walk.) (19 h). A link to Problepsis, the cell-marks 
similarly formed and even with some silvery scaling. Areole variable, double or single. Closely related to 
the common African figurata Warr. (Vol. 16, pi. 6 g) and with similar sexual dimorphism: $ smaller and whiter; 
$ larger and much more suffused. India and Ceylon. 
S. trioceilata Bastelb. ( = cana Turn., nec F.) (19 i). Antennal ciliation of the even more extremely 
long than in cana, which it represents in N. Australia; sometimes scarcely distinguishable, though the areole 
seems more consistently single. On the whole somewhat whiter, or more weakly marked, excepting the cell- 
marks, which stand out sharply, that of the forewing usually interrupted, merely with a connecting thread at 
the proximal end. Cape York (type), Port Darwin and Baudin Island. Similar forms occur on Java, Bali 
and Sumba. — scenica subsp. nov. (19 h). Generally larger, the ante- and postmedian lines much more de¬ 
veloped, terrpinal dots enlarged, more triangular, on the forewing in part meeting the distal subterminal shade. 
Paloe, W. Celebes (J. P. A. Kalis), a moderate series in the Tring Museum, almost all from Gunong Rang- 
koenau, 900 to 1800 feet, though one $ was taken at sea level. Not particularly variable. 
S. trainsvehens Prout (19 i). Head black. Antenna in the with strong teeth or rudimentary pectina¬ 
tions, surmounted with fascicles of long cilia. Hindtibia of the rather strongly dilated, tarsus shortened. 
Areole simple. Distal markings nearly as in omicraria, the median patch of the forewing, on the contrary, 
incorporated into an almost complete band. Hindwing with termen rather more regularly rounded than in 
that species. Hainan. This species and Problepsis sancla , with perhaps one or two others, almost complete 
the venational transitions between Somatina and Problepsis, to which reference is made below. 
26. Genus: ProB&I^psis Led. 
(See Vol. 4, p. 49; Vol. 16, p. 59.) 
This genus was formerly thought to be constantly differentiable from Somatina by the undivided 
areole; but the occasional inconstancy or failure of this character in Somatina, as noted above, has rendered 
the line of demarcation very thin, especially as two or three Somatina begin to develop the silvery markings 
which are so conspicuous a feature of Problepsis. Nevertheless, the latter does seem to represent a homogeneous 
group with the areole regularly undivided, and the venation has nearly always advanced somewhat fur¬ 
ther in that the 5th subcostal is stalked with the others beyond the areole, not (as in Somatina) from the areole 
itself. Antenna in the J usually pectinate, sometimes with much longer branches than in any Somatina. Of 
about 40 known species, nearly three-fourths are Indo-Australian, the rest mostly African. 
P. craspediata Warr. (19 i) lacks the usual discal ocellus of the genus, instead of which it has only a 
very small cluster of dark scales. The type <$, from “Simbang, [N. E.] New Guinea”, for many years remained 
unmatched, but the same form has been found to inhabit New Britain. - frosti subsp. nov. A small form 
(33 mm), with the cell-mark of the forewing as small as in the type, the lines and the median shade relatively 
strong. Kei Islands (W. J. C. Frost), a pair collected for the late Mr. J. J. Joicey. — rotifera Prout. This 
name must be employed for the ordinary New Guinea forms, in which the cell-mark in roundish or longitu¬ 
dinally oval. The type series, from the Snow Mountains, may be larger and less whitish than the series from 
the Upper Aroa River. — longimacula Warr. was properly an Aroa River aberration (very rare) with the 
cell-mark of the forewing 4 mm long, reaching the postmedian line, and a corresponding, but much shorter 
mark developed on the hindwing. If the British New Guinea race as a whole needs separation from rotifera 
another name will be required. 
P. evanida Prout (19 i). Recognizable by its clean white ground-colour and shadowy markings, the 
subterminals wanting; the silvery scales, though scattered, are moderately copious and form, at least on the 
forewing, definite outlines of the characteristic ocellus. Vertex white. Pectinations of the <$ moderate. Burn. 
P. argentea Warr., from Dammer Island, is smaller and perhaps even more devoid of markings, but 
the unique type, a 2, is somewhat worn; in any case very weakly marked. Costa and fringe-tips not (as in 
evanida) darkened; the wings with some scattered dark irroration. 
P. clemens T. P. Luc. (= margaritata Warr.). Larger than evanida, the pectinations twice as long. 
The lines are all present, the antemedian on the fore wing only; median unusually distal (well beyond the 
weak cell-mark), parallel with the postmedian but stronger; the scattered silvery scaling does not seem to 
form even the outlines of a definite ocellus, unless perhaps on the hindwing. Brisbane. 
P. plenorbis Prout (19 i). One of the largest and most handsome Problepsis. From the large superans 
and discophora of eastern Asia abundantly distinct in the pectinate antenna, black crown, absence of the 
strong dark clouding of the hindwing, etc. Sumatra. 
