URAPTEROIDES; CYPHURA. By M. Gaede. 
97 
sexes light (in the $ almost purely white) though narrow. It may be a distinct species. — In the Andamans 
a smaller paler brown Nyctalemon occurs with dull median stripes hardly contrasting with the ground-colour: 
— najabula Mr. (69 b), whilst crameri BscL, from Continental India, is probably only a transition to it. 
As to the larvae and pupae we refer to the description of the genus. 
N. curvata Skinner (71 a) is recognizable by the strongly curved transverse stripe in the forewing, 
that of the hindwing being likewise distally convex, though less so. New Hebrides. 
Subfamily: Microniinae. 
This subfamily being composed of mostly delicate white forms (cf. pi. 72) strongly contrasts with the 
preceding subfamily. There are no metal colours to be seen at all. The scheme of markings is distinctly similar 
to that of A 1 yctalemon, since the somewhat oblique median stripe is also to be found in many Urapteroides etc., 
but it is reversely dark here on a light ground. Thus the lepidopteron exhibits a colouring much rather like that 
of Urapteryx, which resemblance is expressed in the names of several Microniinae. This impression is still 
increased by a notch in the centre of the margin of the hindwing, exhibiting, as in Urapteryx, some blackish- 
brown stigmata which may serve the resting lepidopteron to copy a prolonged abdomen and thus to divert 
attacks from the real body of the insect, or which may also be serviceable in the copula. The Microniinae begin 
to swarm already soon after sunset, flying exactly like our Urapteryx. On being beaten out of the bushes, they 
fly off for a few seconds and then mostly settle on the upper side of leaves in a Geometrid-like position, the 
green colour of the surrounding leaves reflecting on the glossy white surface of their wings. Frequently they 
also sit on branchlets and leaf-stalks with erect wings, in the same way as the American Urania may assume 
a butterfly-like position, when settling temporarily. Another convergency with the American Saturniid genus 
Asthenidia is expressed in the exterior colouring, the structure being morphologically quite dissimilar. — The 
Microniinae inhabit the hot districts of Asia and Africa; but few reach the palaearctic south-eastern frontier. 
Nearly all the species are very common at their habitats. (Seitz.) 
1. Genus: Urapteroides Mr. 
Palpi delicate, porrect, antennae of $ thickened. Forewing broad. Veins 3 + 4, 6 + 7, 8 + 9 stalked. 
Hindwing with an obtuse dent at vein 4, 3 + 4 stalked. Type: astheniata Gn. 
U. astheniata Gn. (72 a). Wings lactean. On the forewing with an interior, median and exterior brown 
transverse stripe, obliquely turned distally, between the two first a short cellular streak. On the hindwing 
only two transverse stripes nearing each other at the anal end. On both wings before the margin a band formed 
of striae. Marginal line dark brown. Expanse: 45—55 mm. India, Singapore, Sunda Is., Moluccas, Philippines. 
U. diana Swh. Similar to astheniata, but in the forewing the median band is nearer to the cellular 
streak, exterior band much broader. On the hindwing the exterior band is broader. Expanse: 60 mm. Perak. 
U. urapterina Btlr. (72 a) also resembles astheniata, but it is smaller. The exterior marginal stripe is 
almost obsolete. Chief difference: on the hindwing the black margin extends to the point of the little tail. 
Expanse: 42—48 mm. New Mecklenburg, West Australia. — hermoea Drc. is jirobably identical with this or 
the following species. 
U. anerces Meyr. Similar to urapterina (72 a), but separated from all the other species by black spots 
on the head and thorax. Expanse: 50 mm. Fidji Is. 
U. hyemalis Btlr. resembles a small urapterina (72 a). The brown bands are somewhat more oblique 
and narrower. No brown streak on the cross-vein of the forewing. Salomons Is. 
U. equestraria Bsd. is insufficiently described by the author: “Forewing with 3 brown bands, costal 
margin with black dots. Hindwing with a black spot at the base of the little tail.” New Guinea. According 
to Swinhoe it belongs to this place. 
U. swinhoei Bothsch. Forewing white. Costal and distal margins broad earth-brown, the former 
somewhat grey. Hindwing white with an earth-brown margin. A broad submarginal band from near the apex 
to the inner angle, where it is paler. A large spot in the tail and a small one near the inner angle. Traces 
of a yellowish-brown median band extending from the inner margin. Expanse: 28—32 mm. Dutch New Guinea. 
2. Genus : Oyphura Warr. 
Separated from the preceding genus by a somewhat different shape of the hindwing, particularly of 
the small tail, and the quite different marking. Type: geminia Cr. 
In the first species the small tail of the hindwing is especially long. 
najabula 
crameri. 
curvata ;. 
astheniata. 
diana. 
urapterina 
anerces. 
hyemalis. 
equestraria 
swinhoei. 
