PORTHESIA. By Dr. E. Strand. 
333 
P. scintillans Wkr. (Vol. II, t. 21 h). In Vol. II, p. 139 I have, relying on former authors (Hampson, 
Swinhoe etc.), dealt with this species as an Euproctis, but on re-examining it I found it is a very typical Por- 
thesia. With respect to this species and its forms subrsotata Wkr. (= justiciae Moore), limbata Btlr. and irrorata 
Moore I refer to what I have said there. In the Indian region the species is distributed across India to Ceylon 
and the Philippines. It flies in Luzon from January till June, in September and December. Length of wings: 
5 9 to 11, $ 11 to 17 mm. — Larva on Sesbania sp. and on a species of willows. Head and legs brown, head 
with 2 hair-tufts on red tubercles. Dorsum white with a red streak, the third joint with a red tubercle, 
4th and 5th joints with black hair-tufts, penultimate joint with a black torus, last joint brown. On the sides 
greyish-brown and red longitudinal stripes. Pupal stage lasts for 10 days near Manila in December, for 11 days 
in January-February. 
P. virguncula Wlk. (= marginalis Wlk.) (45 b c). The S is white, the forewing faintly hued creamy, 
and on the costal-margin beneath slightly darker. Anal tuft of a bright saffron. 28 mm. India, also in the 
north; Java, Sumatra. — From Java originates a small Porthesia with an expanse of but 25 mm which I disco¬ 
vered as Porthesia minor Snell. This name, however, I do not find published anywhere and I describe the species 
on the assumption that minor Snell, is a nomen in litt., as a new species. It is closely allied to Porthesia vir¬ 
guncula Wkr., above uni-coloured purely white, but the rather large anal tuft is 4 mm long and of a bright 
yellow, and the basal area of the forewing beneath is, in a length of 3 to 4 mm, dark grey, which colouring 
extends along the costal margin to the beginning of the last third of it towards the apex, covering also 
the base of the costal area of the hindwing. Pinnae dark brown. I call this form P. javanica form. nov. (45 b). 
P. stigmatifera Hmps. $: brownish-ochreous, speckled darker. Forewing densely speckled darker 
except the proximal median area; traces of a reddish antemedian band and a spot in the cell, a more prominent 
blackish reniform spot, some indistinctly defined postmedian and submarginal dark spots forming traces of 
bands. Hindwing with traces of median and postmedian lines. Expanse of wings: 26 mm. India, Bhutan. 
P. aurantiaca Hmps. S'- bead and legs orange, thorax dark red-brown, abdomen blackish. Forewing 
in the basal two thirds bright orange, in the apical third dark red-brown. Hindwing bright orange, fringes 
hued red-brown, particularly towards the apex. Expanse of wings: 24 mm. India: Sikkim. 
P. xanthorrhoea Roll. (= subdita Moore) (Vol. II, t. 22 a) see Vol. II, p. 134; at the same place 
another form flavonigra Moore. — Other forms: subnigra Moore from the Khasia Hills etc. has whitish fore¬ 
wings and black hindwings, the posterior margin and fringes of which, however, are white. Under surface of 
both wings black with white fringes and in the foreAving with a white marginal band. — subdita Moore (rj) from 
Ceylon, according to the description, is allied to the European P. auriflua, but smaller (expanse of Avings: 
24% mm), and the foreAvings are without markings, except that they show bene a t h a black costal-marginal 
band. Ceylon. 
P. euproctiformis sp. nov. + (45 c). In the hindwing the veins 3+4 are on a very short footstalk, 
6 + 7 on a rather long one. In the forewing 6+7+8+9+10 are on a footstalk, 6 rising distinctly removed 
from the cell, Avhilst 10 rises between 7 and 9. The palpi are, also for a Porthesia, remarkably long and thin. 
Thorax, base of abdominal dorsum, and forewings of a bright ochreous-yellow, forewings scantily and 
irregularly speckled Avith dark brown scales except a narrow distal-marginal and costal-marginal band and 
the base. Head, palpi, chest and legs a little lighter ochreous, hindwing above and both wings beneath pale 
ochreous without dark dusting, and the middle of the abdomen is apparently so, too. Expanse of wings: 30 mm. 
Length of body: 10 mm. Unfortunately the patria of the interesting insect is doubtful; the specimen is labelled: 
,,probably Darjeeling“, but it is doubtful whether it originates from that comparatively well explored district. 
P. urocoma Strand (47 c). S'- forewing broAvnish ochreous yellow with two lighter transverse lines, 
one being submedian and cixrved like an S, the other being postmedian, extending straight obliquely from the 
anal margin to vein 5, then bending toAA'ards the base, so that it is united Avith the preceding line at the costal 
margin; in the marginal area 3 lighter spots similar as in Euproctis suhnotata, the two anterior ones being 
situate close together. Hindwing uni-coloured light yellow like the under surface of both Avings. Abdomen 
above, except the two ends, and laterally black, otherwise the body is like the wings. Expanse of wings: 22; 
length of forewings: 11% mm. — Kosempo, Formosa; in January. Types in the German Entomolog. Museum 
at Berlin-Dahlem. 
P. macroplura Strand (47 b). S'- closely allied to urocoma, but the S deviates by the veins 3 and 4 
of the hindAving being separate, whereas in urocoma on a very short footstalk, the forewings are uni-coloured 
ochreous-yellow without a brownish tint, and the dark part of the abdomen is greyish, only towards its posterior 
scintillans. 
subnolaia. 
limbata. 
irrorata. 
virguncula. 
javanica- 
stigmati¬ 
fera. 
aurantiaca. 
xanthor¬ 
rhoea. 
flavonigra. 
subnigra. 
subdita. 
euproctifor- 
mis. 
urocoma. 
macroplura. 
