Publ. 17. VIIT. 1928. 
521 
BRAHMAEIDAE. By Dr. R. Mell. 
15. Family: Brahmaeidae. 
Of the three groups of this originally wide-spread family one inhabits Africa to the south of the Sahara, 
the second a very disjunct area in palaearctic Asia (Cilician Taurus; Caucasus; eastern Central and North 
China as far as the Russian sea-coast inclusively), the third being the most specialized inhabits South-Eastern 
Asia from the Eastern Himalaya to the Philippine Is. in the east and Japan in the north-east (japonica Btlr.). 
1. Genus: ISraliiuaea Wkr. 
The two Asiatic groups of the genus are to be valued as subordinate genera. The palaearctic one, 
Brahmaea s. str. is characterized as follows: larvae monophagous for Oleaceae, in all stages dark, the thoracal 
horns (segm. 2—3) at the ends rolled up like spirals, tergit 12 also in the early stage without horns, in the 
last (4th) moult all the appendages disappear. Pupae: metathoracal horns intensely lustrous, cremaster small. 
Imagines: hindwing with a connecting vein between the subcostalis and the cell; forewing: the 1st radial 
invariably from the upper cell-angle, veins 2 and 3 and veins 4 and 5 always on a separate stalk; the large 
postmedian band never with ocellate dots; uncus of <$ slightly notched or straightly cut off. — In the Indo- 
Australian region only the second subordinate genus occurs: Brahmophthalma. 
Subordinate genus: Brahmophthalma Mell. 
The range has been stated above. Morphological marks: larvae at latest from the first moult light and 
with a porcelain-like gloss; tergits 2—3 and 11—12 with long, black, chitinized horns, those on 2, 3 and 12 being paired, 
whilst on 11 there is a single median horn, and all excepting those on 12 are turned like corkscrews. In the last moult they 
are all suppressed- 
B. hearseyi White (= whitei Btlr.) (56 C a). Vein 1 from the upper cell-angle, the exterior edge of the hearsey 
median cellular band deeply concave below the costal margin. The details of the complicated marking are 
to he seen on the figure. Hitherto known from Sikkim, Assam, Burma, Borneo, West China (Sze-chwan), the 
southern part of Central China (Honan, Ivwei-chow) and South China (Kwang-tung). -— Egg large, seen from 
in front circular, seen from the side flat semiglobular, yellowish. Egg-stage of medium duration (GW—10% 
days). — Larva: it develops twice as quickly as the other Asiatic lepidopteral larvae of a similar size. The 
pronotum of the larva is coloured like the body, and the horns on the 11th and 12th segments of the young 
larva are turned back like the horns of chamois, pectoral legs green with black transverse shields. It has 4 moults 
and is ready for pupation after 16—21 days, which is unique for such a big insect which is 88—126 mm long 
and may weigh from 12 to 20 g. A maximal growth of 63°/ 0 and an increase of weight of 3 1 g were ascertained 
in 24 hours, and an extension of the dorsal horns by 50% in one moult. It rests sphinx-like, its head being 
slightly rolled up towards the ventrum; the crackling noise of the mandibles is produced, in a similar way as 
in the Acherontia, on being disturbed (or frightened?); the last defensive position is expressed by its vigorously 
striking sideways, which is also done when it hears high whistle or violin notes. Pupation in a widened under¬ 
ground hole. — Pupa: more or less covered with a plum-like bloom, the covers of the hindwings as far as 
the stigma of segment 4, thoracal stigma capable of function; metathorax with a median sting-hole and lateral 
lustreless tori, cover of proboscis shorter than 1st leg, cremaster large, rough with 2 (rarely 1) apical spines. 
In the imago the hindwing is without the connecting vein between subcostalis and cell: forewing: vein 1 not 
always from the upper cell-angle, veins 4—5 not always on a special stalk, uncus of plainly pointed. In both 
sexes the anntennal covers are 2—3% mm shorter than the covers for the proboscis and forelegs. — This species 
and the other Indo-Australian species of the subordinate genus inhabit (subtropical) mountain-forests at altitudes 
of 500—2200 m. In the south of their range they probably go still higher up and seem to be adapted to the 
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