526 
ACHERONTIA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 
Other species again most peculiarly bend the abdomen downward. In Panacra busiris (64 a) the head 
is inclined on the resting place of the imago, the dorsum is raised high up, and the abdomen as far as the middle 
bent down, then again stretched hindward; the wings stand far off landward, since they cannot be appressed 
to the S-like curved body (Mell’s so-called ,,boomerang-position“). Owing to this distorted exterior and the 
colouring and shape of the wings and body being absolutely like a chip of wood, the insect can hardly be taken 
for a living being. Whilst in the preceding cases the abdomen of the imago is bent downward by adaptation, 
it is mimicry in Sataspes thoracica (64 d), which induces the disturbed imago [exactly resembling a carpenter-bee 
(Hylocopa aestuans )] to bend the abdominal end in the very same way as its model, when it stings. The 
excellent observer R. Mell has succeeded in photographing this remarkable moment in Sat. inf emails *). 
The geographical distribution of the Indo-Australian Sphingidae on the whole corresponds to the 
general zoogeographical rules. In spite of the great flying power the frontiers are not all effaced, because the 
Sphingidae being relatively young lepidoptera are rather strictly confined to the climate and, moreover, many 
species are monophagous and cannot exist in regions, where their food-plant does not occur. By the above- 
mentioned sterility of the $$ when they leave their range they are prevented from passing over to other 
countries. Recent researches have proved the temperature to be an essential influence upon the procreative 
faculty of the Sphingidae-. this assumption is the more probable since Sphingidae from the palaearctic plains 
reappear in the Indo-Australian region as alpine insects at altitudes the temperature of which corresponds to 
that of palaearctic countries. Haemorrhagia fuciformis which in the palaearctic region inhabits more often 
the plains, lives in India only at the greater altitudes of the north-western district. Pergesa elpenor being widely 
distributed in the palaearctic lowlands reappears in Assam as a decidedly alpine insect, whereas in the north 
it hardly goes beyond the mountain-region. Otherwise the Indo-Australian Sphingidae are not remarkable, 
but correspond to all our expectations if we stick to the assumption that the Sphingidae are a relatively young 
lepidopteral tribe which quickly expands owing to their great flying power. Nor is the division into a great 
number of genera, that are difficult to delimit, corroborated by the great conformity of the larvae, and there¬ 
fore the separation into so many genera is to be regarded more as a means of facilitating the survey than for 
the foundation for the outline of a pedigree. In all the cases where the imagines seem to justify a generic 
separation (e. g. in Smerinthus and Amorpha) we miss every distinct difference in the larva, and on the contrary, 
wherever there are different larvae, as in Celerio euphorbiae, hippophaes and vespertilio, the imagines are too 
conformable to induce us to try a separation. We may, on this occasion, also remind the readers of the remarkably 
easy hybridism among the Sphingidae of different genera, which also speaks in favour of the fact that the 
alienation of such genera, having been thus far separated, has apparently not yet been very prosperous. Thus 
it is to be recommended to regard the following system of the Sphingidae merely as a provisional arrangement 
and, at any rate, to be sceptical towards any further separations, particularly of such monotypical genera. 
In accordance with Jordan’s statements in Vol. II, p. 231, we divide also the Indo-Australian 
Sphingidae into 5 subfamilies, the two first of which ( Acherontiinae and Ambulicinae) are reckoned to the 
Asemanophorae, the three others ( Sesiinae , Philampelinae , and Chaerocampinae) to the Semanophorae. The 
characterization of this group has been stated in Vol. II. 
a) Tribus Acherontiicae. 
1. Genus: Aclieroiitia 0 ., death's heads. 
Recognizable by the thick short proboscis which is unfit for feeding on flowers and probably serves 
for licking other saps. On the dorsum a death’s head marking. Every year great numbers, according 
to the warmth of the year, immigrate to the palaearctic zone, but they only propagate in the southern 
countries, whereas in the north the females remain sterile, at least in most of the cases. One species, atropos 
(Vol. II, p. 232, pi. 36 b) is otherwise Ethiopian. In the Indian region two species occur, but as they go far 
into the eastern palaearctic districts in North China and Japan, they have been described in Vol. II (1. c.) and 
figured there (pi. 36 a). 
tachesis. A. lachesis F. (= morta Hbn., satanas Bsd., lethe Ww., circe Mr.) (Vol. II, pi. 36 a) is at once discernible 
from the other forms of Acherontia by the hindwings being quite black excepting feeble yellow macular bands. 
The distorted face on the dorsal part of the dorsum is darkened. Particularly blackened specimens (ab. atra 
Hince), from Java, probably occur in the whole region. — Adult larva green, yellow, or brown, with thick 
white oblique stripes bordered with blue, not being contiguous, however, on the mesodorsum. Extremely 
polyphagous, preferably on Solaneae (Datura, Nicotiana); in China especially on Clerodendron canescens and 
*) Tt. MELL, Biologie unci Systematik cler sudchinesischeti Sphingiden, pi. 27, fig. 14. 
