Publ. 15. XL 1929. 
EPIPLEMIDAE. General Topics by Dr. A. Seitz. 
577 
17. Family: Epiplemidae. 
In Vol. II (p. 275), Vol. XIV (p. 387 and 390) as well as in this volume (p. 93) we have sufficiently pointed 
out the untenableness of the family of Uraniidae for all the divisions contained therein according to the scheme 
formerly in use, and called the readers’ attention to the great advantage of dividing the family. Accordingly 
we have, at least in this volume, separated the two most heterogeneous components — the Urania on the one 
hand, the Epiplema on the other. Neither of these two genera exhibits the very least alliance in the larvae, 
pupae, or imagines. Magnificent, large, heliophile lepidoptera flying in the daytime, of a strong though graceful 
structure, were packed together with the most insignificant, heliophobic and frail moths being anything but 
gracefully built and hiding in the bushes. In the course of time, this mistake had led to all kinds of absurdities 
and caused the Urania to be placed in catalogues near the Geometridae to which the Micronia as well as the 
Epiplema, many of which were described as Geometrids, seemed to form the transition. On the other hand, 
genuine Geometrids had been temporarily catalogued among the Uraniidae , and some, sucli as Palaeomystis 
mabillaria Pouj., are to be found quoted twice, i. e. in both the groups. 
Since the second volume of this work has been published, the different groups of the Uraniidae have 
now also been separated in the catalogues, though the authors by no means agree in respect to the caesurae. 
We do not intend to discuss these differences of opinion here, but merely mention them so that the readers 
may understand our new division. In these differences of opinion, according to which the family is to be divided 
now here now there, its loose connections are expressed. It is for this reason that we have enumerated the 
distinctly highly specialized groups in the first part of this volume ( Uraniinae , Microniinae), whilst the more 
primitive genera ( Epiplemidae ) have been left in their original place. 
The Epiplemidae likewise contain heterogeneous elements, and in the future yet more divisions may 
be expected. The Ghatamla and Nossa as well as the Amana deviate far from the real Epiplema, and it is only 
a certain external resemblance to certain Geometrids that unites the various groups, although it refers to quite 
different Geometrid groups. We had already stated in the family of the Microniinae (p. 93) that the actual 
resemblance of Urapteroides (pi. 72 a) and Urapteryx (Vol. IV, pi. 71 c—e) cannot be explained by oicological 
, connections; nor between the Epiplema and Sterrhinae or Larentiinae. Here it is merely a matter of conver¬ 
gences. The only matter to be doubted may be the resemblance of certain forms of the Ghatamla ( tricolor) 
to the Geometrids of the genus Dysphania (Vol. XII, pi. 6, 7) flying at the same place. This latter group of 
Geometrids, unlike nearly all the other groups, is protected, and they evidently serve as models for certain 
unprotected moths (such as the Chalcosiina Psaphis euschemoides (5 d). Moreover, we find that the Nossa■ 
being allied to the Ghatamla copy Pierids, which fact has already been stated in Vol. II (p. 277). This habit 
of copying proved by the latter example in the Epiplemidae, together with the protectedness of the double, 
makes it also likely that the resemblance of Chatamla-Dysphania is correctly explained by genuine mimicry. 
Another explanation can be substantiated by the fact that the exterior of nearly all the Epiplemidae resembles 
that of certain Geometrid genera which are not compelled to have recourse to mimicry. Even minute details 
in the contours of the wings in which certain Geometrids, such as the Sarcinodes , differ from the usual shape 
of the wings, recur in the Epiplemid genus Decetia or Auzea, and the names of some Epiplema, such as barmiata, 
simulans etc!, show that such resemblances have already been used by the early authors for denominating species. 
Moreover, the ground-colour as well as the marking of the Epiplemidae are almost throughout depen¬ 
dent on mimicry. The behaviour of the insects in life is due to this adaptation, and in this they follow the very 
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