PIERIDA5. By Dr. C. Aurivillius. 
29 
2. Family: Pieridae, Whites. 
The members of this family, like the Papilionids, have the forelegs fully developed in both sexes and 
differ in this from the Danaids, Satyrids, Nymphalids, Lemoniids and Lycaenids. Only in a few genera of 
the Lycaenids the forelegs are almost as well developed. 
The head is mostly of medium size with convex, naked eyes. Palpi usually well developed, more or 
less compressed, rarely small and not projecting beyond the head. Tongue well developed. Antennae medium 
or long, usually with sharply defined club, rarely (in Pseudopontia) entirely without club. Abdomen in all the 
Ethiopian species shorter than the hindwing. Foretibia without the spur characteristic of the Papilionids. 
Claws bipartite. Wings with closed middle cell. Forewing with only one submedian, but this often bifurcate 
at the base. Hindwing always with two inner-marginal veins. 
The eggs are upright, very elongate, conical or almost bottle-shaped, sometimes also narrowed beneath 
and hence spindle-shaped. They have fine longitudinal ribs and are usually of a light, whitish or yellow colour. 
The larvae are cylindrical, fine-haired with the normal number of legs. They are often gregarious 
and are usually of green colour with or without light longitudinal lines. 
The pupae are fastened at the anus and by a girth round the middle. The head has a single point, 
often very long; the dorsum is more or less sharply keeled, the wing-cases often project very strongly and 
the sides have sometimes pointed protuberances. 
The early stages of most of the African species are unfortunately still entirely unknown and but little 
is known as to the habits. 
The Pierids have almost always a light, white, yellow or orange-yellow ground-colour and black mark¬ 
ings. These latter consist of a spot at the apex of the middle cell, black marginal spots at the extremities of 
the veins and black submarginal spots, which are usually placed between the veins, but sometimes also on 
them. The submarginal and the marginal spots are often merged together into a dark marginal band. The base 
of the wings is often, especially beneath, more brightly coloured, yellow, orange-yellow or red. Other markings 
only occur very rarely. 
The Pierids occur in large numbers in the whole of the Ethiopian Region, but are much commoner 
in the open steppe-like districts of South, East and North. Africa than in the forest-covered districts, and 
are almost the only representatives of the butterflies in the purely desert regions. The East African subregion 
may rightly be regarded as the country of the Pierids. The latter form there about 19%of the butterfly fauna, 
whilst in South Africa they constitute 13% and in West Africa only 8%. 
Many Pierids and very specially the species of the genus Teracolus are very susceptible to climatic 
conditions and consequently have in the dry season a different coloration from that of the rainy season. 
These seasonal forms, however, are sometimes connected by numerous intermediate forms. But when a species 
is distributed over districts where the seasons vary little or not at all, there occurs there usually only the one 
seasonal form as a constant form; e. g. in Aden, where only dry-season forms, and in the Cameroons, 
where only rainy-season forms occur. 
In the Ethiopian Region there are twelve Pierid genera, of which four, Pseudopontia , Herpaenia, 31 y- 
lothris and Calopieris, are peculiar to this fauna. Pseudopontia and Galopieris have only been found on the 
continent, but the other two occur also on Madagascar. Mylothris is a very extensive genus, being represented 
everywhere in Africa by common species, and may hence be regarded as the characteristic Pierid genus of 
the Ethiopian Region. In Arabia, on Socotra and the Maskarenes it is entirely absent. 
Concerning the division of the Pierids into subfamilies authors are not yet agreed. The Ethiopian 
genera appear to be best divided into the four following subfamilies. 
Summary of the Subfamilies. 
A. The antennae entirely without club, towards the tip slightly moniliform. Veins 5 and 6 of the hind¬ 
wing stalked. Vein 5 of the forewing from the stalk of 6 and 7. Veins 7 and 8 of the hindwing touch 
one another at a point, so as to form a closed basal cell. Pseudopontiina e. 
B. The antennae with club, never moniliform. Veins 5 and 6 of the hindwing separate or from the same 
point. Vein 5 of the forewing never from the stalk of 6 and 7. Veins 7 and 8 of the hindwing widely 
separated. 
