246 
ACRAEA. By Dr. C. AuRiviLLros. 
melina. 
kivuana. 
paragea. 
angusti- 
jasciata. 
liomochroa. 
the type-form in having the subapical band of the forewing whitish yellow above and white beneath; in the 
$ the subapical band of the forewing is pure white, but the hindmarginal spot of the forewing and the hind¬ 
wing are coloured and marked quite as in the A ; the base of the hindwing beneath is light yellow instead of red- 
yellow. Island of Fernando Po. - — melina Tliur. is only known in the male; the light markings of the upper 
surface are dull ochre-yellow and the hindmarginal spot of the forewing is differently shaped, as its proximal 
side runs quite parallel with the costal margin and if produced would intersect the apex of the wing; in addi¬ 
tion the distal side of the hindmarginal spot is bordered by two straight lines and forms a distinct angle. 
Nyassaland. — kivuana Jord. the markings of the forewing nearly as large as in the type-form, but the sub¬ 
apical band light cream-coloured and the hindmarginal spot light tan-yellow; the hindwing before the middle 
with a narrow yellowish white transverse band, not sharply defined distally; all the markings beneath yellow¬ 
ish white. $: all the markings pure white; the subapical band of the fore wing narrower than in the type- 
form; the transverse band of the hindwing also narrower and more sharply defined. Island of Kwidgwi in Lake 
Kivu. — paragea 8m. (59c) is distinguished by having the markings very narrow and also in the A white; 
the subapical band of the forewing is only 1—2mm. in breadth and often almost broken up into spots; the hind¬ 
marginal spot is about 3 mm. in breadth and sometimes indistinct or obsolete at the hindmargin; the trans¬ 
verse band of the hindwing is 5mm. in breadth, sharply (or not sharply -- angustifasciata Grunb.) defined and not 
or scarcely extending beyond the apex of the cell. Uganda and Sesse Islands. -— liomochroa Jord. (59 e). Both 
sexes similarly coloured and marked and agreeing with the $ of the type-form. The orange-yellow colour 
of the upper surface is somewhat lighter than in the type-form and the dark marginal band on the upperside 
of the hindwing is much narrower and terminates at the middle of the hindmargin. Abyssinia. 
2. Genus: Acraea F. 
The genus Acraea is the richest in species of all the Ethiopian butterfly genera and is represented al¬ 
most everywhere in the region. Outside Africa only a few species occur in South Asia and Australia. The number 
of forms in the genus is still further raised through the existence of numerous races and seasonal forms in the 
majority of the species. 
The differences between Acraea and Planema have already been given above, p. 239. It may further 
be added that the pupae of Acraea are unarmed or have only small elevations on the back of the abdomen. 
The larvae do not differ from those of Planema in structure and the arrangement of the spines. 
In the greater number of the species both wings bear black dots or round spots on a light ground. 
The number and arrangement of these dots are of great importance in determining the species and specific 
groups. I therefore give here a general survey of them. They may be divided into basal dots, median dots, 
cliscal dots and submarginal dots. 
The basal dots only occur in the cells and in cellules 1 a, 1 b and 11 of the forewing and cellules 
la—1 c, 7 and 8 of the hindwing; in lb of the forewing they are placed before the origin of vein 2 and in 11 
before the origin of vein 11; in cellule 7 of the hindwing near the base of the cellule and in cellule 8 before 
the precostal vein. 
The m e d i a n dots are placed at or on the discocellular veins and are often united into a trans¬ 
verse streak or spot at the end of the cell. 
The cl i s c a l dots usually form just beyond the apex of the cell an often very irregular transverse 
row from the hindmargin (inner margin) to the costal margin of both wings and may consist of a dot in each 
cellule from 1 a—11 on the forewing and 1 a—7 on the hindwing. Single dots are often absent and the arrange¬ 
ment of these is of great systematic importance. 
The sub marginal dots form a usually regular curved row between the cliscal dots and the 
distal margin and parallel with the latter, and may occur in cellules 1 b—8 of the forewing and 1 b—7 of the 
hinclwing. They are entirely absent in many species. 
After pairing the $$ possess at the end of the abdomen beneath an appendage which is quite differently 
formed in different species and can therefore be utilized as a distinguishing character. This appendage recalls 
the pouch of the Parnassius $$ and is probably also formed in a similar way (by a fluid secreted by the 
at copulation, which becomes hard in the air). Although the $$ can be easily distinguished by these appendages 
the latter are not here described in the separate species, as a description without figures would be scarcely 
intelligible. 
The genus is very homogenous and all attempts to split it up into several genera have consequently 
proved failures *). The species can, however, be divided into three sharply defined groups according to the 
markings. 
Synopsis of the Groups. 
I. Hindwing at least beneath with black dots. Veins 6 and 7 of the hindwing never stalked. 
*) H. Eltringham has just published an excellent monograph of the genus in Trans. Ent. Soc. London 1912. 
We have availed ourselves of some of his figures here. 
