Publ. S. V. 1926. 
SYNTOMIDAE; PSICHOTOE; EUTOMIS; CERYX. By Dr. A. Seitz. 
4i 
3. Family: Syntomidae. 
Referring to the general topics in Vol. II (p. 37). Vol. VI (p. 33 to 37), and Yol. X (p. 01 and 02), 
we have merely to add with regard to the Syntomidae what relates to African conditions in particular. 
In the Ethiopian Region we find beside the two groups mentioned before, viz. the copyists of quite certain 
Hymenoptera on the one hand and those copying only the general image of an Aculeate without a definite 
model on the other hand, a third division of Syntomidae showing nocturnal habits. As mimetic disguise would 
be a nonsense in night fibers, this group lacks the mimicry being otherwise almost generally found in the 
Syntomidae. These are particularly the genera Metarctia and Balacra, and on looking at the plates 6 and 7 
we notice at once that they also differ in other respect from the other genera of the family . The Metarctia 
are found to form already the transition to the following Arctiid Family, and particularly owing to the pinnate 
antennae of the q<$ it seems to be questionable whether these nocturnal insects would not be appended to 
that family, in spite of certain differences in the neuration, of the frequently stunted hindwings etc. 
In the Ethiopian Region the Syntomidae are distributed in such a way that the greatest number of 
species are met with in the Sudan, particularly in its eastern parts. Certain genera strongly recalling the 
palearctic Nadia are represented in particularly great numbers in the Island of Madagascar. The intensely 
metallic lustrous Euchromia are almost equably distributed over the hottest parts of Africa in the east and 
west, only 1 species reaching to Cape Colony. The other genera, such as Ceryx and Syntomis which often greatly 
resemble their Indian colleagues, are distributed over the whole district; only in Southern Arabia and in the 
Cape Verde Islands I was unable to discover a single Syntomida, although I was collecting there during all 
seasons. 
1. Genus: Psicliotoe B.sd. 
This genus is at once recognisable by the absence of the proboscis and abdomen widening posteriorly. 
Beside an African species also an Indian belongs hereto, though they differ somewhat in the veins, as has 
already been referred to in Vol. X. p. 63. As to the habits we refer to the same place. 
Ps. gnatula Bsd. (= naclioides Fldr.) (3 a). Shape and size like that of the Indian duvauceli (Vol. X, gnatula. 
pi. 10 a), but the abdomen is yellow-haired, the forewing spotted, and the hindwing yellow narrowly bordered 
with black. South Africa from Cape Colony to Natal. 
2. Genus : Kialomis Hbn. 
The only species of this genus, in contrast with the preceding, is of a stout and squat structure. It 
has a well developed proboscis; the body is haired somewhat like a fleece; the abdomen is without any real 
belts, but the segments are posteriorly narrowly bordered with whitish. 
E. minceus Stoll (3 a). The wings are quite similarly spotted and coloured as in Syntomis ylxegea, minceus. 
but on the broad shoulders there are white guttiform spots, and similar ones on the sides of the thorax; the 
abdomen shows a metallic green gloss. Cape Colony. 
3. Genus: Ceryx Wallgr. 
As to the habits of the genus and its range cf. Vol. II p. 41 and Vol. X p. 63. — Twelve species partly 
looking like small Syntomis, partly with very much reduced, hindwings. are kown from the African district. 
Besides particularly many species have been found in New Guinea. 
XIV 
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