9 4 
PHLYGTAENOGASTRA; PHRAGMATOBIA; SPILOSOMINAE. By M. Gaede. 
metamelae- 
na. 
laeliodes. 
clarissima. 
rangei. 
nnsorgei. 
parvula. 
C. metamelaena Hmps. (12 b). Head and thorax blackish-brown. Abdomen orange-red with black 
sublateral spots. $ forewing red-brown, irrorated with a darker colour, with 3 dark bands, the most proximal 
one of which is more sharply angled. Hindwing black. At the base, hind-margin, and the narrow distal margin 
orange-reddish. $ forewing carmine with a distinct black spot at the cross-vein and one behind it. Hindwing 
pale orange with a black median spot and some submarginal spots. — An alpine form, $ (Lake Kiwu, 3000 m) 
with a lighter forewing and orange hindwing showing a large median spot and some submarginal ones. 35 to 
42 mm. East Africa. 
C. laeliodes Hmps. is probably only an alpine form of the preceding. Head and thorax brownish- 
red, abdomen red with black margins. Forewing carmine, irrorated with brown, with an indistinct black spot 
behind the cell. Hindwing pale red, with a spot on the cross-vein and behind it. — clarissima form. nov. (12 c). 
Head, thorax and forewing reddish-orange, abdomen red. ""Forewing irrorated with reddish, particularly on 
the veins. Hindwing pink with black median and marginal spots. 35 mm. Ruanda (East Africa). 
5. Genus: IMilyctaenogastra Gaede. 
More slender than Carcinarctia. Head, thorax, and abdomen with woolly hair. On the anterior tibiae 
claws on the inside and outside. Hind tibiae with terminal spurs. $ antennae long-combed. Veins of forewing 
as in Carcinarctia. In the hindwing veins 3, 4 and 5 are somewhat separate, veins 6 -f- 7 on a short fork. On 
the thorax beneath there are vesicles. 
Ph. rangei Gaede (12 c). Head and abdomen orange-red. Thorax dark brown. Forewing brownish- 
pink with 4 strongly dentate black lines and a dentate marginal line. Hindwing light carmine with a black 
luna on the cross-vein and a dentate subterminal band. 27 mm. South-West Africa. 
6. Genus: Pliragmatobia Steph. 
Proboscis short, palpi as long as the head, long-haired. Head, thorax, and abdomen hairy. Tibiae 
with short spurs. In the forewing veins 7 -j- 8 -f- 9 + 10 are forked. Veins 3, 4, 5 in both wings somewhat 
separate. Type: fidighiosa L. — Cf. Vol. II, p. 79, and Vol. VI, p. 301. 
Ph. ansorgei Jord. ($). Thorax reddish-yellow, abdomen red. Forewing orange-red, distally orange- 
yellow. Five subbasal spots with a yellow margin, a spot on the cross-vein large, curved, faded small submarginal 
spots. Hindwing similarly coloured, with black submarginal spots. 40 mm. Angola. 
Ph. parvula Fldr. (12 c). Thorax and forewing pale brown. Head and costal margin of forewing 
carmine. Central spot and the distal broad band dark brown. Hindwing carmine. At the hind-margin and 
a submarginal band black, the central spot also black. 28 mm. Cape Colony; Felder stated it by mistake 
from India. 
V. Subfamily: Spilosominae. 
This subordinate group with more than 70 African forms known supplies the chief contingent of the Ethiopian Arctiine 
Fauna. Their wings being almost without exception white, pale sand-coloured or neutrally coloured, the Spilosoma excellently 
fit into the Ethiopian Heterocera, where they are entirely submerged in The host of white moths being particularly often 
represented in immense numbers by the Lymantriidae. In a number of Ethiopian Spilosoma also the abdomen, which otherwise 
in this genus mostly exhibits an orange or hemochrome warning colour, is neutrally coloured. The separation of the genera 
has been very difficult, since the neuration does not offer any help with the Arctiidae. Thereby partly immense collective 
genera were produced (such as Spilosoma , = Diacrisia Hmps.) with more than 300 denominated forms, partly the genera are 
geographically divided in so unfavourable a manner, that it is utterly impossible to reduce them to a correct geographical 
system; so for instance 1 Ethiopian species (ochthoeba) would belong to the purely American genus Turuptiana, whilst the 
American echo would stand by the side of half a dozen Ethiopian forms, as the only western Seirarctia. Such zoogeographical 
curious facts of course sometimes occur; but if they occur with such a remarkable frequency as in the Arctiidae, we are 
inclined to suspect that some mistakes have been made in the principles of division. In the same way as in the mostly North 
African genus Ocnogyna, beside 30 purely palearctic forms, one single form is said to occur in Peru (cf. Vol. VI, p. 301), 
the species of the genera Hyphantria, Antarctia etc. are said to be partly Ethiopian, partly American, but not to occur elsewhere. 
Not remarkable, however, is a vast range of cosmopolitically occurring genera in Africa, such as Spilosoma which, in a similar 
way as the Utetheisa being common in all the warmer countries, also enliven the African Fauna. The Ethiopian Spilosominae 
in most of the districts occur in immense numbers. According to Tessmann, their larvae are in the West African plantations 
the most common’bear-caterpillars, occurring throughout the year, the imagines frequently sitting on the trunks of palm- 
trees. (Seitz.) 
Note: If the head and thorax are of the same colour, which is mostly the case, only the thorax is mentioned in 
the description. In most of the species there are also lateral spots, if there are black dorsal spots. This has also been left out 
in the descriptions for the sake of abbreviation. 
