AEGERIIDAE. GR YPOPALPIA; GRINIPUS. By M. Gaedk. 
517 
This universal and, to a certain degree, uniform distribution corresponds very well to the assumption 
that the Aegeriidae are descendants from an old root. They are generally considered to have proceeded from 
a Tineid branch, without many other intermediate stages than the Pyralidae, to their present stage. Out of the 
primitive, mostly nocturnal, hidden-living Tineida, which have hardly deviated from the Lepidoptera laciniata 
— the “ Protolepidoptera” — and have developed from the Micropterygidae, the mimetically adapted, heliophile 
blossom-loving animals of the Aegeriidae have grown. Some suppose a close affinity of the Aegeriidae with the 
Y ponomeutoidea (Forbes), whereas Packard derives them directly from the Thyrididae which Forbes ranges 
with the Pyralidoidea, next to the Pyralidae and separates by the Tortricoidea (including the Cossus ) from the 
Yponomeutoidea. At any rate all agree that they have not yet quite abandoned the image of the ‘Alicrolepi- 
doptera“, for which raeson their mimetic adaptation to Aculeatae, which by no means belong to the very old 
insects, is of great interest. There is probably little cause to infer from the larval life in the wood their close 
affinity to the Cossidae. Above all the neuration of the Aegeriidae does not prove any analogies by relations, 
since the mimetic adaptation to the narrow hymenopteral forewing has caused a peculiar, rather violent 
transformation, i. e. the inner margin of the forewing and the costa of the hindwing are inverted, so that both 
wings are fastened together; otherwise the hindwing would too easily glide over the somewhat concave inner 
margin of the forewing, which dislocation would mostly disable the insect to fly. Thus the space necessax-y 
for a strong submedian vein is abolished, so that the latter lias disappeared altogether or is obliterated to 
hardly perceivable traces, whereas in the Pyralidae — even the Crambinae with their extremely narrow wings 
- it is still strongly developed. Only with the plume-moths in which a similarly violent transformation has 
taken place — though for other reasons — the submedian vein is pressed down from the surface of the forewing 
to the inner margin. 
We know as much as nothing about the larvae of the Ethiopian Aegeriidae. But the larval life and 
exterior is so very conformable in the different genera of the palaearctic species, that it will be probably the 
same also with the Ethiopian forms being in many ways allied with the palaearctic ones; we therefore refer 
the reader to what has been said about them in Vol. II, p. 375—414. 
Family Aegeriidae. 
The proboscis may be normal or absent. Palpi almost invariably upturned beyond the frons. Antennae 
in the middle or mostly towards the end slightly thickened, ciliated, or dentate, often also only filiform, almost 
invariably with a hair-pencil at the end. Middle and hind tibiae often scaled or long-haired to different degrees. 
Abdomen cylindrical or conical, mostly provided with an anal tuft. Forewing always rather narrow, costal 
margin before the apex sometimes more bent. Veins 7 + 8 almost invariably stalked. In the broader hindwing 
a third inner-marginal vein (1 a) rarely present, mostly only 1 b and 1 c. Vein 4 or 7 often absent. In enumerating 
the genera we conform with the pedigree mentioned by Hampson in Nov. Zool. 26. 
1. Genus: Grypopiilpia Hmps. 
Proboscis present. Second palpal joint with a long pencil. Antennae of $ plain, at the ends broad. 
Hind tibiae and first tarsal joint strongly haired. In the forewing vein 8 is absent, in the hindwing vein 4. 
Veins 3 and 5 rise from the lower cell-angle, 6 below the upper angle, 8 hidden in the marginal fold. 
G. iridescens Pimps. Thorax black, glossy. Abdomen red, at the base and some segmental margins iridescens. 
black. Hindlegs red except at the base of the tibiae and on the first tarsal joint. Abdomen beneath orange-red 
excepting the base. Forewing black with a blue-green gloss. Hindwing only at the margin so, in the interspaces 
hyaline. Fringes of both wings black. $ 20 mm. Natal. 
2. Genus: Crlnipus Hmps. 
Palpi erect, 2nd joint moderately hairy. Proboscis present. Antennae of with fine ciliary tufts. 
Middle and hind tibiae in the centre and at the end with liair-tufts, the hind tarsi only on the 1st joint. In 
the forewing veins 2 and 3 from the cell-angle, 7 + 8 stalked. In the hindwing veins 3 and 5 from the cell- 
angle, or on a short stalk, 6 separated from 7. 
