216 SCIOPTERA; PSYCHE; STERRHOPTERYX. By Dr. E. Wehrli. 
Phalacropterygidi Tutt. 
10. Genus: Scioptera Rbr. fLepidoscioptera Dalla-Torre). 
A. In comparison to the frail, thin, sparsely haired and tufted body, the wings are large and 
wide. They are more or less transparent, sparsely covered with rather short, thin hairs. The longly 
pectinated antennae are relatively feeble being only abt. + 3 rd the length of forewings. ( Stand - 
fussia Tutt.) 
tenella. S. tenella Ad. Spr. (Vol. 2, p. 361, pi. 55 e). Fairly well distributed but local in the Alps of central 
Switzerland and especially in the southern valleys. For instance it is not uncommon around Zermatt. I 
have the species from many localities in the Tessin, the Valais, the Bernese Oberland, Gemmi, Faulhorn, 
Oeschinensee; Vorbrodt also mentions it as occurring in the Grisons, Misox, Bergell, Engadine. Recent 
faunistic works no longer mention tenella as occurring in Spain (Korb) and the Pyrenees. In regard to altitude, 
it seems to vaiy from 205 m at Locarno to abt. 3000 m on the Gornergrat. The species flies in the early 
morning from June to August. — zermattensis Frey is mentioned in all works on Butterflies, as the smaller, 
darker race from Locarno and in the “Catalogus Lepidopterorum it is denoted as a species. Pungeler, who 
had bred several 100 specimens of tenella from Zermatt, considered same to be identical with zermattensis. 
Vorbrodt also, as I myself, are unable to see any distinguishing feature to differentiate between specimens 
bred from Locarno and such from Zermatt, so that there seems hardly any room to doubt the identity of 
both. Also a microscopic examination of the wing scales proved them to be absolutely identical. See Verh 
Nat. Ges. Basel, XXXI, 1920, p. 26 and 30, pi. Ill, Fig. 1—14. 
vorbrodtd- S. vorbrodtella Wrli. (14 i) (J is larger than tenella Spr. (Vol. 2, p. 361, pi. 55 e). Forewings 10—11mm, 
paler, the wings much more transparent, grey with brownish hue, hairs shorter, thinner and more sparse. 
Forewings with more subtriangular contour, as wide as tenella, but broader, less rounded at apex, the outer 
margin straighter and somewhat more oblicpie; also the hindwings are narrower. Corresponding to the paler 
colouration of the wings, the antennae are much paler brownish grey, the pectinations are longer but only 
half as thick. Similarly the colour of the hairs of the head and body are brownish grey. Fringes which are 
the same colour as wings, are longer than those of tenella. Fore tibiae have no spine, femora and tibiae 
have long hairs; examined superficially vorbrodtella gives one more the impression of being like a Sterrhopteryx 
liirsutella Hbn. (Vol. 2, p. 362, pi. 55 f), or a small St. standjussi H.-Sclidff. (Vol. 2, p. 362, pi. 55 f), can how¬ 
ever be distinguished by the different build of the antennae and the neuration. The early stages and the $ 
are unknown. Very rare in the Valais and the Engadine ; so far only 4 So are known. The first was cap¬ 
tured by Vorbrodt on the 11th July 1910 near Iselle 660 m altitude; it is somewhat larger and browner 
than the 2nd one, which was taken by me on the ridge of the Gornergrat 3136 m on the 17th July 1919 
together with Psodos bentelii Rdtz. flying in the morning sunshine. I secured 2 further So the collection of 
Stand fuss, one of which is labelled Engadine and the other simply marked with a query and with no 
locality indication. No other data were available of either. 
B. The wings fairly narrow, opaque; head and body with tufty hairs, antennae longer with 
very long pectinations, ( Scioptera Rmb.) species: S. plumistrella Hbn. and S. schiffermilleri Stgr. 
11. Genus: Psyche Schrk. 
riivellei. Ps. nivellei Oberth. (14 i). The S is easily distinguishable from all other species of the Genus by its 
much thinner, frailer and sparsely haired body and the apex of the rounded forewings. Wing expanse 19 
to 20 mm. Antennae with longer pectinations, which however are finer than in related species and with 
long cilia. Colouration of body and wings like those of viciella, greyer and wings more transparent. The 
forewings with 12 veins, 4 + 5 short, 8 + 9 longer (stalk = %). Hindwings with 8 veins, 3 + 4 from a point. 
$ sac and early stages unknown. From Timhadit in Morocco, coming freely to light in August, I have one 
S from Zebch near Zebdou in Algeria, caught in September. 
perpallida. Ps. viadrina Stgr. (Vol. 2, p. 361, pi. 55 e). — ab. perpallida Heckel has whitish colouration. 
lactescens. Ps* lactescens Oberth. (15 a). The S is described as large, robust, antennae with long pectinations, 
stout, black + body and wings glossy, milky white. Here we are giving a reproduction of Fig. 712 from 
OberthItr s Et. Comp. V. 1. Wing expanse is 21 mm. It occurs in September at Geryville, Algeria. I 
have not a specimen before me. 
14. Genus: Sterrhopteryx Hbn. 
liirsutella. S. hirsutella Him. (Vol. 2, p. 362, pi. 55 f) emerges towards the evening and flies until midnight. Dr. 
Mi ller of Linz observed the emergence at 11 p. m. The imagines come to light. According to Vorbrodt 
the larvae feed to the end of May on young shoots of oak stumps and sloe bushes and are not rare in forest 
clearings; the <J sac is found in June at the foot of tree trunks and especially on sloe bushes, the $ sac at 
a height of abt. 1%—2 m on oaks. 
