ARHOPALINAE 
123 
ARHOPAEA 
Genus ARHOPALA Boisduval. 
Voyage Astrolabe Lepidoi:)tera, p, 75, 1832. 
.oil ^ absent: vein 7 from subcostal well before end of 
cell, and leacbing costa before apex: vein (j from apex of cell well apart from vein 7 : vein 5 from cell 
an known Australian species) with an imperfectly developed anal lobe, 
and with a bioad bent tail to vein 2 . lilyes smooth. 
Type. Arhopala helms Cramer, from the Moluccas. 
Wie butterllies of this genus are robust insects of brilliant blue or jmrple colour above. They are 
not of en seen on the wing, appearing to fly only when disturbed, and the brown colours of their wings 
beneath liarinonisc closely with their resting places and make tbeni singularly inconspieiious. The sexes 
aie not inaikedly dimorpMe, though the dark markings above are broader in the female. The one 
exception is A. wildei, which has Avhile areas above in the female: this species suggests a distinct genus, 
in its size, shape, colour, and general appearance, but careful examination fails to reveid more than very 
minor points ot structural divergonee. 
/ tlie Australian species of the genus have a very similar wing pattern beneath, therefore a des- 
crip ion or the spots and bands of this pattern-scheme -will save much repetition of speeilic details. 
cf $. Bexeath. Forewing brown with markings a darker brown: a spot in cell at onethird and another 
at twothirds: a broad bar at end of cell: a broad discal band from vein 10 to vein 2 and irref^ularly 
below vein 2: otien a cloudy irregular spot in area la below cell: a spot in base of area 2 and often 
miot ler in base of area 3: termon shading darker brown with an obscure central broad line, paler. 
mclwing brown with markings a darker brown; a curved basal series of five spots, that in cell at 
onethird: a central series of spots, that in cell at twothirds; a bar at end of cell, and a broad irregular 
ciscal band: a spot on anal lobe, black: a subcaudal irregular area, metallic blue or green: termen 
Shading darker brown with an obscure central broad line, paler. 
The coloui of the tail above is the same as that of the dark margins: the extreme ti^i is Avliitisli. 
cilia above are the same colour as the dark margins, but the tips are usually slightly paler, 
sometimes whitish at tornus of forewing, and usually whitish at base of tail. 
17G. Arhopala amytis Hewitson. 
The Australian race of this widespread siiecies w'as the first to be described. 
176a. A. amytis amytis Hewitson. Fig. 461, 462, 466, 467. 
Catalogue Lycaeuidae British Museum, p. 4, pi. 2, fig. 7, 8, 1862. 
(f. Above. Forewing In-illiant silky blue tinged i)iirple: base tinged greenish: costa very narrowly, 
apex and termen narrowly, black. Hiudwing brilliant silky blue tinged purple: base tinged greenish: 
termen narrowly black. 
Bexeath. Forewing rich brown: towards base paler: apex broadly suffused purplish: markings 
spots, and basal edge of bar at end of cell, metallic Avbite. Hindwing rich brown 
suttused purplish: often a subcostal area, j^ale broAvn or greyish; markings typical, rich dark brown, 
lamtly edged whitish; subcaudal ai*ea dusted metallic green. 
Above. Forewlug silky blue faintly tinged gi-eenisb: costa narrowly, apex and termen very broadly, 
black. Hindwing silky blue faintly tinged greenish: costa and termen l^roadly black. 
BENEiiTH as in male. 
hoc. Cape York 2 4 7 8 9 10 11. Thursday Is. 5 12. Prince of Wales Is. 5 6 7 . Banks Is. 2 3. 
Llaudie E. 1 . Cooktown 10 11 . Cairns 5 6 7. Kuranda 11 12. S. Johnstone R. 11. Ingham 4 5 8 9. 
iownsville 4. Mackay 2 3 4 5 11 12 . 59 d’ 51 9 . 
Bus butterfly is the most brilliant of the genus in Australia. The colours are very constant above 
but variable beneath: in some examples the darker markings beneath are almost absent, and in others 
a broad apical area on forewing and a subcostal area on liindwdng are suffused greyish white' (fig. 467). 
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