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4, HETEROCERA: LYMANTRIIDAE

By. Li CoLreNnrrre Ye q

(With Plate)

Tue Lymantridae collected during the course of this expedition are of

considerable interest. With the exception of one species (Laelia lavia Swinhoe)

from the Aberdare Range, and two (Ovithrepta edwardsi Collenette and Laelia

vufolavia Hering) from the Birunga Range in Kigezi, all were taken in the lower

forest area of the Ruwenzori Range, in December 1934 and January 1935; and

with the exception of Ovithrepta edwards: all were taken at light. Of the species

so listed, ten appear to be confined to the elevated area of S.W. Uganda, eleven

extend to West Africa, two to East Africa, and three to East and S.E. Africa.

Orithrepta edwardsi Collenette, for which a new genus was necessary, iS a

remarkable insect found at a height of over 10,000 feet, of exceptional interest and

quite dissimilar to any other Lymantriid in appearance. The female, which was

not taken, may prove to be brachypterous.

I am indebted to Mr. W. H. T. Tams for the two photographs which accom-

pany this paper.

Leucoma luteipes Walker

Stilpnotia lutecpes Walker, 1855, List Lep. Ins. B.M. 4: 843.

RUWENzORI: Namwamba Valley, 6500 ft. (Edwards and Jackson). 2 3,

TQ.

The apex of the forewing in the 2 is more pointed than in West African

specimens, but the series from Uganda in the British Museum is not large

enough to determine whether this peculiarity is constant.

Leucoma nigripes Holland

Caviria nigvipes Holland, 1893, Ent. News, 4: 62.

RuUWENzoRI: Namwamba Valley, 6500 ft. (Edwards). 2 3.

This species appears to be scarce in collections, and the British Museum did

not previously possess specimens from Uganda.

Leucoma monosticta Butler

Lopera monosticta Butler, 1898, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1898: 428.

RUWENzorI: Fort Portal, 5000 ft. (Edwards). 1 6.

Ill, 4

100 RUWENZORI EXPEDITION

Stilpnaroma melanocera Hampson

Olapa melanocera Hampson, 1909, Trans. Zool. Soc. London, 19: 116.

RuweEnzorr: Kilembe, 4500 ft. (Edwards). 1 3 (neallotype).

The $ has not previously been described. It resembles the 9, with bushy

fuscous antennae about half the length of costa.

Cropera testacea Walker

Cropera testacea Walker, 1855, List. Lep. Ins. B.M. 4: 826.

RUWENZoRI: Kilembe, 4500 ft., 5 ¢; Fort Portal, 5000 ft. (Edwards).

5 Go it ey

»

Crorema submaculata Collenette

Crorema submaculata Collenette, 1931, Trans. Ent. Soc. London, 79: 343.

RUWENZORI: Kilembe, 4500 ft. (Edwards) 1 g ; Nyamgasani Valley.

(Buxton). 1 &

Crorema fuscinotata Hampson

Laelia fuscinotata Hampson, tgt0, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (8) 5: 440.

RUWENZORI: Bwamba Pass (west side), 5500-7500 ft., 1 g; Fort Portal,

5000 ft. (Edwards). 1 9.

Stracena fuscivena Swinhoe

Stracena fuscivena Swinhoe, 1903, Trans. Ent. Soc. London, 1903: 388.

RUWENZORI: Fort Portal, 5000 ft., 1 2; Bwamba Pass (west side), 5500-

7500 ft., (Edwards). 1 g, 1 9. :

Stracena kamengo Collenette

Stracena kamengo Collenette, 1936, Entom., 69: 178.

RUWENZORI: Fort Portal, 5000 ft. (Edwards). 1 3.

Euproctis croceisticta Hampson

Eupyoctis cvoceisticta Hampson, 1909, Trans. Zool. Soc. London, 19: 116.

RUWENZORI: Fort Portal, 5000 ft. (Edwards). 1 3.

This species may have a very restricted habitat, as the two other males and

a single female which I have seen were all taken in different localities of the

Ruwenzori Range at heights varying from 4500 to 6000 feet.

|

LYMANTRIIDAE 101i

Euproctis melalepia Hampson

Eupyroctis melalepia Hampson, 1909, Trans. Zool. Soc. London, 19: 117.

RuweEnzori: Mobuku Valley, 7800 ft. (Edwards). 2 g, 2 &.

One pair of insects was taken 7m copula, a capture of considerable interest.

The 3 was previously known from Hampson’s type, in very poor condition,

taken on Ruwenzori in 1906 at 7000 ft., and another in good condition from

Kitale, Kenya, taken by G. W. Jeffery in 1932. Mr. Jeffery also captured five 2

at the same place, and I had actually commenced their description as a new

species when their relationship with the g occurred to me. The 9, which I

have described and illustrated in Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., is entirely dissimilar

in appearance to the g, but a somewhat parallel case is found in Euproctis

hardenbergia Janse, which has been bred by W. J. Hughes in Natal.

Euproctis dewitzi Griinbauer

Porthesia dewitzi Griinbauer, 1907, Berlin Ent. Zeit., 52: 71.

RUWENZORI: Kilembe, 4500 ft. (Edwards). 1 3.

This species may prove to be the same as E. aethiopica Snellen, 1872, but

I have not yet had the opportunity of making a thorough comparison.

Euproctis reutlingeri Holland

Eupyroctis veutlingeyi Holland, 1893, Psyche, 6: 414.

RUWENZORI: Bwamba Pass (west side), 5500-7500 ft. (Edwards). 1 2.

Euproctis nessa Swinhoe

Euproctis nessa Swinhoe, 1906, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (7), 17: 542.

RUWENZORI: Kilembe, 4500 ft. (Edwards). 4 3. Kicez1: Mt. Mgahinga,

8000 ft. (Edwards). 1 3.

Porthesaroa lacipa Hering

Porthesaroa lacipa Hering, 1926, GroBschmett. Erde, 14: 151.

RUWENzoRI: Fort Portal, 5000 ft. (Edwards). 1 3.

Lacipa florida Swinhoe

Euproctis florida Swinhoe, 1903, Trans. Ent. Soc. London, 1903: 403.

RUWENZORI: Kilembe, 4500 ft. (Jackson). 1 3.

102 RUWENZORI EXPEDITION

Orithrepta genus nov.

g. Proboscis absent. Palpus short, down-turned, two-segmented, the

second segment longer than the first. Eye round, in diameter about the width

of frons. Antenna bipectinate, about one-half the length of costa, the branches

at middle about one-third the length of shaft. Abdomen slightly shorter than

inner margin of hindwing. Legs sparsely haired. Process on foretibia the same

length as the tibia and almost straight ; mid and hind tibiae with a pair of rather

short spurs. Inner margin of forewing almost straight, costa and termen

moderately rounded, apex and tornus rather pointed; vein Sc parallel with the

costa; Rr from one-half the upper margin of cell; R2 and #3 stalked, from about

seven-eighths upper margin of cell, R2 leaving R3 at about one-fourth the

distance from cell to termen; R4 and R5 stalked, anastomosing with R3, thus

forming a fairly large areole, R5 separating from the stalk shortly after the end

of the areole, and &3 from R¢4 just before the termen; Mz from well below the

upper angle; M2 and M3 stalked, and dividing at about half the distance from

lower angle to termen; Cuz from just before lower angle; Cu2 from about two-

thirds lower margin of cell; anal vein simple at base. Costa of hindwing almost

straight, apex, termen and inner margin moderately rounded, anal angle well

rounded; vein Sc touching the cell for a short distance at about one-third upper

margin of cell; As and Mr from upper angle on a stalk of three-fifths the distance

from cell to termen; M2 from well above lower angle; M3 from lower angle, the

lower angle projecting considerably towards the termen; Cuz from as far below

M3 as M2 is above M3; Cu2 from just over one-half lower margin of cell;

A2 and A3 almost straight; frenulum present.

Type: Orithrepta edwardsi Collenette.

Fig. 1.—Ovithvepta edwardsi gen. et sp. n.

Orithrepta edwardsi sp. n. (Fig. I)

3§. Palpus bistre. Antennal shaft pinkish buff irrorated with bistre, pectina-

tions bistre. Head and patagium orange buff, abdomen and remainder of thorax

bistre. Pectus, venter and legs bistre mixed with whitish, giving a grey appear-

ance. Legs tawny olive mixed with bistre. Forewing bistre, with the following

LYMANTRIIDAE 103

whitish markings, which vary considerably in the series of specimens:—an

antemedial fascia, oblique outwardly to the centre of the cell, thence oblique

inwardly to the inner margin; a straight and conspicuous postmedial fascia,

oblique inwardly from the costa at two-thirds to the inner margin at two-thirds;

a faint subterminal fascia, roughly parallel with the termen; the veins between

the postmedial and the termen narrowly whitish; fringe bistre. Hindwing and

fringe drab. Underside of forewing, and fringe, bistre. Underside of hindwing,

and fringe, drab to pinkish buff.

Expanse: ¢ 26-32 mm.

KiGEz1: Mt. Muhavura, 10-12,000 ft. (Edwards) 3 ¢ (including type).

Mt. Sabinio, near summit, 11,000 ft. (Edwards) 1 g. Mt. Mgahinga, summit,

11,000 ft. (Ford) 1 g. Kivu: Mt. Niragongo, 4000 metres, ix.19g19 (7. A.

Barns, Ex. Joicy Coll.) r 3.

“On the Birunga Mts. the species was not seen below about 10,000 ft. alti-

tude, and all the specimens were taken on the wing in the afternoon or early

morning.” (F’. W. E.)

Somewhat resembles Lyacharoa in structure, but entirely dissimilar in

facies.

Laelia eutricha Collenette

Laelia eutricha Collenette, 1931, Trans. Ent. Soc. London, 79: 352.

RUWENZzORI: Kilembe, 4500 ft., 4 ¢; Fort Portal, 5000 ft. (Edwards). 1 9.

Laelia rufolavia Hering

Laelia vufolavia Hering, 1928, Iris, 42: 275.

Kicez1: Mt. Mgahinga, 8000 ft. (Edwards). I 1 9.

Laelia lavia Swinhoe

Laelia lavia Swinhoe, 1903, Trans. Ent. Soc. London, 1903: 443.

Kenya: Mt. Kinangop, Aberdare Range, 8000 ft. (Edwards). 17 4.

Previously known from a single pair in the British Museum collection.

Laelia diascia Hampson subsp. nov. ?

Laelia diascia Hampson, 1905, Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 3: 395.

RUWENZORI: Fort Portal, 5000 ft. (Edwards). 1 @.

This specimen exhibits slight differences in facies from Hampson’s type,

which was taken in Mashonaland. It may represent a local mountain race, but

the material is insufficient for determination.

104 RUWENZORI EXPEDITION

Laelia stigmatica propensa Hering

Dasychiva stigmatica propensa Hering, 1926, GroBschmett. Erde, 14: 169.

RUWENZORI: Fort Portal, 5000 ft. (Edwards). 1 3.

Dasychira gonophora Holland

Ilema gonophora Holland, 1893, Psyche, 6: 470.

RUWENZzORI: Kilembe, 4500 ft. (Edwards). 1 9.

Dasychira aeschra Hampson

Sminthopses aeschva Hampson, 1926, Desc. Gen. Spec. Noctuinae: 528.

RUWENZORI: Kilembe, 4500 ft., 1 ¢; Fort Portal, 5000 ft. (Edwards). 1 9.

Dasychira plagiata Walker

Anaxila plagiata Walker, 1855, List Lep. Ins. B.M. 4: 810.

RUWENZORI: Kilembe, 4500 ft., 1 ¢; Fort Portal, 5000 ft. (Edwards). 1 3.

Kenya: Mt. Kinangop, 8000 ft., I dg.

Dasychira georgiana georgiana Fawcett

Dasychiva georgiana georgiana Fawcett, t901, Trans. Zool. Soc. London, 15: 314

RUWENZORI: Kilembe, 4500 ft. (Edwards). 1 9.

Pseudarctia nivea Bethune-Baker

Pseudarctia nivea Bethune-Baker, 1911, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8) 7: 540.

RUWENZORI: Bwamba Pass (west side), 5500-7500 ft. (Edwards). 1 @.

Sphragista kitchingi Bethune-Baker

Laelia kitchingi Bethune-Baker, 1909, Ann. Mag. Hist. (8) 3: 420.

RUWENZORI: Fort Portal, 5000 ft. (Edwards). 2 3.

4

A scarce insect in collections, the type from Patigo (Fatiko), 4000 ft., in the

north of Uganda.

LYMANTRIIDAE I05

Lymantria rhodocloea sp. nov. (Fig. 2)

®. Antennal shaft white, with a few hair-scales of scarlet red at the base;

pectinations olive buff, darker at base. Palpus, head, body and legs white

or whitish; a collar of scarlet red at the junction of head and thorax, broader

at the base of the antenna and continued round the eye; the femora marked

with scarlet red; the venter tinged with Naples yellow. Wings and fringes,

Fig. 2.—Lymantria vhodocloea sp. 0.

above and beneath, white; on the upperside of forewing a spot of scarlet red

at the base below the cell; a faint spot of scarlet red at the middle of the cell,

and a conspicuous spot of the same colour at the centre of the discocellulars ;

below the junction of vein Cw2 with the cell four faint streaks of hair brown,

and two similar streaks below the anal vein, all directed at right angles to the

inner margin; on the underside of forewing a streak of scarlet red along the

base of the costa.

Expanse: 3, 44 mm.

RUWENZORI: Namwamba Valley, 6500 ft. (Edwards). 1 ¢.

May be placed near to Lymantria rusticana Hering.

Mylantria xanthospila Pl6tz

Ayoa xanthospila Plotz, 1880, Stett. Ent. Zeit. 41: 84.

RUWENZORI: Fort Portal, 5000 ft., 1 g; Kilembe, 4500 ft. (Edwards). 2 4.

Plate IX

BrRUNGA MOUNTAINS

Vegetation near summit of Mt. Muhavura, alt. 12,000 feet

Habitat of Ovithvepta edwardsi Collenette

PRESENTER

15 MAR 1939

RUWENZORI EXPEDITION—VOL. III PLATE IX

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