a eet esos 5 Sesser a Seterr satesste soso. obs 5 isfataseretseacess sae =e Hi a pe tes te rie a tater > er eee pene is (NAT URAL PRY) ut HIST : Sain ee EXPEDITION \ = ee ne pee . COLLENETTE ; ce -LYMANTRIIDAE CT ire cba nt % a ty ; ; . 1 One Shill : : a > a ee Sy cae 2 : : Q- ae ee eres = ES pene BRI is VEE s $ TRUSTEES OF THE CFLS o Ly - § ER OF Gace oh MADE AND PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY JARROLD AND SONS, LTD., NORWICH AND LONDON 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 tiated 35. ie becese. Saas eseseess SSN pt rth petetons Srestetricss Sitese