Part 54

Although less numerous than the preceding, the family is pretty evenly distributed throughout the world, but poorly represented in New Zealand. We have only one genus, viz., LEPTOMERIS.

Genus 1.--LEPTOMERIS, Hb.

"Antennæ in male ciliated with fascicles. Posterior tibia in male dilated without spurs, in female with all spurs present. Hind-wings with veins 6 and 7 sometimes stalked (variable in the same species)."--(Meyrick.) (See Plate II., figs. 49 and 50.)

We have one species, which also occurs in Australia.

LEPTOMERIS RUBRARIA, Dbld.

(Ptychopoda (?) rubraria, Dbld., Dieff. N. Z. ii. 286; Walk. 781. Fidonia (?) acidaliaria, Walk. 1037. Acidalia figlinaria, Gn. ix. 454, pl. xii. 8. Acidalia rubraria, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 57.)

(Plate VIII., fig. 37 , 38 .)

This pretty little insect is very common, and generally distributed throughout the country.

The expansion of the wings is about 7/8 inch. The fore-wings are reddish-ochreous with three dull brown wavy transverse lines, the first rather narrow at about one-fourth, the second slightly broader at about one-half, the third much broader, and sometimes partially divided near the costa; there is a black central dot, a series of rather large dull brown spots near the termen, and a chain of minute black dots on the termen. The hind-wings are pinkish-ochreous; there is a dull brown wavy transverse band near the base, then two close together a little beyond one-half, a shading on the termen, and a very distinct series of minute black terminal dots. The cilia of all the wings are dull brown, mixed with reddish-ochreous.

There is often considerable variation in the intensity of the colouring of this insect, some specimens being much darker than others, but the markings are very constant, and the species is thus always easily recognizable.

The eggs are yellowish-white, and very large for the size of the moth.

The young larva is brownish-purple with a dull white line on each side. The food-plant is unknown.

The perfect insect appears in January, February and March. In the late summer and autumn it frequents dried-up, weedy pastures, where it is often extremely abundant. Straggling specimens, which have probably hibernated during the winter, may also be taken in the early spring.

Mr. Meyrick states that this species occurs very commonly in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania, and that there is no difference between Australian and New Zealand specimens.

Family 3.--MONOCTENIADÆ.

"Hind-wings with vein 5 fully developed, parallel to 4, rising from about or below middle of transverse vein, 8 free or anastomosing shortly near base or seldom from near base to beyond {78}middle (then without areole of fore-wings), approximated to upper margin of cell to middle or beyond." (See Plate II., figs. 44 and 45.)

"Ovum subcylindrical, smooth. Larva more or less elongate, usually with few hairs, prolegs on segments 7, 8, and sometimes 9 rudimentary or absent. Pupa subterranean or in bark."--(Meyrick.)

According to Mr. Meyrick this is to be regarded as a decaying family. In Australia it is still prominent, being represented there by nearly 100 known species.

We have two genera represented in this country--

1. DICHROMODES. 2. THEOXENA.

Genus 1.--DICHROMODES, Gn.

"Face smooth. Palpi long, straight, porrected, roughly scaled above and beneath. Antennæ in male pectinated on inner side only. Fore-wings with vein 6 from a point with 9, 7 from angle of areole, 10 anastomosing moderately with 9, 11 separate, approximated to 10 in middle, 12 free. Hind-wings with veins 6 and 7 separate, 8 free, closely approximated to 7 from base to near transverse vein."--(Meyrick.) (See Plate II., figs. 44 and 45, neuration of D. petrina.)

There are three species belonging to this genus known in New Zealand.

DICHROMODES NIGRA, Butl.

(Cacopsodos niger, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc., Lond. 1877, 395, pl. xliii. 4. Dichromodes nigra, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 60.)

(Plate VIII., fig. 40.)

This little insect has been taken at Nelson.

The expansion of the wings is 7/8 inch. All the wings are dull black. The fore-wings have a darker central area, bordered by two jagged pale grey transverse lines, the first at about one-third and the second at about two-thirds; there is also a faint line near the termen. The hind-wings have a very obscure dark central line.