LYTHRIA CHRYSOPEDA, Meyr.
(Arcteuthes chrysopeda, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 48.)
(Plate [VIII]., fig. 33 ♂, 34 ♀.)
This bright-looking little species has been taken in the South Island at Mount Arthur.
The expansion of the wings is about ¾ inch. The fore-wings are very dark, glossy brown; there is a pale yellowish transverse line near the base, a broader, rather wavy orange-yellow line a little before the middle, another still broader at about two-thirds, and an indistinct fine line near the termen. The hind-wings are rich orange-brown, with three broad, wavy, dark brown transverse bands; the termen is narrowly margined with dark orange-brown. The female is generally rather paler than the male, very faintly marked specimens occasionally occurring.
The perfect insect appears in January and February. It frequents the tussock openings in the forest on the Tableland of Mount Arthur, at elevations of from 3,000 to 4,000 feet. In these situations it appears to be fairly abundant, flying actively in the hottest sunshine.
LYTHRIA EUCLIDIATA, Gn.
(Coremia euclidiata, Gn. x. 420. Coremia glyphicata, ib. 420. Fidonia catapyrrha, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1877, 392, pl. xliii. 2. Stratonice catapyrrha, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 64. Stratonice euclidiata, ib. xvii. 63. Arctesthes euclidiata, ib. xviii. 184. Arcteuthes euclidiata, ib. xx. 47.)
(Plate [VIII]., fig. 35 ♂.)
This pretty little species has occurred in the South Island at Lake Rotoiti near Nelson, Lake Guyon, Otira Gorge, Dunedin, and Mount Linton near Invercargill.