Butterfly.—Medium-sized or small butterflies, rather gaily colored, although the species found in the United States are not very brilliant. They may be distinguished structurally from the butterflies of the two preceding genera not only by their larger size and the spindle-formed third article of the palpi, which in the genera Eresia and Phyciodes is thin and pointed like a needle, but also by the fact that the lower discocellular vein of the fore wings is generally quite straight and not bowed or angled as in the before-mentioned genera.
[a]Fig. 94.]—Neuration of the genus Synchloë, enlarged.
Egg.—Similar in appearance to the eggs of the genus Phyciodes: obovoid, truncated, and slightly depressed at top, rounded at the bottom; the lower three fifths with shallow depressions; the upper part with about twenty-four light blunt-edged ribs. The eggs are laid in clusters upon the leaves of Helianthus.
Caterpillar.—Varying in color, generally black or some shade of red or brown, covered with spines which are arranged as in the genus Melitæa and are thickly beset with diverging bristles. The caterpillar moults four times.
Chrysalis.—Shaped as in the genus Melitæa, light in color, blotched with dark brown or black spots and lines.
The genus is well represented in Central and South America. Some of the species are polymorphic, many varieties being produced from a single batch of eggs. The result has been considerable confusion in the specific nomenclature.
(1) Synchloë janais, Drury, Plate XVIII, Fig. 10, ♂ (The Crimson-patch).
Butterfly.—Fore wings black above, spotted with white; hind wings black above, marked in the center with a broad band of crimson. On the under side the markings of the upper side of the fore wings are reproduced. The hind wings on the under side are black at the base and on the outer third; immediately at the base is a yellow bar; across the middle is a broad yellow band laved outwardly by red, upon which are numerous black spots. There is a marginal row of yellow spots and an inner row of smaller white spots on the limbal area. Expanse, 2.50-3.00 inches.
Early Stages.—What is known of these is contained in articles published by Mr. William Schaus, "Papilio," vol. iii, p. 188; and by Henry Edwards, "Entomologica Americana," vol. iii, p. 161, to which the reader may refer.