Poecilosoma chrysis Hübner, 1823

Hübner, J. (1823). Zuträge zur Sammlung exotischer Schmettlinge, vol. 2.
Augsburg: p. 8, no. 106, figs. 211, 212 (as Poecilosoma Chrysis). Translated
from the German original.

106. Poecilosoma Chrysis.

From Surinam. Obtained from Mr. Grimm. A Sphinx papilionides and Glaucopis
hyalina. It has a distinct resemblance to C. Echemus*, but at its size its
scarlet body distinguishes it conspicuously enough. The specimen figured as
211, 212 appears to be of the male sex.

* Cram. Kapell. 367. B. Echemus.

Walker, F. (1864). List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the
collection of the British Museum, part 31, Supplement. London: pp. 90-91 (as
Cosmosoma megaspila; a synonym of P. chrysis).

Cosmosoma megaspila.

Foem. Nigra; caput supra cyaneum; palpi erecti, articulo 3o lineari; antennae
serratae; thorax ochraceus, antice niger, guttis quatuor cyaneis; abdomen
guttis dorsalibus cyaneis; femora basi ochracea; alae vitreae, nigro
marginatae; anticae apice strigaque transversa nigris.

Female. Black. Head above bright blue. Palpi erect, not rising higher than the
vertex; third joint linear, much shorter than the second. Antennae serrated.
Thorax bright orange, except in front, where there are four bright blue spots.
Pectus bright orange. Abdomen with a row of bright blue dots. Femora towards
the base and coxae bright orange. Wings narrow, vitreous, colourless, bordered
with black. Fore wings black towards the tips, and with a black streak across
the end of the discal areolet. Length of the body 3 lines; of the wings 18
lines.

Hampson, G. F. (1898). Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British
Museum, vol. 1, Catalogue of the Syntomidae in the collection of the British
Museum. London: p. 256, fig. 111.

554. Poecilosoma chrysis.

Poecilosoma chrysis, Hübn. Zutr. Ex. Schmett. ii. p. 8, ff. 211, 212 (1827);
Kirby, Cat. Het. p. 143.
Cosmosoma megaspila, Wlk. xxxi. 90 (1864); Kirby, Cat. Het. p. 143.

♂. Black; antennae white at tips; frons, vertex of head, tegulae, and patagia
spotted with metallic blue; thorax scarlet; patagia scarlet and black; abdomen
with basal scarlet patch, a dorsal series of metallic blue spots, and lateral
series on the last three segments, the ventral valve with lateral white
patches; wings hyaline, the veins and margins black. Fore wing with the
terminal band gradually widening to costa and dilated at tornus. Hind wing
with the terminal band slightly widening to costa. Fore wing with
discocellular black spot.

Hab. Amazons, Ega, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ type megaspila (Bates). Exp. 40 millim.

Draudt, M. (1915). Poecilosoma. In: Seitz, A. (ed.), The Macrolepidoptera of
the World, vol. 6, The American Bombyces and Sphinges: p. 84, pl. 14 i.

P. chrysis Hbn. (= megaspila Wkr.) (14 i) looks almost exactly like Cosmosoma
ignidorsia (13 b), but it is sufficiently marked by the low rising of the
uppermost radial vein. Besides the distal half of the shoulder-covers is
black, spotted blue, and the red lateral spots on the 2nd abdominal ring are
absent. Described from the Amazon, before me also from French Guiana.

Draudt's description of Cosmosoma ignidorsium, to which the above refers (p.
71):

C. ignidorsium Hmps. (13 b). Head and collar are black with metallic-blue
spots. Thorax and first abdominal ring scarlet, generally also lateral spots
on the second segment; shoulders with black and blue spots. The abdomen,
beginning from the 2. ring, is black with dorsal and lateral series of blue
spots; the ventral valve is laterally white-spotted. The hyaline forewings
exhibit a short red inner-marginal streak. Brazil; also in Paraguay, taken in
April on compositae. The species is the true copy of Poecilosoma chrysis (14
i), but always easily recognizable by the first radial of the forewing rising
from the upper cell-angle.