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1969
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
277
Line drawings of both wings and leg features of selected genera are presented for each of the higher categories. For each tribe bar graphs are presented which contrast relative lengths of femur + tibia + tarsus of the fore- and hindlegs with the midlegs (unity). Measurements for most genera are presented and the sexes are treated separately. Brief remarks on occurrence, economic importance, and folklore add to the information content of the work, but some of this seems out-of-place.
Tables are presented which list diagnostic characters for the tribes within a subfamily. These allow a reader to quickly perceive the major differences between the subordinate categories within the group.
Miller begins his section on the evolution and zoogeography of the satyrids by concisely stating the principles followed in his reconstruction. He points out that the fossil record for butterflies is almost nonexistent, and states the reasonable thesis that butterflies can disperse much more rapidly than continents can drift or land bridges can wax and wane. He gives the origin of the Papilionoidea as Jurassic. In his hypothetical reconstruction inferences derived from the recent distribution of satyrids and the principles of animal evolution as based on vertebrate fossil evidence and interpretation are heavily relied upon.
A discussion of the probable time sequence of the evolution and intercontinental dispersals within Satyridae is then presented. The text is supplemented by 11 sequentially arranged diagrams of the world upon which the migrations and radiations as proposed in the text are schematically represented.
The Neotropical Faunal Region is chosen as the site of origin of the satyrids. Subsequent trans-beringian migrations of New World stock to the Old World and succeeding radiations and dispersals are proposed in no more detail than is justified by the tenuous evidence available. The author presents a proposed phylogeny of the Satyridae which is a dichotomous construction plotted against the geologic time scale. None of the tribes are supposed by Miller to have arisen any later than mid-Tertiary. The "generic-series" are not included in the phylogenetic scheme described above, but are included in the time sequence discussion ("later history of the Satyridae").
In summary, this reviewer found Miller's work to be characterized by conciseness, lucidity, and smoothness of conception, technique, writing, and expression. His painstaking work does not include recent techniques in the field, e.g., computer methods, cytogenetics, or chromatography. Realistically, such involvement might have delayed the appearance or even prevented the completion of this one man vs. 400 genera undertaking. It is unfortunate that there have been so few families of insects subjected to such fine, critical treatments on a world-wide basis. This should stand as an example for lepidopterists to contrast with failings of less fortunately endowed works on butterflies.—Paul A. Opler, University of California, Berkeley, California.
BOOK NOTICE
Stehr, Frederick W., & Edwin F. Cook, "A revision of the genus Malacosoma Hiibner in North America (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae): systematics, biology, immatures, and parasites." United States National Museum Bulletin 276: 321 pp., 399 figs. 1968.
Six species are recognized: disstria, constrictum (2 subspecies), tigris, americanum, californicum (6 subspecies) and incurvum (3 subspecies); M. californicum is particularly variable and sometimes difficult to distinguish from M. incurvum, but the other species appear to be clearly separated. A comprehensive and valuable monograph of a difficult genus.—Peter F. Bellinger, San Fernando Valley State College, Northridge, California.