Palleopa
innotata Walker, 1866 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae)
The geometrid genus Palleopa Walker contains one species, innotata, and has, to date, remained generally unrecognised in Australian collections (McQuillan & Edwards 1996). Moths of this species are large and structurally generalised and superficially resemble more common taxa, especially Paralaea Guest, but are not as geographically widespread in Australia. Adults are active during summer and autumn in the eucalypt forests of south-eastern Australia, where their larvae feed in the canopy during the winter and early spring. A larger and paler form of this species has been collected from some high altitude areas on the Australian mainland. However, a comparative exanination of the genitalia and other features did not reveal any consistent structural differences.
The adult moths are medium to large (wingspan 50-64 mm) and rest with the wings held shallowly roof-wise over the body, or, when alert, flat over the body. A thoracic crest is absent. The forewings are pinkish-brown, sometimes overlain with darker scales overlain with streaks and the hindwings, pale purplish-brown. Adults are nocturnal.
Eggs are unusual for geometrids in that they are laid upright with the micropylar axis at right angles to the substrate. They are arranged in neat rows on oviposition and are pale olive green when fresh, becoming transparent as larva nears eclosion. The hatching of larvae is highly synchronous and the newly emerged caterpillars disperse rapidly.
Young caterpillars are pale brown with a broad greyish-green dorsal band; the ventral surface of the body is a pale off-white. The head is yellowish-brown. Mature caterpillars are robust loopers with extra, under-developed prolegs on abdominal segments 4 and 5. Their bodies are medium brown with a prominent diamond–like pattern repeated on the dorsum of each segment The sides of the body are marked by orange to pink stripes and large white spots. The ventral surface is paler.. The head of the mature larva is dark pink.
References
McQuillan, P. B. & Edwards, E. D. (1996).Geometridae. Pp. 200-228 in Nielsen, Edwards, Rangsi: Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera. Vol. 4. Melbourne.
McQuillan, P. B., Young, C. J. & Richardson, A. M. M. (2001) A revision of the Australian moth genus Paralaea Guest (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 15: 277-317.
Young, C. J. & McQuillan P. B. (2001). Dedescriotion of the little-known Australian geometrid moth Palleopa innotata Walker, 1866 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae). Insect Systematics and Evolution. 32(3):263-278.
Please direct correspondence to: Catherine Young, email: cjyoung@utas.edu.au
All photographs are by C. J. Young
and are subject to Copyright.
Adult
Male (Claremont, Tas. 10 v. 1999 –
Collector C. J. Young) Female (Claremont,
Tas. 17 iv. 1999 – Collector C. J. Young)
Live male resting on Eucalyptus amygdalina Live male in alert resting pose
Eggs
Cluster of newly laid eggs
Larvae
Fifth instar larvae on Eucalyptus amygdalina