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Agathia
laetata Fabricius
Phalaena laetata Fabricius, 1794, Ent. Syst. 3(2): 164.
Agathia catenaria Walker, 1861, List Specimens lepid. Insects
Colln Br. Mus. 22:590.
Agathia laetata isogyna Prout,
1916, Novit. zool. 23: 199.
Agathia furcula Matsumura, 1931, 6000 Ins. Japan p.862.
Agathia laetata andamanensis Prout,
1932, Gross-Schmett. Erde.12: 67.
Diagnosis. This and the next two species are somewhat similar but laetata has
a more purplish mauve tint to the dark borders of the wings (less intense in the
female) and lacks a medial brown fascia dividing the main area of green. The
subapical green patch of the forewing is more triangular.
Geographical range. Indian Subregion to Taiwan, Sundaland.
Habitat preference. This is a rare species of lowland forest.
Biology. Bell (MS) described the biology in S. India. The egg is shining
light green, oval, flat-topped or concave.
The larva is more or
less cylindrical, slightly broadened at the posterior end. The prothoracic
segment is thickened above the level of the head, with a subdorsal prominence on
the edge of this. The head itself is round. The colour is a russet-brown, though there are light
grass-green variants. The prothoracic prominences are darker.
The host-plants noted were Ichnocarpus, Nerium (Apocynaceae)
and Marsdenia (Acelepiadaceae).
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