Calletaera
postvittata Walker comb. n.
Acidalia postvittata Walker,
1861, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus., 23: 759.
Macaria honoraria Walker, 1861, Ibid, 23: 928.
Macaria permotaria Walker,
1861, Ibid, 23: 929.
Calletaera
postvittata
(Java) |
|
Diagnosis. This species is similar in facies to subgravata Prout but
smaller, usually lacking a hindwing discal spot and having the hindwing
postmedial distinctly dark brown and broadening gradually towards the dorsum.
The general coloration is more beige. The male genitalia have more massive
ornamentation of the aedeagus and a straight, rather than angled, ventral arm to
the valve.
Geographical range. Indian Subregion, Taiwan, Sundaland.
Habitat preference. The type is from Sarawak, but no recent material has
been located. Sumatran material is from the lowlands.
Biology. The larva was described by Bell (MS). It is of typical geometrid form.
The head is dirty yellowish white, suffused and spotted with pinkish brown. The
body is dull, more or less smooth, a delicate light grass green that is lined or
banded longitudinally with broken whitish lines bordered with pinkish brown; the
green is obscured by such lines everywhere except around each spiracle and in
the subspiracular region.
The young larvae are very thin, active, living on the undersides of
leaves. The mature larva lives stretched along twigs or branches, often
subtending the angle formed by a petiole and twig, well camouflaged. The larvae
may feed and rest along the edges of leaves in intermediate stages. Young leaves
are favoured for feeding. Pupation is in a light cocoon incorporating particles
of substrate in a crevice or on the ground.
The host-plant is Memecylon (Melastomataceae).
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