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Dyrzela
plagiata Walker
Dyrzela plagiata Walker, 1858, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln. Br. Mus., 15:
1758.
Oglasa costipannosa Swinhoe, 1890, Trans. ent. Soc. Lond., 1890: 266.
Oglasa costiplaga Swinhoe, 1891, Ibid., 1891: 153.
Dyrzela plagiata perampla Warren, 1913, Gross-Schmett. Erde, 11: 177.
Dyrzela plagiata Walker; Holloway, 1976: 14.
Diagnosis. The
forewings are leaden grey, the subapical costal brown patch larger than in any
other species, longer over the costa except in the next species. In D.
tumidimacula Warren the patch is also large but more square than triangular,
with the forewing ground colour brownish.
Geographical
range. India
to Sundaland, Sulawesi, Seram, New Guinea.
Habitat
preference. The
species ranges from the lowlands to the upper montane zone (just under 2000m)
and is more frequent at the higher altitudes.
Biology. The
semi-looper larva (see generic description) is thin, yellowish green with broad
dorsolateral white lines, a dorsal, yellow pulsating line, and two
yellow ones laterally (Bell MS). There are primary setae only.
The
young larvae live on the underside of leaves, moving like leeches. Mature larvae
are found in a similar position, eating young foliage. On alarm they drop and
wriggle on silken threads. They pupate near the surface of the soil in a soft,
loose, silken cell incorporating earth particles.
The
host-plant is Grewia (Tiliaceae).
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