Cerura Schrank
Cerura
malaysiana Holloway
Cerura malaysiana Holloway, 1982a: 203, (1976: fig. 360,
for genitalia).
Cerura
malaysiana
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Diagnosis. This species can only be confused with the next, but it is considerably
larger and has marginal black wedges in the spaces of the forewing whereas in Neocerura
liturata they are along the veins. The male genitalia are also very
different, the aedeagus of Neocerura species being much shorter with two
apical projections (Holloway 1982a).
Geographical range. Sundaland.
Habitat preference. The species is rare in lowland rain forest but was
recorded as high as 1400 m on G. Kinabalu.
Biology. The larva of a close Indian relative, kandyia Moore, was
described by Gardner (1943). It, and that of the next species, are of typical 'Cerura'
type with the head partly retractable into the much larger
thorax which is squarish viewed from the front, and faced with dark colour. The
body is stout, thickened anteriorly, tapering posteriorly to the anal claspers
which are modified into stematopods with protrusible lashes that are normally
directed backwards but are held erect when the larva is alarmed, the lashes
being protruded then. The body is usually green laterally but with a variably
broad reddish, greyish or brownish dorsal band. The body is usually slightly
humped at the third thoracic segment.
The host range of related species includes members of the families
Salicaceae and Flacourtiaceae as discussed in the section on host-plant
relationships.
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