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Leucoma ochripes Moore
Stilpnotia
ochripes Moore,
1879, Descr. new Indian lepid. Insects Colln W.S. Atkinson: 45.
Leucoma
niveata Walker
sensu Holloway, 1976: 43.
Ivela
eshanensis Chao,
1983, Acta ent. sin., 26: 336, ?syn. n.
Diagnosis. This is the larger montane species. The forewing apex is produced
compared with other Bornean congeners. The labial palps and forelegs are
yellowish orange, the former short, not protruding significantly beyond the
white scales of the frons. The antennae are slightly paler and browner than the
forelegs.
Taxonomic note. The male genitalia are illustrated in the original description of eshanensis
and appear very similar to those of ochripes.
Geographical range. N.E. Himalaya, Yunnan, Borneo.
Habitat preference. A male and two possible females have been taken on G.
Kinabalu, at 1930m, and at 1050m and 1620m respectively.
Biology. Gardner (1938) and Sevastopulo (1943) described the larva (as Caviria
or Caragola ochripes) in India.
The mature larva has a pale orange head. The legs, prolegs, ventral
surface and dorsal glands are pale yellow. The upper part of the body is pure
white, streaked and speckled with black.
T1 has crimson verrucae, those on other segments being orange or yellow.
The paired glands on A1 and A2 have dorsal brushes consisting of a ring of
short, thick, pink hair round the black, pale-tipped glandular tubercle. A3 has
a dorsal tuft of short, white hair and a minute orange tubercle with a rosette
of such hair. Posterior to this there are two pairs of such tubercles with
yellow hair on each segment. Gardner also described earlier instars and gave
more detail of the distribution of verrucae.
The eggs are laid in single rows on a leaf and are not covered with hair
from the abdomen of the mother. The pupa is ivory white, dorsally brown, with
brown patches on the wing cases. Secondary setae on verrucae are
conspicuous. The pupa is formed among a few silken threads spun across the
hollow of a leaf.
Browne (1968) indicated the larva was polyphagous on dicotyledonous
trees, mentioning specifically Sapium (Euphorbiaceae). Gardner (1938) and
Sevastopulo (1943) gave Litsea and Phoebe (Lauraceae) as
host-plants.
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