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Argyrocosma
inductaria Guenée comb. n.
Phodoresima [sic] inductaria Guenée 1857, Hist. nat.
Insectes, Spec. gen. Lep., 9: 370.
Eucrostis smaragdus Hampson,
1891, lllustr. typ. Specimens Lep. Het. Colln Br Mus., 8:10.
Diagnosis. See the account of (Comostolodes albicatena). This
and the next species can only be distinguished reliably on male genitalic
characters, though the single Bornean specimen of consobrina Warren is
more weakly marked than those of inductaria. In inductaria the
costal ornamentation is a single rather distal, basally directed spine whereas
in consobrina there are up to three more centrally placed, dorsally
directed. The saccular angles are more slender, acute in inductaria. The
aedeagus is more swollen and coarsely spined centrally in inductaria.
Geographical range. Sri Lanka, India, Peninsular Malaysia (FRIM colln), Borneo.
Habitat preference. This is an uncommon lowland forest species, and it has also been
taken in secondary forest.
Biology.
Bell (MS) described the biology in S. India. The body of the larva
is rugose with many small conical spines. There are subdorsal and dorsolateral
tubercles on each segment, the latter longer than the former, particularly on
abdominal segments where particles of detritus are attached. The colour is a
light, dull, fawnish green, suffused darker dorsally and laterally, and with a
subdorsal white line. The spiracles are small but prominent, red-brown.
The larva lives in the
flowers of the host-plant, sitting in a highly looped position swaying from side
to side when not feeding. Pupation is in a light cocoon that contains detritus,
usually amongst the flower panicles.
The host-plant is Buchanania
(Anacardiaceae).
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