Tetragonus catamitus
| Tetragonus catamitus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| From the Western Ghats | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Superclass: | Hexapoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Calliduloidea |
| Family: | Callidulidae |
| Subfamily: | Callidulinae |
| Genus: | Tetragonus |
| Species: | T. catamitus |
| Binomial name | |
| Tetragonus catamitus Geyer, 1832[1] | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Tetragonus catamitus is a moth of the Callidulidae family. It is found in tropical Asia. They are day-flying moths that can be easily mistaken for a butterfly due to the position in which they hold their wings.
Description
The head, thorax and abdomens are dark yellowish and reddish-brown. The wings are yellowish and reddish brown. The hindwing is more uniform reddish-brown. On the underside are dark striations and both the forewing and hindwing have three grey spots in the discal cell. There are four pale rufous bands along the medial, postmedial, submarginal region.[2]
Taxonomy
The species was named as Tetragonus catamitus by Geyer in 1832 based on a specimen from Java[3] and later described under the name of Cleosiris fasciata by Frederic Moore.[4] The larvae were described later as being translucent green with a dark black semi-prognathous head and a prothorax with a well-developed prothoracic shield. Young instar larvae live in a rolled leaf, and the mature larvae live between leaves drawn together with silk.[5] [6]
Range and distribution
This species ranges throughout the E. and S.E. Asian lowland of seasonal or tropical forests where the host fern species are abundant. Kobes (1990) recognized three subspecies, but Holloway (1998) treated all of them as the junior synonyms of the nominotypical subspecies and indicated there is great variation in size and colouration.[7]
Noted from Taiwan, northeastern India, southwest India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, the Tenasserim Hills (Burma) and Java.[8]
Habitat and Ecology
This species occurs in lowland forests, along the boggy areas where the feeding and host plants are dense. Shady, bushy habitats are preferable in day time but unusually can see outside the habitats. Rainy condition, just after evening dark lights or early mornings are the most active time.
Host plants
August to October is the peak breading season. The larvae feed on ferns Drynaria and possibly Pteridium species. In Taiwan, it was reared from the fern Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn subsp. latiusculum (Desv.).[9]
References
- ↑ Geyer (1832) Zuträge zur Sammlung exotischer Schmettlinge 4:17
- ↑ Hampson GF (1892). Fauna of British India. Moths 1. Taylor and Francis, London. pp. 322–323.
- ↑ Geyer (1832) Zuträge zur Sammlung exotischer Schmettlinge 4:17
- ↑ Moore, F. 1883, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1883: 15-18
- ↑ Holloway, J. D. (1998). The moths of Borneo: families Castniidae, Callidulidae, Drepanidae and Uraniidae. Malayan Nature Journal. 52, 1-155.
- ↑ Barlow, H. S. (1982). An Introduction to the Moths of South East Asia. Malaysian Nature Society
- ↑ Kobes, L. W. R. (1990). The Callidulidae of Sumatra. Heterocera Sumatrana. 6:101-116.
- ↑ Cotes, EC & C Swinhoe (1887). Catalogue of the moths of India 1. Indian Museum, Calcutta. p. 82.
- ↑ (Yen, Shen-Horn; Wu, Shipher)