Dysgonia solomonensis (Hampson, 1913)
 (Formerly known as Parallelia solomonensis)
EREBINAE,   EREBIDAE,   NOCTUOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley


early instar, magnified
(Photo: Don Herbison-Evans, Bundaberg, Queensland)

The early instars of this Caterpillar are contortionists. They are inclined to rest lying along the edge of a leaf. even if that edge is concave.


early instar, magnified
(Photo: Don Herbison-Evans, Bundaberg, Queensland)

The early instars are a translucent pale green with a black spot each side of the second abdominal segment, and a pale brown head. The first pair of prolegs is underdeveloped, so that it moves in a looper fashion.


later instar
(Photo: courtesy of Scott Gavins, Fraser Coast, Queensland)

Later, the caterpillar becomes grey, with a pair of short horns on the penultimate segment, but still with the black spots on the second abdominal segment. The last instar loses the black spots.


final instar
(Photo: courtesy of Scott Gavins, Fraser Coast, Queensland)

The later instars like to rest by day, lying along a stem of their foodplant. The caterpillar has been found on

  • Willgar ( Breynia oblongifolia, PHYLLANTHACEAE ).


    (Photo: courtesy of Scott Gavins, Fraser Coast, Queensland)

    The pupa is formed in a cocoon in between joined leaves.


    (Photo: Don Herbison-Evans, Bundaberg, Queensland)

    The adult moth is light and dark brown in a pattern on the forewings that resembles distinctive eye and eyebrow markings.


    (Photo: courtesy of Buck Richardson, Kuranda, Queensland)

    The markings are much less striking in a set specimen. The moths have a wingspan of about 6 cms.


    female, drawing by George Francis Hampson, listed as Parallelia solomonensis    ,
    Catalogue of Lepidoptera Phalænæ in the British Museum,
    Noctuidæ, Volume XII (1913), Plate CCXXII, figure 2,
    image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Ernst Mayr Library, Harvard University.

    The species is found in Australasia, including

  • New Guinea, and
  • Solomons.

    The subspecies papuana (Holloway, 1979) is found in Australia in

  • Queensland, and
  • New South Wales.

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia,
    Melbourne University Press, 1990, fig. 46.7, 55.8, p. 453.

    George F. Hampson,
    Catalogue of the Noctuidae in the Collection of the British Museum,
    Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British Museum,
    Volume 12 (1913), p. 572, No. 7712, and also Plate CCXXII, figure 2.

    Buck Richardson,
    Tropical Queensland Wildlife from Dusk to Dawn Science and Art,
    LeapFrogOz, Kuranda, 2015, p. 129.

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    (updated 3 January 2013, 27 January 2019)