Scotocyma albinotata (Walker, 1866)
(one synonym is: Xanthorhoe platydesma Lower, 1894)
XANTHORHOINI,   LARENTIINAE,   GEOMETRIDAE,   GEOMETROIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley


early instar
(Photo: Don Herbison-Evans, Manly, New South Wales)

This Caterpillar is grey-brown and smooth, with a zigzag pattern along the sides.


late instar
(Photo: Don Herbison-Evans, Manly, New South Wales)

These markings fade in later instars. In Sydney, the caterpillar was found feeding on:

  • Mirror Bush ( Coprosma repens, RUBIACEAE ).

    It grows to a length of about 3 cms.


    (Photo: Don Herbison-Evans, Manly, New South Wales)

    The adult moth is brown with a wavy pattern of darker brown. It has a wingspan of about 3 cms. Some specimens are paler than others. Some have four white dots, one on the outer edge of each wing.


    (Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

    Some have a large orange patch on each forewing.


    (Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

    The species occurs in

  • Queensland, and
  • New South Wales.


    Further reading :

    Oswald B. Lower,
    New Australian Heterocera,
    Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia,
    Volume 18 (1894), pp. 79-80.

    Olga Schmidt,
    Revision of Scotocyma Turner (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Larentiinae),
    Australian Journal of Entomology,
    Volume 44 (2005), pp. 257–278.

    Francis Walker,
    Catalogue of Lepidoptera Heterocera,
    List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,
    Part 35, Supplement 5 (1866), p. 1689.


    previous
    back
    caterpillar
    Australian
    Australian Butterflies
    butterflies
    Australian
    home
    Lepidoptera
    Australian
    Australian Moths
    moths
    next
    next
    caterpillar

    (updated 1 January 2010, 28 May 2017)