Amelora petrochroa

Amelora petrochroa (Lower, 1897)
Stone Cape-moth
(previously known as Mnesampela petrochroa)
DIPTYCHINI, ENNOMINAE, GEOMETRIDAE, GEOMETROIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Cassythaphaga petrochroa
male
(Photo: courtesy of Marilyn Hewish, Moths of Victoria: Part 5)

The Caterpillars of this species feed on

Dodder Laurel ( Cassytha species, LAURACEAE )

female
(Photo: courtesy of Marilyn Hewish, Moths of Victoria: Part 5)

The adult moths have brown wings each with a wavy submarginal arc of dark dots, as well as a number of other dark dots. The hindwings are paler than the forewings. The moths have a wingspan of about 2.5 cms. The moths are unusual in this family for having a resting posture with the wings folded tent-like over the body.

The species occurs across southern Australia including

New South Wales,

Victoria,

South Australia, and

Western Australia.

Further reading:

Marilyn Hewish,
Moths of Victoria: Part 5 - Satin Moths and Allies - GEOMETROIDEA (A),
Entomological Society of Victoria, 2014, pp. 12-13.

Oswald B. Lower,
New Species of Australian Lepidoptera,
Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales,
Volume 22 (1897), p. 15.