Somatina rufifascia Warren, 1896
 (one synonym : Somatina rubridisca Swinhoe, 1900)
STERRHINAE,   GEOMETRIDAE,   GEOMETROIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Somatina rufifascia
early instar
(Photo: courtesy of Dick Whitford, Mount Molloy, Queensland)

The Caterpillars of this species are pale brown, with a dark mark on each side of alternate segments. Early instars have sharp dark marks.

Somatina rufifascia
later instar. (Photo: courtesy of Dick Whitford, Mount Molloy, Queensland)

In later instars, the dark marks become fuzzier. The caterpillars have been found feeding on

  • Gardenias (Gardenia jasminoides, RUBIACEAE).

    The caterpillars grow to a length of about 3 cms. The caterpillars pupate in a flimsy cocoon in the leaf litter.

    Somatina rufifascia
    pupa in opened cocoon
    (Photo: courtesy of Dick Whitford, Mount Molloy, Queensland)

    The pupa is brown, and has a length of about 1.3 cms. It is accompanied by the skin of the final instar.

    Somatina rufifascia
    (Photo: courtesy of Dick Whitford, Mount Molloy, Queensland)

    The adult moths of this species are pale brown, with scalloped patterns on the wings, with some groups of dark brown scallops. The wingspan is about 3 cms.

    The species has been found in Australia in

  • Western Australia,
  • Northern Territory, and
  • Queensland.

    Somatina rufifascia
    underside
    (Photo: courtesy of Dick Whitford, Mount Molloy, Queensland)

    Further reading :

    William Warren,
    New species of Drepanulidae, Thyrididae, Uraniidae, Epilemidae, and Geometridae from Papuan region, collected by Mr. Albert S. Meek,
    Novitates Zoologicae,
    Volume 3 (1896), p. 379, No. 115.

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    (written 4 July 2021)