Paralaea taggorum McQuillan, Young, & Richardson, 2001
DIPTYCHINI,   ENNOMINAE,   GEOMETRIDAE,   GEOMETROIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Cathy Byrne & Stella Crossley


male
(Photo: copyright Cathy Byrne)

The early instars of these Caterpillars are deep lemon-yellow to light green with a broad grey dorsal band, and a brown head. Mature larvae are green with faint reddish-brown dots, and a narrow, continuous pale yellow lateral stripe along each side. The head is green with maroon crown.

The Caterpillars feed on the foliage of :

  • various Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ).


    female
    (Photo: copyright Cathy Byrne)

    Both sexes of adult moth have grey wings showing darker grey veins. The hind wings become paler toward the bases. Each wing has a dark spot near the middle, splt by an interrupted narrow white streak. The males have feathery antennae, and the females have thread-like antennae. When resting, the moths hold their wings folded over the back like a tent, unlike many other Geometrid species. The moths have a wingspan of about 5.5 cms.


    male
    (Photo: copyright Cathy Byrne)

    This species occurs only in

  • Tasmania.


    underside
    (Photo: courtesy of Elaine McDonald, Nicholls Rivulet, Tasmania)


    Further reading :

    Peter B. McQuillan, Catherine J. Young, & Alistair M.M. Richardson,
    A revision of the Australian moth genus Paralaea Guest (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae),
    Invertebrate Taxonomy,
    Volume 15, part 3 (2001), pp. 277-317.


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    (updated 4 March 2005, 3 June 2019)