Protuliocnemis partita

Protuliocnemis partita (Walker, 1861)
(formerly known as Uliocnemis partita)
GEOMETRINAE, GEOMETRIDAE, GEOMETROIDEA

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

Protuliocnemis partita
(Photo: courtesy of John Moore, Ravenshoe, Queensland)

These Caterpillars camouflage themselves with buds and flowers of the the plant on which they are feeding. They are actually pinkish brown with a dark dorsal line, but they have flanges along the back to which their disguises are attached. In Australia, they have been found feeding on:

Black Wattle ( Acacia leiocalyx, MIMOSACEAE ), and

Hickory Wattle ( Acacia aulacocarpa, MIMOSACEAE ).

Overseas, they have been found on

Chirauli Nut ( Buchanania species, ANACARDIACEAE ), and

Mangoes ( Mangifera species, ANACARDIACEAE ).

They have a characteristic posture sitting on their tail with head and thorax tucked under the body, swaying gently from side to side. The caterpillars pupate in a cocoon also covered in plant detritus.

The adult moth is green, with a brown patch at the tornus of each forewing and at the apex of each hindwing. Each wing also has a number of white lines and a white patch. The moths have a wingspan of about 3 cms.

This species occurs in the oriental tropics, including :

Borneo,

as well as Australia in:

Queensland, and

New South Wales.