Larval food plants of Australian Larentiinae (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) - a review of available data

Olga Schmidt

doi:10.3897/BDJ.4.e7938

Biodiversity Data Journal : Taxonomic Paper

PDF

Taxonomic Paper

Larval food plants of Australian Larentiinae (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) - a review of available data

Olga Schmidt ^‡

‡ Zoologische Staatssammlung München, Munich, Germany

Corresponding author:

Academic editor: Axel Hausmann

Received: 26 Jan 2016 | Accepted: 18 Mar 2016 | Published: 21 Mar 2016

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Citation: Schmidt O (2016) Larval food plants of Australian Larentiinae (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) - a review of available data. Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7938. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.4.e7938

Abstract

Background

In Australia, the subfamily Larentiinae (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) comprises over 45 genera with about 270 species described so far. However, life histories of the Australian larentiine moths have barely been studied.

New information

The current paper presents a list of larval food plants of 51 Australian larentiine species based on literature references, data from specimen labels and own observations. Some Australian habitats are shown. Possible relationships among the taxa based on food preference of the larvae are discussed. Additionally, a list of Australasian larentiine species from the genera occurring in Australia and their food plants is presented.

Keywords

Australasia, Australia, checklist, host plants, geometrid moths, larentiine moths

Introduction

The immature stages and biology of the Australian Larentiinae (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) have received little attention in the past and our knowledge of host plant affiliations of the Australian species is remaining scarce. Hudson (1898) was one of the first researchers who discussed food plants of New Zealand larentiine larvae. Turner (1904), Common (1966) and Common (1990) presented some details of biology and listed a few food plants of Australian Larentiinae. McFarland (1979) published an annotated list of food plants of 280 Australian geometrid moths, including 16 larentiine species, whereby four species were identified to genus. He also succeeded to rear a large number of south Australian geometrid moths and completed 72 life history studies, but only four larentiine species were included (McFarland 1988). McQuillan (1986), McQuillan et al. (1998), McQuillan (1999) and McQuillan (2004) has been studying some aspects of biology, ecology and conservation of Australian moths focusing on the Tasmanian species. Holloway (1997) presented data on food plants of Indo-Australian Larentiinae. Some data on the larvae and food plants of the species Anachloris Meyrick, Chaetolopha Warren, Scotocyma Turner and Visiana Swinhoe are given in the reviews of these genera (Schmidt 2001, Schmidt 2002, Schmidt 2005, Schmidt 2006b, Schmidt 2007, Schmidt 2013.) Descriptions of larvae and pupae are incomplete or absent. Some observations on the eggs of Australian moths have been published by McFarland (1973). The first comprehensive review of the southern Australian geometrid eggs, including 18 larentiine species was completed by Young (2006), who also reared Tasmanian larvae of Geometridae, including several Larentiinae. Craw (1986) briefly described and illustrated a few New Zealand larentiine larvae. Totally, more than 270 larentiine species referred to about 45 genera are currently described from Australia. However, life histories of the vast majority of Australian larentiine moths remain unstudied.

Materials and methods

The present report is based on literature references and personal observations. The following material has been used: Anachloris uncinata (Guenée) (Western Australia, Bremer Bay), "Chloroclystis" approximata (Walker) (New South Wales, Barren Grounds), "Chloroclystis" insigillata (Walker) (Queensland, Brisbane), Epicyme rubropunctaria (Doubleday) (New South Wales, Monga State Forest), Epyaxa sodaliata (Walker) (Queensland, Severnlea), Gymnoscelis lophopus Turner (Queensland, Brisbane), Phrissogonus laticostata (Walker) (Queensland, Brisbane), Scotocyma albinotata (Walker) (Queensland, Bunya Mountains), Visiana brujata (Guenée) (Queensland, Lamington National Park), V. incertata (Walker) (Queensland, Bunya Mountains). Additionally, data were taken from labels of specimens deposited in the Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Ecosystem Sciences, Canberra (ANIC).

Taxonomic affiliation for several species is questionable therefore several names are cited in quotation marks. Tribal association is only cited for the first member of the tribe in the section “Nomenclature”. In the section “Notes” the source of data on the food plants is presented. A list of Australian species of Larentiinae and their larval food plants is available under “Supplementary Materials” (see Suppl. material 1). A list of Australasian larentiine species from the genera occurring in Australia and their food plants is also presented (see Suppl. material 2).

List of the Australian Larentiinae (Geometridae) and their food plants

Epicyme rubropunctaria (Doubleday, 1843)

Nomenclature:

Tribe Asthenini

Feeds on:

Geranium sp. (Geraniaceae)

Notes:

Roberts 1979. However, a newly hatched larva refused to feed on flowers and leaves of Geranium sp. (Schmidt, unpubl. data).

Fig. 1.

Figure 1.

Epicyme rubropunctaria, female

Habitat of E. rubropunctaria is presented on Fig. 2.

Figure 2.

Habitat of Epicyme rubropunctaria, New South Wales, Monga State Forest

Epicyme rubropunctaria (Doubleday, 1843)

Feeds on:

Haloragis alata (Haloragaceae)

Notes:

Hudson 1898.

Epicyme rubropunctaria (Doubleday, 1843)

Feeds on:

Haloragis glauca (Haloragaceae)

Notes:

S. Williams, pers. comm., in: Marriott 2011.

Epicyme rubropunctaria (Doubleday, 1843)

Feeds on:

Haloragis heterophylla (Haloragaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979.

Poecilasthena balioloma (Turner, 1907)

Feeds on:

Leptospermum myrtifolium (Myrtaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979. Larvae of a New Zealand species P. schistaria (Walker, 1861) feed on Leptospermum sp. (Myrtaceae) (Hudson 1898).

Poecilasthena ischnophrica Turner, 1941

Feeds on:

Leptospermum myrtifolium (Myrtaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979.

Poecilasthena ischnophrica Turner, 1941

Feeds on:

Leptospermum myrsinoides (Myrtaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979.

Poecilasthena pulchraria (Doubleday, 1843)

Feeds on:

Macropiper excelsum (Piperaceae)

Notes:

Hudson 1898.

Poecilasthena pulchraria (Doubleday, 1843)

Feeds on:

Monotoca? scoparia (Epacridaceae)

Notes:

McQuillan 1986.

Poecilasthena pulchraria (Doubleday, 1843)

Feeds on:

Monotoca glauca (Epacridaceae)

Notes:

C. Byrne, pers. comm., 2008.

Poecilasthena pulchraria (Doubleday, 1843)

Feeds on:

Epacris sp. (Epacridaceae)

Notes:

McQuillan 1986.

Poecilasthena pulchraria (Doubleday, 1843)

Feeds on:

Leucopogon juniperinus (Epacridaceae)

Notes:

McQuillan 1986.

Poecilasthena pulchraria (Doubleday, 1843)

Feeds on:

Leptospermum scoparium (Myrtaceae)

Notes:

C. Byrne, pers. comm., 2008.

Poecilasthena pulchraria (Doubleday, 1843)

Feeds on:

Astroloma humifusum (Ericaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979, McFarland 1988. Captured larvae were reared.

Poecilasthena pulchraria (Doubleday, 1843)

Feeds on:

Brachyloma sp. (Ericaceae)

Notes:

Scoble 1999.

Poecilasthena xylocyma (Meyrick, 1891)

Feeds on:

Leptospermum scoparium (Myrtaceae)

Notes:

ANIC label, C. Byrne, pers. comm., 2008.

Bosara minima (Warren, 1897)

Nomenclature:

Tribe Eupitheciini

Feeds on:

Glochidion ferdinandi (Euphorbiaceae)

Notes:

Turner 1904. The plant species is described as Phyllanthus ferdinandi. An Indian larentiine species, Bosara emarginaria (Hampson, 1893) is known to feed on Breynia sp. (Euphorbiaceae) (P. Bell, pers. comm., in: Holloway 1997). The species Bosara minima was associated with the genera Chloroclystis Hübner and Gymnoscelis Mabille. The synonymy with B. refusaria Walker needs to be checked (see Holloway 1997).

"Chloroclystis" approximata (Walker, 1869)

Feeds on:

Malus domestica (Rosaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990. Larvae occasionally damage the young fruits of apples.

Fig. 3.

Figure 3.

Chloroclystis approximata, female

Habitat of C. approximata is presented on Fig. 4.

Figure 4.

Habitat of "Chloroclystis" approximata, New South Wales, Barren Grounds

"Chloroclystis" approximata (Walker, 1869)

Feeds on:

Prunus avium (Rosaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990. Larvae occasionally damage the young fruits of cherries.

"Chloroclystis" approximata (Walker, 1869)

Feeds on:

Acacia terminalis (Fabaceae)

Notes:

Turner 1904, McQuillan 1986, Common 1990, Schmidt, unpubl. data. Larvae usually feed on the flowers of Acacia sp. The foodplant is known as Acacia botrycephala.

"Chloroclystis" catastreptes (Meyrick, 1891)

Feeds on:

Bertya mitchellii (Euphorbiaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979. Larvae feed on flowers and flower buds of various unrelated plants.

"Chloroclystis" catastreptes (Meyrick, 1891)

Feeds on:

Acacia sp. (Fabaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979, McQuillan 1986. Larvae feed on flowers and flower buds of various unrelated plants.

"Chloroclystis" catastreptes (Meyrick, 1891)

Feeds on:

Clematis microphylla (Ranunculaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979. Larvae feed on flowers and flower buds of various unrelated plants.

"Chloroclystis" catastreptes (Meyrick, 1891)

Feeds on:

Solidago sp. (Asteraceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979, McQuillan 1986. Larvae feed on flowers and flower buds of various unrelated plants.

"Chloroclystis" filata (Guenée, 1858)

Feeds on:

Pultenaea largiflorens var. latifolia (Fabaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979. Larvae feed on leaves and buds of the foodplant.

"Chloroclystis" filata (Guenée, 1858)

Feeds on:

Hebe sp. (Plantaginaceae)

Notes:

White 1991.

"Chloroclystis" insigillata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Macadamia sp. (Proteaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990. Larvae attack the flowers of Macadamia sp.

"Chloroclystis" insigillata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Acacia sp. (Fabaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990, Schmidt, unpubl. data.

"Chloroclystis" insigillata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Bertya sp. (Euphorbiaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990.

"Chloroclystis" insigillata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Clematis sp. (Ranunculaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990, Schmidt, unpubl. data.

"Chloroclystis" insigillata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Solidago sp. (Asteraceae)

Notes:

Common 1990.

Chloroclystis s.l. sp.

Feeds on:

Scrophulariaceae

Notes:

McQuillan 1986.

Collix ghosha (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Ardisia sp. (Primulaceae)

Notes:

P. Bell, pers. comm., in: Holloway 1997, Tominaga 1998. Bell describes biology of Collix ghosha. The foodplant Ardisia sp. was in the former Myrsinaceae. A south-east Asian species C. griseipalpis Wileman, 1916 has been reared from Allophylus sp. (Sapindaceae). A subspecies C. g. phaeochiton Prout, 1932 has been reared from Ardisia sp. and Trigonostemon sp. (Euphorbiaceae) (Prout 1932).

Collix ghosha (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Embelia sp. (Primulaceae)

Notes:

P. Bell, pers. comm., in: Holloway 1997, Tominaga 1998. Bell describes biology of Collix ghosha. The foodplant Embelia sp. was in the former Myrsinaceae.

Gymnoscelis delocyma Turner, 1904

Feeds on:

Scyphiphora hydrophyllaceae (Rubiaceae)

Notes:

F.P. Dodd, pers. comm., in: Turner 1904. The larvae of the Malaysian species Gymnoscelis pseudotibialis Holloway, 1997 apparently feed on Hevea sp. (Euphorbiaceae) and Mangifera sp. (Anacardiaceae) (Yunus & Ho 1980, in: Holloway 1997).

Gymnoscelis derogata (Walker, 1866)

Feeds on:

Macadamia sp. (Proteaceae)

Notes:

Zhang 1994. The species is known as Gymnoscelis subrufata Warren, 1898.

Gymnoscelis lophopus Turner, 1904

Feeds on:

Acacia aulacocarpa (Fabaceae)

Notes:

Turner 1904, Common 1990. Larvae feed on the flowers of the foodplant.

Fig. 5.

Figure 5.

Gymnoscelis lophopus, female

Habitat of Gymnoscelis lophopus is presented on Fig. 6.

Figure 6.

Habitat of Gymnoscelis lophopus, Queensland, Brisbane

Gymnoscelis lophopus Turner, 1904

Feeds on:

Lantana camara (Verbenaceae)

Notes:

Schmidt, unpubl. data. Larvae feed on the flowers of the foodplant.

Gymnoscelis lophopus Turner, 1904

Feeds on:

Lantana sp. (Verbenaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990.

Gymnoscelis lophopus Turner, 1904

Feeds on:

Macadamia sp. (Proteaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990. Larvae sometimes damage the flowers of Macadamia sp.

Gymnoscelis sp.

Feeds on:

Pittosporum venulosum (Pittosporaceae)

Notes:

D. Herbison-Evans, pers. comm., 2015.

Microdes oriochares Turner, 1922

Feeds on:

Olearia ramulosa (Asteraceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979. Larvae feed on leaves of the foodplant.

Microdes squamulata Guenée, 1858

Feeds on:

Acacia baileyana (Fabaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979.

Microdes squamulata Guenée, 1858

Feeds on:

Acacia buxifolia (Fabaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979.

Microdes squamulata Guenée, 1858

Feeds on:

Acacia dealbata (Fabaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979.

Microdes squamulata Guenée, 1858

Feeds on:

Acacia decurrens (Fabaceae)

Notes:

Turner 1904.

Microdes squamulata Guenée, 1858

Feeds on:

Acacia mearnsii (Fabaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979.

Microdes villosata Guenée, 1858

Feeds on:

Acacia sp. (Fabaceae)

Notes:

McQuillan 1999.

Pasiphila testulata (Guenée, 1858)

Feeds on:

Malus domestica (Rosaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990. Larvae occasionally damage the young fruits of apples. Three Europaean species, P. chloerata (Mabille, 1870), P. debiliata (Hübner, 1817) and P. rectangulata (Linnaeus, 1758) feed on Prunus spp. (Rosaceae), Vaccinium spp. (Ericaceae) and Malus sp., Pyrus sp., Prunus spp., Crataegus sp. and Amelanchier sp. (Rosaceae) (Mironov 2003). A New Zealand species P. urticae (Hudson, 1939) feed on Urtica ferox (Urticaceae).

Pasiphila testulata (Guenée, 1858)

Feeds on:

Prunus avium (Rosaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990. Larvae occasionally damage the young fruits of cherries. P. testulata is known as Chloroclystis testulata (Guenée).

Pasiphila testulata (Guenée, 1858)

Feeds on:

Acacia terminalis (Fabaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990, Schmidt, unpubl. data, C. Byrne, pers. comm., 2008. Larvae usually feed on the flowers of Acacia sp. The foodplant is known as Acacia botrycephala.

Phrissogonus laticostata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Acacia sp. (Fabaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990. Larvae usually feed on the flower buds and flowers of Acacia.

Phrissogonus laticostata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Clematis sp. (Ranunculaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990. Larvae can damage the foliage of the foodplant.

Phrissogonus laticostata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Cosmos sp. (Asteraceae)

Notes:

Schmidt, unpubl. data. Larvae readily accepted flowers of Cosmos sp. from a garden in Brisbane.

Phrissogonus laticostata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Helianthus annuus (Asteraceae)

Notes:

Common 1990. Larvae can damage the foliage of the foodplant.

Phrissogonus laticostata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Hypericum sp. (Hypericaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990. Larvae can damage the foliage of the foodplant.

Phrissogonus laticostata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Malus domestica (Rosaceae)

Notes:

Common 1990. Larvae can damage the foliage of the foodplant.

Phrissogonus laticostata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Medicago sativa (Fabaceae)

Notes:

Zhang 1994.

Phrissogonus laticostata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Prunus avium (Rosaceae)

Notes:

Zhang 1994.

Phrissogonus laticostata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Prunus cerasus (Rosaceae)

Notes:

Zhang 1994.

Phrissogonus laticostata (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Rosa odorata (Rosaceae)

Notes:

D. Herbison-Evans, pers. comm., 2015. Captured larvae readily accepted the flower petals from Rosa sp.

Symmimetis sp.

Feeds on:

Aglaia sp. (Meliaceae)

Notes:

Holloway 1997.

Sauris cirrhigera (Warren, 1897)

Nomenclature:

Tribe Trichopterygini

Feeds on:

Cinnamomum sp. (Lauraceae)

Notes:

Dugdale 1980. One specimen of the Indo-Pacific species Sauris eupitheciata (Snellen, 1881) was reared from the folliage of Loranthus sp. (Loranthaceae) (Holloway 1997), of Sauris hirudinata Guenée, 1858 from Alseodaphne sp. (Lauraceae) and Lagerstroemia sp. (Lythraceae) (P. Bell, pers. comm., in: Holloway 1997), of Sauris interruptata (Moore, 1888) on Cinnamomum sp. (Lauraceae) Holloway 1997), and of one species occurring on Niue Island on Ficus prolixa (Moraceae) (Dugdale 1980).

Sauris commoni Dugdale, 1980

Feeds on:

Exocarpos latifolius (Santalaceae)

Notes:

ANIC label. One larva was beaten from Exocarpos latifolia.

Sauris malaca (Meyrick, 1891)

Feeds on:

Litchi chinensis (Sapindaceae)

Notes:

Dugdale 1980, Common 1990. Larvae have been reported feeding on the young foliage of Litchi sp.

Sauris malaca (Meyrick, 1891)

Feeds on:

Toona ciliata (Meliaceae)

Notes:

Dugdale 1980, Common 1990. Larvae have been reported feeding on the young foliage of Toona sp. The foodplant is known as Toona australis.

Tympanota perophora (Turner, 1922)

Feeds on:

Podocarpus lawrencei (Podocarpaceae)

Notes:

ANIC label, Dugdale 1980. The species has been reared by I.F.B. Common (ANIC).

Acodia sp.

Nomenclature:

Tribe Xanthorhoini

Feeds on:

Coprosma sp. (Rubiaceae)

Notes:

McQuillan 1999, McQuillan 2004.

Austrocidaria sp.

Feeds on:

Coprosma sp. (Rubiaceae)

Notes:

Hudson 1898, Dugdale 1964, Dugdale 1988, McQuillan 1999, McQuillan 2004. One New Zealand species feeds on Myrsine sp. and Rapanea crassifolia (Myrsinaceae) (Dugdale 1971).

Chrysolarentia decisaria (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Pelargonium rodneyanum (Geraniaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979, McFarland 1988, C. Byrne, pers. comm., 2008.

Chrysolarentia decisaria (Walker, 1863)

Feeds on:

Ranunculus prasinus (Ranunculaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979, McFarland 1988, C. Byrne, pers. comm., 2008.

Chrysolarentia insulsata (Guenée, 1858)

Feeds on:

Plantago lanceolata (Plantaginaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979, McFarland 1988.

Chrysolarentia lucidulata (Walker, 1963)

Feeds on:

Plantago lanceolata (Plantaginaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979, McFarland 1988.

Chrysolarentia vicissata (Guenée, 1858)

Feeds on:

Hibbertia sp. (Dilleniaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979 McFarland 1988.

Chrysolarentia vicissata (Guenée, 1858)

Feeds on:

Lythrum sp. (Lythraceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979, McFarland 1988.

Chrysolarentia vicissata (Guenée, 1858)

Feeds on:

Malva sp. (Malvaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979, McFarland 1988.

Chrysolarentia vicissata (Guenée, 1858)

Feeds on:

Mentha sp. (Lamiaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979, McFarland 1988.

Chrysolarentia vicissata (Guenée, 1858)

Feeds on:

Polygonum sp. (Polygonaceae)

Notes:

McFarland 1979, McFarland 1988.