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Dialithoptera gemmata
Hampson
Pisara gemmata
Hampson, 1896, Fauna Br. India, Moths, 4: 506.
Diagnosis.
See the generic description, particularly of the
forewing facies.
Geographical range. India, N.E.
Himalaya, Nepal (Inoue, 1998), Borneo; noted for Burma, Vietnam and Sumatra by
the Budapest group.
Habitat preference.
Three specimens were taken inlowland dipterocarp
forest at 150m on the slopes of G. ulu.
Biology. The species was reared by Bell (MS) in India. The larva
is a typical noline, rather flattened, with erect secondary setae on dull
orange-brown verrucae, and lacking prolegs on A3. The subspiracular setae are
longer, making the body look broader. The body is purplish-brown or chocolate
brown, with a light yellow subspiracular line over the abdominal segments; the
associated verrucae are also this colour, with white hairs. The hairs are black
on the more dorsal brown verrucae. The venter and prolegs are greenish yellow
to yellow, the feet pinkish.
The larvae are gregarious, lying in rows on the undersides of leaves where they
eat the cuticular layer only. The cocoon incorporates particles of bark, and
the stout pupa lacks a cremaster.
The host plants recorded were
Terminalia (Combretaceae) and Careya (Lecythidaceae).
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