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Lymantria
brunneiplaga Swinhoe
Lymantria brunneiplaga Swinhoe,
1903, Trans. ent. Soc. London, 1903: 491.
Lymantria
brunneiplaga 
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Lymantria
brunneiplaga 
(Java) |
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Diagnosis. See Lymantria marginalis Walker. The male forewing has a conspicuous brown area
at the centre of the dorsum.
Taxonomic note. Schintlmeister (1994) described L. diehli, a Sumatran species
closely related to brunneiplaga. L. orestera Collenette (Peninsular
Malaysia) is also related. The males of both have less of a striking contrast
between the major brown patch on the dorsum and light fasciation elsewhere on
the forewing. However, both might prove to occur in Borneo.
Geographical range. Sundaland, Philippines.
Habitat preference. The species is infrequent from the lowlands to 1000m.
Biology. Chey (1996) has described and illustrated the life history. The larva is
finely mottled with black, white and brown, with the typical tufts of secondary
setae on prominent verrucae. This coloration affords camouflage on the trunks of
host trees. The pupa also has many setae.
The larvae are gregarious, the larval stage taking two weeks and the
pupal stage more than one. The larva appears to be seasonally abundant in
plantations of Paraserianthes falcataria (Leguminosae).
The larvae feed on Paraserianthes, but also were found wandering
fully grown on associated vegetation within the plantation including: Combretum
(Combretaceae); Chromolaena, Mikania (Compositae); Jacquemontia (Convolvulaceae);
Scleria (Cyperaceae); Cratoxylum (Guttiferae); Piper (Piperaceae);
Trema (Ulmaceae).
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