Page:Life-histories of Indian insects - Microlepidoptera - T. Bainbrigge Fletcher.djvu/82

 24 LIFE-HISTORIES OF PTEROPSORIDA PLATYPTILIA GONODACTYLA, SCHIFP. Alucita gonodactyla, SchifE. and Den., Schmett. Wien., p. 320 {1775)(i). Platyptilia gonodactyla, Tutt, Brit. Lep., V, 201-219 (1906)(2) ; Meyr., Rec. Ind. Mus., V, 217(3). This is a widely-distributed European species which extends into the Northern Dortion of the Indian Region. It has been recorded fromDarjiling(3) and Rawalpindi(3). In Europe the larva feeds on Tussilago farfara. The early stages are described at length by Tutt(-), but have not been found in India as yet. STENOPTILIA ZOPflODACTYLA, DUP. Pterophorus zophodactylus, Duponchel, Hist. Nat., XI, 668, t. 314 f. 4 (1838)(i). Adkinia zophodactylus, Tutt, Brit. Lep., V, 319-334 (1906)(2). Stenoptilia zophodactyla, Meyr., Ent. Mo. Mag., 1907, 146 (1907)(3), T. E. S., 1907, 504 (1908)(-*) ; Fletcher, Spol. Zeylan., VI, 10-11, t. E f . 3 (1909(-'^). This is a widely distributed species, known from Central and Southern Europe, Asia Minor, Armenia, India, Ceylon, Eastern Australia and Argentina. We have specimens from Lunugala (Ceylon), Ootacamund, Bababudin Hills (Mysore), Pusa, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Kashmir, Parachinar, Hangu (Kurram Valley) and Cherrapunji. Very detailed descriptions of the egg, larva and pupa, taken from English specimens, are given by Tutt, pages 322-331(2). The following descriptions of the larva and pupa were made from Sinhalese specim.ens : — " The larva, at rest and apparently about full-fed, is about 10 mm, long, stout, stoutest about third segment and tapering thence gradually. Head pale yellow with black ocelli. Colour a pale green, the spiracles narrowly ringed with black ; they are situated about half-way up the segments but do not seem raised above the skin-surface at all. There is a broad medio-dorsal stripe, purple at the edges, but very dark internally. This is narrowly and obscurely edged by a narrow whitish-green longitudinal stripe, of a tint slightly paler than the ground-colour. Half-way between the lower edge of this stripe and the spiracle is a second similar whitish-green stripe, and a third similar stripe occurs on the latero -ventral surface at a distance below the spiracle equal to that of the second stripe above it. The two latero-dorsal setigerous tubercles are situated at a horizontal distance apart equal to about one-third of the width of the segment ; the foremost one bears a short black hair, the afterm.ost a similar white hair ; the tubercles themselves are very sm.all and inconspicu- ous. Just above the spiracle occurs a short white hair, directed outwards.