Phazaca theclata

Cotton Leaf Roller
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Uraniidae
Subfamily: Epipleminae
Genus: Phazaca
Species: P. theclata
Binomial name
Phazaca theclata
(Guenée, 1858)[1]
Synonyms
  • Dirades theclata
  • Erosia theclata Guenee 1857
  • Erosia sigillata Mabille, 1898
  • Dirades binotata Walker, 1866

The Cotton leaf roller, (Phazaca theclata), is a moth of the family Uraniidae. It is known from Africa south of the Sahara, from Saudi Arabia, as well as from India, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka.[2]

Description

Its wingspan is around 17-22 mm. Hind wings of male with slight tails at veins 4 and 7, and the venation normal. In males, antennae and vertex of head whitish. Head and thorax violaceous grey. Abdomen ochreous, except at base. Fore wings violaceous grey. A large triangular patch outlined with double brown line on the costa beyond the middle. There is a similar oval spot with darker center on inner margin. There is a series of marginal fuscous lunules. Hind wings with the basal half violaceous grey, which is darkest at inner margin. The outer half pale ochreous brown, the two areas defined by a rufous and pale line. There is a series of marginal fuscous lunules. Female has same violacous abdomen and hind wings as the ground color.[3]

Larvae feeds on Verbenaceae species, including Stachytarpheta urticifolia and plants like Adina cordifolia, Burttdavya nyasica, Morinda sp., Randia dumetorum, Tectona grandis.[4]

References

    • Guenée, A. M. 1857b. In: Boisduval, J. A. B. & Guenée, A. Histoire naturelle des insectes. Spécies général des Lépidoptères. X. Uranides et Phalénites. Tome II. - — 10:1–584.
  1. Afromoth
  2. Hampson G. F. (1892). "The Fauna Of British India Including Ceylon And Burma Moths Vol-iii". Digital Library of India. p. 558. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  3. "Cotton Leaf Roller". African Moths. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
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