Crypsiphona ocultaria (erroneously as: Phalaena occultaria Guenée, 1857) the red-lined looper moth or red-lined geometer, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Edward Donovan in 1805 and it is found in Australia.[2]

Crypsiphona ocultaria
Underside of the wings, showing the red lines
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Crypsiphona
Species:
C. ocultaria
Binomial name
Crypsiphona ocultaria
(Donovan, 1805)[1]
Synonyms
  • Phalaena occultaria Donovan, 1805
  • Crypsiphona ocultaria

It is one of the most common moths found in Australia. The "red-lined" part of the name refers to the red markings seen on the undersides of the wings. The moth has a wingspan of 4-5cm.[3][4] Both sexes of the moth are similar in appearance.[3] When threatened the grub stands still, pretending to be a stick.[5]

As larvae it is a bluish-green with an off-white line on its sides. The larvae feed on eucalypt leaves. [3]

References

edit
  1. ^ Pitkin, Linda M.; Han, Hongxiang; James, Shayleen (June 11, 2007). "Moths of the tribe Pseudoterpnini (Geometridae: Geometrinae): a review of the genera" (PDF). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 150 (2): 334–412. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2007.00287.x. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ Savela, Markku. "Crypsiphona ocultaria (Donovan, 1805)". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Carter, David (1992). Butterflies and Moths (First American ed.). DK Publishing. p. 195.
  4. ^ "Red-lined Looper Moth". Project Noah. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  5. ^ Zborowski, P. & Edwards, T. (2007). A Guide to Australian Moths: CSIRO.