Moths of the Amazon
and Andes
Buddha moth
Siculodes aurorula
GUENÉE, 1858
Family - THYRIDIDAE
subfamily -
SICULODINAE
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Siculodes
aurorula, Arima valley, Trinidad
Introduction
My very first visit to a
tropical rainforest
was to the Arima valley in Trinidad in 1991. While walking along a
trail my attention was caught by what appeared to be a
dead leaf,
which seemed to have fallen and settled on green foliage. A spider
appeared to be sitting on it, but somehow it all looked a bit too symmetrical.
Closer
examination revealed that the "dead leaf" was in fact
a moth, and the "spider" was it's body and legs.
The
moth had adopted a
weird
Buddha-like posture, with its body,
legs and outstretched wings held in a vertical plane. It had a strange
mesmerising effect on me.
Siculodes
aurorula is an
incredible example of camouflage - perfectly disguised as a dead
leaf, complete with transparent patches that simulate the nibblings of insects, and dark
blotches that could easily be mistaken for leaf mould.
For many years the insect's
identity remained a mystery. It was
finally identified 10 years later by Mike Shaffer of the
British Natural History
Museum. My specimen was the first ever
recorded in Trinidad.
The photo finally
revealed the purpose of the incredibly long legs, an anatomical peculiarity that had long puzzled
biologists who had studied the museum specimen. The moth needed them so that
it could rest in this very odd upright posture. The pose is almost threatening.
Why would a moth stand in such a strange Buddha-like position ? Perhaps when viewed
frontally it might appear scary enough to frighten off a small avian
or reptilian predator ? Or maybe it just has to raise itself clear of the
substrate to avoid getting stuck to it
when the leaves are wet with rain ?
Habitats
Mid elevation tropical
rainforest in Trinidad, Venezuela and Guyana
Lifecycle
Unknown.
Adult behaviour
Other than the fact that it is
nocturnal, little is known. The moth could easily be handled,
suggesting that it remains stationary and
relies on disguise for protection from predators, rather than
flying to escape.
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