Moths of
the Amazon and Andes
Green-windowed
Deadleaf
Trygodes musivaria
HERRICH-SCHÄFFER, 1855
Family - GEOMETRIDAE
subfamily -
STERRHINAE
Tribe -
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
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Trygodes
musivaria, Rio Madre de Dios,
400m, Peru |
Introduction
The genus
Trygodes comprises of about 20 species, all
characterised by having pale, scalloped wings which are decorated with an
irregular pattern of semi-hyaline "windows" that vary in number, shape and
configuration from one species to another.
Trygodes musivaria is distributed from Belize to
Peru.
Habitats
This species is found in forested habitats at altitudes between sea level and
about 800m.
Lifecycle
I have no data regarding Trygodes, but the
following generalisations are applicable to Geometridae :
The larvae of all Geometridae species lack
the 8 prolegs found in most other families, and walk by gripping a twig with
their 6 true legs, while looping up their bodies and pulling the rear section
forward until the anal claspers lock onto the twig just behind the true legs. At
this point the true legs release their grip and the caterpillar stretches
forward to grip a point further along the twig, and then repeats the process.
They wave their heads from side to side as they walk, as if measuring the
distance, and consequently they are popularly known in the USA as "measuring
worms". In Britain they are known as "loopers".
Many are dark brown and have a wooden twig-like appearance, and often have
thorn-like extensions on their abdomens.
Adult behaviour
During daylight the moth
rests on the upperside of a leaf, and creates the illusion that
the observer is looking at a leaf that has had large sections of
the cuticle eaten away by insects.
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