Xanthodes albago

Xanthodes albago (Fabricius, 1794)
(one synonym: Xanthia imparata Walker, 1857)
CHLOEPHORINAE, NOLIDAE, NOCTUOIDEA,

Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Xanthodes albago
(Photo: courtesy of Paolo Mazzei, Italy)

These caterpillars are dimorphic. One form is just green. The other form is pale yellow with a broad dark blue dorsal stripe. On the edges of the stripe are a series of red spots, one on each side of each segment, each connecting to a thin black line that runs down the side to the ventral surface. The caterpillar has only got two pairs of prolegs, and moves in a looper fashion. The caterpillar has been found feeding on plants in MALVACEAE, including

Musk Mallow ( Malva moschata ), and

Tree Mallow ( Lavatera olbia ).

(Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

The adult moths of this species have forewings that are yellowish brown, with a brown-edged purple patch near the middle, and a couple of black marks on the margin. The forewings also each have several dark brown transverse chevron-shaped lines. The hindwings are plain yellow. The moths have a wingspan of about 2.5 cms.

(Photo: courtesy of the Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

This species is found over much of the western hemisphere, including

India,

Italy,

Zambia,

as well as Australia in

Western Australia,

Northern Territory,

Queensland,

New South Wales, and

South Australia.