Ambulyx subocellata Felder

Ambulyx subocellata Felder, 1874, Reise Ost. Fregatte Novara, Lep. t. 76.

Oxyambulyx subocellata Felder; Rothschild & Jordan, 1903: 206.

Diagnosis

See Ambulyx canescensWalker. The general colouration varies from orange-brown to dark purplish red-brown; an intermediate specimen is illustrated.

Taxonomic notes

A. semifervens Walker (Sulawesi, Moluccas), A. felixi Clark (Philippines) and A. dohertyi Rothschild (Kei, New Guinea to Solomons) are related species.

Geographical range

Oriental tropics to Sundaland.

Habitat preference

This species is common and found at all altitudes up to 2600m.

Biology

Dupont & Roepke (1941) described the Javan larva as usually olive green above, bluish white at the sides, with pale yellow granular spots, a white speckled subdorsal line and oblique lateral stripes.

The dorsal zone has an irregular series of confluent paler patches along the dorsal lines.

The horn is long, green, granulated, curved slightly upwards.

Bell & Scott (1937) illustrated the larva from India.

It is grass green above in a broad dorsal stripe, a paler sea green laterally; there are small reddish patches associated with the upper ends of the oblique bars, with the anal claspers, and laterally on the thorax.

Recorded host-plants (Bell & Scott, 1937; Dupont & Roepke, 1941; Barlow, 1982) are: Buchanania, Lannea (Anacardiaceae); Canarium (Burseraceae).