Argyrogramma signata Fabricius

Noctua signata Fabricius, 1794, Entomologica Syst. 3(2): 81.

Plusia diminuta Walker, 1865, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln Br.Mus. 33: 837.

Plusia signata Fabricius; Holloway, 1976: 32.

Diagnosis

The species has dark purplish brown forewings like nigriluna but they are more uniform with the dot of the bright maculation smaller than the ‘U’ rather than larger.

Geographical range

Widespread in the Old World tropics to as far east as Tonga and the Cook Is.

Habitat preference

This is probably a species of secondary and disturbed vegetation but Bornean material is sparse.

Biology

The species has been reared from Eucalyptus in New Guinea (CIE records).

Taxonomic Note

The larva of Argyrogramma signata was reared from Octomeles (Datiscaceae) in Sabah and illustrated by Chung et al. (2008). It is cylindrical, tapering slightly over the thoracic segments to a prognathous head. The whole larva is green with a general whitish suffusion over the dorsal surface of the body and with a narrow white lateral line. The primary setae arise from white dots. The prolegs are reduced on A3 and A4.

Genitalia: