Daphnis placida Walker

Darapsa placida Walker, 1856, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln. Br. Mus., 8: 186.

Deilephila placida Walker; Rothschild & Jordan, 1903: 511.

Diagnosis

This is a smaller species than hypothous with the forewing fasciation more uniform and obscure.

The basal dark patch is distally more circular.

There is no strong white spot at the apex.

Geographical range

Andaman Is., Sundaland to New Caledonia.

Habitat preference

The species is much rarer than its congener.

Only two specimens have been taken in recent surveys, one at 2600m on G. Kinabalu (Holloway, 1976) and one at 1790m in upper montane forest on G. Mulu.

Records of placida by Harman (1981) in fact refer to hypothous.

Biology

The larva was described briefly by Bell & Scott (1937) as having a pale dorsolateral stripe and orange spiracles.

The colour was not mentioned but is probably green.

Robinson (1975) described inflated skins from Queensland as probably faded from green, with dorsal and dorsolateral lines variously present, purplish, and a small green-centred white ocellus on T3. Recorded host-plants (Bell & Scott; Robinson) are: Alstonia, Tabernaemontana (Apocynaceae).