Geometridae (family) IMMATURE

Unidentified IMMATURE Geometer moths at Towrang, NSW

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Identification history

Geometridae (family) IMMATURE	9 Jan 2023	ibaird
Geometridae (family) IMMATURE	9 Jan 2023	donhe
Unidentified	9 Jan 2023	Harrisi

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3 comments

donhe wrote:

9 Jan 2023

The presence of only 2 pairs of prolegs suggests it is in Geometridae, but it does not not resemble any of the illustrated Geometrid caterpillars linked from
http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/geometridae/geometridae-cats.html
so I hope you can rear it to an adult moth for identification.
One clue would be the name of the plant upon which it was feeding?

Harrisi wrote:

9 Jan 2023

Thanks Don. In most pics here I am clearly seeing 3 x pairs of pro legs, does that change the ID challenge? It's two large head appendages would also be a point of difference dont you think?
Creature was not collected sorry.

donhe wrote:

9 Jan 2023

Caterpillars of several species in Geometridae and other familes have fleshy dorsal appendages, but I have never seen appendendages like these, so they are not at this stage of our ignorance, diagnostic. The reduced prolegs are diagnostic. On this specimen, it is rather hard to discern their form from these particular photos, but the anterior pair look to me to be vestigial, like the caterpillar of Fisera belidearia, so maybe I should count that as 2.5. Some Geometrid caterpillars actually have 3 pairs (eg Antictenia punctunculus) and some have 4 pairs (eg Fisera eribola). But, besides Geometridae, only some Noctuoidea families have caterpillars with reduced prolegs, but as far as I know, Geometridae is the only family with 2 or 2.5. Anyway, until more people take caterpillars and rear them in protective custody, given that only 1% survive predation, parasites, and disease in the wild to turn into adults, we will never know much about what turns into what. You should always carry a small plastic sample bottle with you when you go photographing, to collect immature beasties for protective rearing, if you think it would be good to know that.

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