Agathodes caliginosalis Snellen

Taxonomy

The male lectotype of Glyphodes caliginosalis Snellen, 1895: 147 from East Java is in the RMNH, Leiden. The lectotype was selected by Munroe et al. (1958). comb. n. to Agathodes.

Description

Most Agathodes spp. are extremely similar with pink, pale pastel green and brownish markings on the FW. They are difficult to separate. Munroe considered the whole genus in need of revision. The HW is translucent in grey with darker veins with a darker submarginal area at the apex. Both wings have very narrow pale marginal lines. Like most similarly coloured species the green and pink colours quickly fade to brownish. The labial palps are entirely brown, rather broad and sharply truncated. The males have complex tufts of anal hair scales. Distinguished from A. modicalis Guenée and A. ostentalis Geyer by the dark HW (RTS 1994: 190) [RTS specimen is from Java].

Life History

A pest of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) Sterculiaceae and coral bean tree (Dadap) (Erythrina speciosa) Fabaceae. (Conway, 1971; RTS 1994). In Indonesia Hoehn et al. indicated a high potential for biological control by management of nesting sites of Rhynchium haemorrhoidale (Hymenoptera: Eumenidae).

References

• Snellen, P. C. T. (1895) Aanteekeningen over Pyraliden. Tijdschr. v. Ent., 38: 103-161, pl. 5, 6.
• Munroe, E. G., Diakonoff, A. & Martin, E. L., (1958) Catalogue of Snellen's types of Pyralidae, with selections of lectotypes. Tijdschr. v. Ent., 101 (2): 65-88.
• [RTS] Robinson, G.S., Tuck, K.R. & Shaffer, M. (1994) A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of South-East Asia, Malaysian Nature Society Kuala Lumpur & Natural History Museum, London, 311 pp. 51 text figs, 32 pls.
• [RTS] (1994): 190, pl.32, fig.15.
• Hoehn, P., Steffan-Dewenter, I., Buchori, D. & Tscharntke, T (2009) Spatio-temporal density patterns of the pest predator Rhynchium haemorrhoidale (F.) along a land-use gradient in cacao agroforestry systems, Agroforestry Systems 76 (1), 163-171.
• RTS: 190, pl.32, fig.15.