Ambia ptolycusalis Walker
- Family: Crambidae
- Subfamily: Musotiminae
- Genus: Ambia
- Distribution: Sabah, Sarawak, Philippines, Sulawesi, China (Yunnan), Australia (Q).
- Habitat: Lowland, aquatic habitats.
- Wing Length: male 7, female 10mm
Taxonomy
The male holotype of Ambia ptolycusalis Walker, 1859e: 957-958 is in the UMNH Oxford (Lep. type No. 909). It was collected by A.R. Wallace in Sarawak.
It is the TS of Ambia Walker, 1859.
Syn.Coenostola eromenalis Snellen [1880] 1880-1892: 226, pl. 3 fig. 4, syn. n. (Hampson, 1897 :161). The male lectotype from Sulawesi (Makassar) is in Leiden;
- syn. Paracymoriza parallelalis (Sauber, 1902: 657-758), syn. n. (Shaffer & Nielsen 1996). The type is from Sulawesi (Luzon).
Description
Distinctive but relatively simple patterning with white submedian and subterminal lines and white looping postmedian lines, on an ochreous base. Most other Ambia spp. have a more complicated coarse reticulated white patterning. Speidel & Stüning (2005) provided a figure of the male holotype and figure the genitalia associated with the specimen for the first time. Previously Lange (1956) had provided incorrect illustrations and this may have resulted in incorrect identification of the sp. in several collections. Schulze (2000) taxon #669.
Life History
Habeck & Balciunas (2005) describe the larvae and its ecology. The larvae feed on various water weeds including Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrocharitaceae) in Australia and the sp. has been considered as a potential biological control agent (Habeck et al., 1989). Accidental introduction world wide, often with aquarium water weeds.
References
- Snellen, P.C.T., (1880-1892 [1880]). Achtse afdeeling. Lepidoptera door P.C.T. Snellen, met eene inleiding door Joh. F. Snelleman. In: Veth, P.J., (1880-1892). Natuurlijke Historie. Midden-Sumatra. 4 (8): 92 pp, 5 pl.
- Sauber, C.J.A. (1902) 2: 657-658, pl. 66 fig. 7. In Semper G. Die Schmett. der Philippinischen Inseln., Die Nachtfalter. C. W. Kreidel’s Verlag, Weisbaden. pp 381-728.
- Lange, W.H. (1956) A generic revision of the aquatic moths of North America (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae, Nymphulinae). Wasmann J. Biol., 14 (1): 59-144.
- Habeck, D.H. & Balciunas J.K. (2005) Larvae of Nymphulinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) associated with Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrocharitaceae) in North Queensland, Austr. J. Ent., 44, 354-363.
- Hampson, G.F. (1897b) On the classification of two subfamilies of moths of the Family Pyralidae: The Hydrocampinae and Scopariinae. Trans. ent. Soc. Lond. :127-240.
- Walker, F. (1859e [May 10]) List Spec. Lepid. Ins. Coll. B. M., Cat. Lepid. Heterocera, Fourth Series. 19: 890-964.