Paralaea chionopasta McQuillan, Young & Richardson

Young, Catherine J., 2006, Descriptions of the eggs of some southern Australian Geometridae (Lepidoptera), Zootaxa 1287, pp. 1-294 : 1-294

Paralaea chionopasta McQuillan, Young & Richardson (Figs 323–330)

Oviposition

15♀ Code nos.: G175, G176, G522­536.

Batch size: 13.3 ± 1.7 range: 1–48 (n = 52)

Mean realised fecundity: 82.3 ± 9.0

Incubation time (days): 26–27 (on moistening)

Batch configuration and attachment: Attached singly, short rows, groups, slightly shingled (Fig. 323).

Colour: Pale bluish green, becoming darker and unmottled then transparent greyishbrown before eclosion (Fig. 323).

Size (mm): (n=27) L=1.25 ± 0.07, W=0.90 ± 0.05, T=0.69 ± 0.06

Width/length: 0.72

No. of females: 3

Aeropylar opening size (m) (n=6): L=0.95 ± 0.00

Relative aeropylar opening size: 0.9

Micropyles: Indistinct (Figs 324 & 325)

No. of openings: 6

No. of cells in rosette: 10

No. of rows of cells in micropylar area: 4

Shape: Narrow, elongated, bluntly ovoid, posterior pole sub­acute, wide (Figs 323, 326 & 327); polar profile circular (Fig. 324); wedge­shaped in profile; anterior pole truncated (Fig. 327), slightly angled to horizontal axis (Fig. 326).

Characteristics: Egg marked on all surfaces by slightly convex hexagonal cells (Figs 326 & 327). Cell walls narrow, recessed (Fig. 328), except unelevated or recessed on lateral sides (Figs 329 & 330); micropylar cell walls narrow, slightly elevated; primary and secondary cell walls recessed (Fig. 325); cells in middle of top of egg slightly concave. Aeropyles irregularly shaped, unelevated, openings very small, inconspicuous (Figs 329 & 330), present on all surfaces apart from middle of top of cell. Micropyles slightly offcentred (Fig. 324). Anterior pole circumscribed with raised rim (Fig. 326). Chorion rough, pitted, wrinkled (Figs 328–330).