Thalaina selenaea Doubleday, 1845

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

Thalaina selenaea Doubleday (Figs 377–383)

(type species)

Oviposition

6♀ code nos.: G7, G42, G51, G66, G126, G422

Oviposition period: 3 Feb.–15 May

Batch size: 24.3 ± 2.7 range: 3–40 (n = 16)

Mean realised fecundity: 64.7 ± 17.2 (range): 15–127

Incubation time (days) (n = 5): 17–31(on moistening)

Batch configuration and attachment: Attached, singly or small groups (Fig. 377).

Colour: Light green becoming light brown and progressively darker, anterior pole milky white, and greyish brown on maturity (Fig. 377).

Size (mm): (n=18) L=1.04 ± 0.02, W= 0.88 ± 0.01, T=0.62 ± 0.02

Width/length: 0.84

No. of females: 4

Aeropylar opening size (m) (n=5): L=3.11 ± 0.14, W=2.00 ± 0.08

Relative aeropylar opening size: 2.8

Micropyles: Indistinct (Figs 378 & 379)

No. of openings: 5

No. of cells in rosette: 8

No. of rows of cells in micropylar area:>7

Shape: Broad, bluntly ovoid; anterior pole truncated; posterior pole sub­acute; flattened dorso­ventrally; wedge­shaped laterally; anterior pole angled to horizontal axis (Figs 377, 378, 380 & 381).

Characteristics: Egg marked on all surfaces by convex, hexagonal cells with narrow recessed walls (Figs 378, 380, 381, 382 & 383). Aeropyles, inconspicuous, openings moderately small, non­elevated (Fig. 383), except elevated on perimeter of anterior pole (Fig. 378); present on all surfaces except middle of top of egg; latter area with irregularly spaced pores (Fig. 382). Micropyles indistinct, off­centred (Fig. 378). Chorion smooth (Figs 382 & 383), dimpled on anterior pole (Fig. 379). Shoulders of anterior pole rolled (Fig. 378).