Species Paralaea chionopasta McQuillan, Young & Richardson, 2001

Museums

Regional Maps

• Paralaea chionopasta McQuillan, P.B., Young, C.J. & Richardson, A.M.M. 2001. A revision of the Australian moth genus Paralaea Guest (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 15: 277–317.

  Type data:

   Holotype ANIC ♂ (genitalia slide GE2627 P. B. McQuillan), Mt. Wellington, Tasmania, 1000m.
  Paratype(s) ANIC ♂, A. C. T., Mt. Ginini [35°32'S 148°46E]; ANIC ♀, N.S.W., Charlotte Pass [35°25'S 148°19'E]; ANIC ♀, NSW, Mt Kosciusko [36°27'E 148°16'E]; ANIC ♂, Victoria, Mt. Baw Baw [37°50'S 146°16'E]; ANIC 2♂, 1♀, Tasmania, Ben Lomond Nat. Pk [41°35'S 147°41'E]; ANIC ♀, Tasmania, Lake Leake [42°10'S 147°48'E]; ANIC 4♂, 1♀, Tasmania, Lake Dobson [42°41'S 146°35'E].

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Occurs in the highlands of south eastern New South Wales, north eastern Victoria and Tasmania, generally above 1000 m elevation. In Tasmania, P. chionopasta occurs in montane and subalpine forests containing various canopy dominants including: Eucalyptus coccifera Hook. f. (snow gum) – E. urnigera Hook. f. (urn gum) on Mount Wellington near Hobart, or E. delegatensis R.T. Baker (white top) and E. archeri Maiden & Blakely (alpine cider gum) as co-dominants in Ben Lomond National Park. It is an abundant species in monospecific old growth E. delegatensis tall forest near Tarraleah. In New South Wales it occurs in monospecific stands of E. pauciflora Sieber ex Spreng (snow gum).

Australian Endemic.

Distribution References

Ecological Descriptors

Caterpillar: herbivore (associated flora: Eucalyptus l'Hérit. [MYRTACEAE] Gum trees).

 

Diagnosis

P. chionopasta differs from other species in the genus by its strongly patterned forewings and scattered whitish scaling. The massive build of the male genitalia and the more elaborate armature of the apex of the male gnathos are distinctive. The absence of the distal acuminate spines in the vesica is also diagnostic. Later instar larvae are distinguished from those of P. beggaria by their prominent dorsal, rather than lateral, pale stripe. Larvae also lack the dorso-anterior thoracic horns of P. taggorum and P. porphyrinaria. The pale patch of scales at the base of the forewing is most characteristic of specimens from mainland Australia.

 

Diagnosis References

McQuillan, P.B., Young, C.J. & Richardson, A.M.M. 2001. A revision of the Australian moth genus Paralaea Guest (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 15: 277–317

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
05-Jun-2024	GEOMETROIDEA	05-Jun-2024	MODIFIED	Dr Cathy Byrne
21-Feb-2022	GEOMETROIDEA	24-Nov-2023	MODIFIED	Dr Cathy Byrne (TMAG) Di Moyle (TMAG)
21-Feb-2022	GEOMETRIDAE	05-Jun-2024	MODIFIED	Dr Federica Turco (QM)
21-Feb-2022		05-Jun-2024	MODIFIED
		04-Feb-2012	ADDED