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Neoplocaederus basalis
Classification
Diagnostic Features of Larvae
- Mature larva. Length up to 58 mm; breadth (at prothorax) 11 mm. Form elongate, subcylindrical, rather slender (but short and robust after calcium has been secreted). Head with genae ferruginous, rugose; temples smooth, without carinae; dorsal boundary of antennal foramen not raised, scarcely produced, ferruginous; front margin of frons with upper boundary rounded, straight and smooth. Antenna with segment 3 about four times as long as basal width and nearly half as long as segment 2 which is elongate; supplementary process very short, less than one-fourth length of segment 3. Mandibles pitchy, rugose, with four to six stout setae on basal half of outer face. Labrum transversely oval and fringed with coarse golden setae. Three pairs of subcontiguous ocelli present; arranged in a straight vertical row laterad and ventrad of antenna; ocellar lens round, convex, strongly protuberant; pigmented spot indistinct owing to sclerotization of lens. Hypostoma feebly strigose, ferruginous, with front margin more darkly so, and abruptly swollen at extremities; sutures dark, incurved; gular sutures distinctly raised. Maxilla with segment 3 of palp tapering, about two-thirds length of segment 2. Labial palpi with segment 2 about one-third length of segment 1, which is elongate. Prothorax rather sparsely setose laterally; front margin rather densely fringed with reddish setae; posterior part of pronotum dull, micro-spiculate, longitudinally rugose and sparsely setose. Abdomen with dorsal ampullae each with two transverse furrows, and a broad, shallow, median furrow; non-tuberculate but densely spiculate. Tergite 9 unarmed. Anal lobes rugose and glabrous but surrounded by very dense, pale, silky setae. Pleural discs rather indistinct. Legs with unguiculus long, slender, pale and imbricately spinose. Spiracles with peritreme broadly oval, thick, pale and without marginal chambers. In mature larvae the milky white calcium fluid is visible through the integument. Larvae which have already constructed their calcareous cocoons will have become reduced to about half their original length.
Pupa. Length up to 30 mm; maximum breadth 10.5 mm. Head entirely smooth and glabrous; vertex almost concealed from above by pronotum. Antennae with segments slightly pectinate apically on outer margin extending to abdominal segment 4 where they are incurved ventrally to terminate near apical third of opposite elytra. Eyes feebly convex, glabrous. Pronotum quadrate, with front margin broadly rounded; sided with a pair of conical tubercles; disc faintly transversely rugose, with two very shallow, paramedian, oval foveae and numerous scattered spines (each with a basal seta). Mesonotum and metanotum with a few scattered spinules. Elytra and wings extending as far as abdominal segment 4. Abdomen with tergites 2-6 each bearing two to three transverse groups of short, stout spines (each with a basal seta). Tergite 7 quadrate with sides strongly converging posteriorly, the hind margin angled medially; bearing numerous scattered, short, stout spines. Tergite 8 similar but more strongly angled posteriorly. Tergite 9 retracted. Sternites glabrous. Legs with hind femora extending to abdominal segment 4. Functional spiracles present on abdominal segments 1-5, the sixth pair being partly closed; peritreme narrowly oval, thick, pale and strongly raised above general level of cuticle. Adapted from Duffy (1957).
Biology and Economic Importance
- Members of this tribe are known from various host plant families. Species of this tribe are potentially invasive outside their native range.
Selected References to Larvae Specimens
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