Page 507 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Geometridae
DISTRIBUTION Northeast Himalayas, southern China, Chinese Taipei,
and Southeast Asia to Borneo
HABITAT Montane forests
HOST PLANTS Oak (Quercus spp.)
NOTE Caterpillar that precisely mimics fresh host plant growth
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but not uncommon

ADULT WINGSPAN
2–2¾ in (50–70 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
TANAORHINUS VIRIDILUTEATUS 1 ⁄ in (40 mm)
TANAORHINUS
VIRIDILUTEATUS 505

(WALKER, 1861)

The Tanaorhinus viridiluteatus caterpillar is typical of geometrid
looper or inchworm moths. It has well-developed anal claspers
but only one pair of prolegs and a limbless gap between the true
legs and prolegs, which means it moves in a looping fashion.
At rest, however, the larva will usually secure itself to the host
plant using the rear limbs only and levitate the rest of the body in
an arch. The caterpillars feed at the extremes of branchlets, often
completely consuming entire leaves and resting inconspicuously
at the base of the naked petioles and stipules. Pupation occurs
within a light, silken cocoon in a folded host plant leaf.

Both caterpillar and adult moth are masterfully camou aged.

The abdominal segments of the caterpillar possess hornlike
growths resembling leaf stipules and new leaf buds. These
lengthen as the caterpillar matures. Body markings also become

woodier in appearance with maturity to re ect the graduation to
more substantial and developed foliage. The moth is leaf green,
with subtle markings resembling anomalies on a leaf ’s surface.

The Tanaorhinus viridiluteatus caterpillar
has pairs of bladelike, hook-tipped, and nely
furred extensions on its rst ve and nal
abdominal segments, the largest on segments
three to ve. The rest of the body is gnarled
and roughly textured with regular patterns
of brown and white on a green base. There
are lateral, knot-like markings on the Actual size
penultimate abdominal segment.