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South Australian
Butterflies & Moths

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Gallery

SA Sun-moths Small Orange Spotted Sun-moth Gallery

Adults

discalis_m_30mm_YP_9081.jpg (256 KB)

Male 30 mm, from Yorke Peninsula

discalis_f_43mm_EP_2015.jpg (256 KB)

Female 43 mm, from Eyre Peninsula

Habitat

discalis_Glanigera_habitat_EP_HPIM9338.jpg (343 KB)

Typical mallee habitat for S. discalis on Eyre Peninsula

The small dark herby plants in the foreground are Gahnia lanigera hostplants.

Hostplant

Glanigera_postfire_Ngar.jpg (76.8 KB)

Gahnia lanigera tussocks that have survived fire in Ngarkat CP. Synemon discalis larvae live underground in the basal culm and root zone of the plant, and can sometimes survive these fires.

Glanigera_postfire2_Ngar.jpg (76.8 KB)

Closeup of a Gahnia lanigera tussock in flower

Schoenus_deformis_SE_D3521.jpg (258 KB)

Schoenus deformis, a small sedge hostplant for S. discalis

Schoenus_breviculmis_SE.jpg (367 KB)

Photography by A. Stolarski

Schoenus breviculmis, a dwarf sedge hostplant for S. discalis

Austrostipa_exilis_pseudo-hostplant_for_discalis_8983.jpg (298 KB)

Austrostipa exilis, an unconfirmed grass hostplant for S. discalis on Yorke Peninsula

Life History

discalis_egg_12long_ridges_1stla_3mm.jpg (228 KB)

Egg 2.2x0.9 mm with 12 longitudinal ridges (left)
Newly emerged first instar larva (right)

discalis_egglaying_Aexilis_YP_9005.jpg (248 KB)

An old S. discalis female laying egg on Austrostipa exilis

The abdomen and ovipositor are being forced down into the ground along the side of the plant stem to lay the egg.

discalis_la_21&9mm.jpg (133 KB)

Top larva is immature 9 mm ex S. breviculmis.
The lower pink larva is mature 21 mm ex G. lanigera.

Both from Southeast Region

discalis_mature_la_21mm_G_lanigera.jpg (111 KB)
discalis_matla_20mm.jpg (129 KB)

Closeup of mature pink larva showing the head and large front prothoracic plate used for burrowing

Mature greenish larva 20 mm ex G. lanigera
from Eyre Peninsula

Lower image shows toughened dorsal elliptical patches possibly used for gripping or compacting inside the burrows. The abdominal legs are rudimentary and generally unsuitable for traction.

discalis_pupa_m_14.5mm_Schoenus_deformis.jpg (196 KB)

Pupa 14.5 mm ex S. deformis.

discalis_pupa_abdom.jpg (82.6 KB)

Closeup of serrated dorso-abdominal ridges

discalis_male_genitalia.jpg (80.9 KB)

S. discalis male genitalia side view, Eyre Peninsula

All photography by R. Grund unless stated otherwise.