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  • Roger Grund

South Australian
Butterflies & Moths

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Gallery

SA Sun-moths Orange Spotted Sun-moth Gallery

Adults

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Typical form

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Dark form

Synemon parthenoides parthenoides males
from Adelaide in open-wing posture

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Synemon parthenoides parthenoides male from Adelaide in closed-wing 'tent' posture; sitting on hostplant flower head L. carphoides

Coupled Synemon parthenoides valma adults, female on right, in typical closed-wing posture

Coupled Synemon parthenoides valma adults, female on top, in open-wing posture

Habitat

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Lepidosperma_carphoides_habitat_S_parthenoides_HPIM8972.jpg (352 KB)

Adelaide Hills woodland habitat for
Synemon parthenoides parthenoides
with an abundance of its larva host plant Lepidosperma carphoides and adult
nectaring plant Calytrix tetragona

Lepidosperma_congestum_habitat_S_parthenoides_valma_HPIM9433.jpg (362 KB)

Yorke Peninsula woodland habitat for Synemon parthenoides valma with an abundance of its larva host plant Lepidosperma congestum (in foreground)

Hostplant

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Synemon parthenoides valma female resting on flower-head of hostplant Lepidosperma congestum

Hostplant Lepidosperma carphoides (in Adelaide Hills) that has had its central part killed by larvae of Synemon parthenoides parthenoides

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parthenoides_exuvia_in_carphoides_Adelaide_DSCN7983.jpg (347 KB)

Hostplants Lepidosperma carphoides (in Adelaide Hills) that have had their central parts killed by larvae of Synemon parthenoides parthenoides. Newly emerged adults have left behind their exuviae protruding from the cocoons in the central area of the hostplants; one exuvia in left image, four exuviae in right image (with 3 more either hidden or outside the perimeter of the hostplant).

Life History

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Synemon parthenoides parthenoides unhatched and hatched eggs 2.4 mm,
and newly emerged larvae 4 mm

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Synemon parthenoides parthenoides larva emerging from egg (2.4 mm),
showing mouthparts used to chew and open up the egg, 10-13 longitudinal ridges.
The pointed mouthpart is the silk spinneret.

parthenoides_la_30-12mm.jpg (144 KB)

Top larva is immature 12 mm, late 2nd instar

Other larvae are mature 5th instar 30 mm;
the pink larva (upper one) is 2 years old;
the orange-red larva (bottom two) is 3 years old
that has remained dormant in the soil for a year.

parthenoides_la_30mm.jpg (82.5 KB)

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

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Male exuvia (empty pupa/chrysalis) 23 mm (on left); on right is empty silk cocoon 7 cm, with the exuvia protruding from its end. Latter cocoon is normally constructed upright in the ground with
the top of the sealed cocoon at ground level.

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robberfly_Asilinae_Adelaide_DSC_9803.jpg (69.5 KB)

Not all larvae living underground in the Synemon parthenoides habitat are friendly; they can include the larva of the giant robber fly (Asilinae) (exuviae shown above), which was near to the Synemon parthenoides parthenoides exuviae.

The whole part of this insect implies death, with a very spiny pupa/exuvia (30 mm) and a very imposing, very large flying adult as a likely formidible predator of the sun-moths.

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Synemon parthenoides parthenoides

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Synemon parthenoides valma

Side view of
male genitalia

parthenoides_m_genitalia_SE.jpg (56.9 KB)

A skewed side view of male genitalia for Synemon parthenoides parthenoides from the Southeast Region, showing the unusual cross-brace (lower right) separating the vertical vinculum arms and a bifurcate saccus, typical for Synemon.

All photography by R. Grund unless stated otherwise.