Mocis frugalis

Mocis frugalis, the sugarcane looper, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. It is found in several parts of the world, including India, Sri Lanka, West African countries and other Oriental regions. The adult is a fruit piercer and a major pest of crops.[2]

Sugarcane looper
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Erebidae
Genus: Mocis
Species:
M. frugalis
Binomial name
Mocis frugalis
(Fabricius, 1775)[1]
Synonyms
  • Noctua frugalis Fabricius, 1775
  • Remigia translata Walker, 1865
  • Chalciope lycopodia Geyer, 1837
  • Remigia frugalis Fabricius, 1775

Taxonomy

In a recent publication Mocis proverai, that is found in Africa and on the Arabian peninsula has been promoted to a separate species. Both species can be distinguished by microscopic examination of their genitalia.

Description
At Kanjirappally, Kerala.

Its wingspan is 36–50 millimetres (1.4–2.0 in). Male with the hind tibia and tarsi clothed with long thick pile. It has a grey-brown body. Forewing with a diffused dark mark above the centre of vein 1; an oblique postmedial line pale inwardly, red brown outwardly; a submarginal series of black specks. Hindwing with postmedial and diffused submarginal lines. Some specimens have a black spot above inner margin of forewing before the middle.[3]

Larva pale yellowish ochreous, with darker lines. Two subdorsal lines present and with a sublateral series of olivaceous spots. The 4th and 5th somites are edged behind with black.[4] Food plants include Zingiberaceae species, Andropogon, Eleusine, Oryza, Panicum, Paspalum, Saccharum, Sorghum, Zea, Typhonium, Cyperus, Glycine, Medicago, and Vigna. Eggs are darkish green, blotched with dark purple.[5] ||

References
  1. Yu, Dicky Sick Ki. "Mocis frugalis (Fabricius 1775)". Home of Ichneumonoidea. Taxapad. Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  2. "Mocis frugalis (Fabricius)". Insects in Indian Agroecosystems. ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  3. Hampson, G. F. (1894). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma: Moths Volume II. Taylor and Francis – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. Herbison-Evans, Don & Crossley, Stella (25 May 2018). "Mocis frugalis Fabricius, 1775 Sugarcane Looper". Australian Caterpillars and their Butterflies and Moths. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  5. Holloway, Jeremy Daniel. "Mocis frugalis Fabricius". The Moths of Borneo. Retrieved 15 August 2016.


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