Hypodoxa muscosaria (Guenée, 1857)
(one synonym is: Hypochroma cetraria)
GEOMETRINAE ,   GEOMETRIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans
and
Stella Crossley & Peter Marriott

(updated 20 July 2010)

image
male
(Photo: copyright Peter Marriott)

The adult moths of this species are varied in their colours, from an earthy grey to rich deep green, with a complex pattern of zigzag lines. The beautiful green colour in life of some specimens usually quickly fades when the moth dies. The ones in the Museum collection in Melbourne are all yellowish and the one illustrated in Common is also quite faded. If exposed to the light this colour change occurs in a year, and no specimens over five years have retained the green colour. The moths are also richly textured with various tufts on the body. The termen of each hindwing is crennulate.

image
female
(Photo: copyrightPeter Marriott)

The underside is pale brown, with a broad dark marginal band and a dark central spot on each wing.

image
underside (oops: missing body)
male
(Photo: copyrightPeter Marriott)

The species occurs along the east coast of Australia, including:

  • Australian Capital Territory,
  • New South Wales,
  • Queensland,
  • Tasmania, and
  • Victoria, where they are on the wing from November through to April in both rural and suburban situations, and where they often come to nocturnal lights.

Further reading :

Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 372.