Alcides metaurus
Encyclopedia
Alcides metaurus is a moth
of the Uraniidae
family. It is known from the tropical north of Queensland
.
The wingspan
is about 100 mm. Adults are black with iridescent bands of yellow and pink. The underside is iridescent pale green with black bands. They are on wing during the day and feed on flower nectar. They rest with their wings open and out flat.
The larvae feed on various Euphorbiaceae
species, including Endospermum medullosum, Endospermum myrmecophilum and Omphalea queenslandiae. These plants contain poisons which might protect the larvae from predation. There are various instars, with colours varying from green with a black band, to black with white bands and a red thorax, to red with black bands and orange legs. Pupation takes place in a cocoon made in a crevice or between dead leaves.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Uraniidae
Uraniidae
The Uraniidae are a family of moths containing four subfamilies, ninety genera, and roughly seven-hundred species. The family is distributed throughout the tropics of Americas, Africa and Indo-Australia. Some of the tropical species are known for their bright, butterfly-like colors and are called...
family. It is known from the tropical north of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is about 100 mm. Adults are black with iridescent bands of yellow and pink. The underside is iridescent pale green with black bands. They are on wing during the day and feed on flower nectar. They rest with their wings open and out flat.
The larvae feed on various Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae, the Spurge family are a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti....
species, including Endospermum medullosum, Endospermum myrmecophilum and Omphalea queenslandiae. These plants contain poisons which might protect the larvae from predation. There are various instars, with colours varying from green with a black band, to black with white bands and a red thorax, to red with black bands and orange legs. Pupation takes place in a cocoon made in a crevice or between dead leaves.