Eublemma scitulum | |
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Figure 9 | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
Family: | Erebidae |
Genus: | Eublemma |
Species: | E. scitulum
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Binomial name | |
Eublemma scitulum (Rambur, 1833)
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Synonyms | |
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Eublemma scitulum, the grey eublemma, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Rambur in 1833. It is widespread in Africa and Asia. [1]
Algeria, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, [2] New Guinea, Australia and France,
The caterpillar is bright pink to reddish. Its prolegs are modified to a pair of large suckers for adhering to the substrate. Body is covered with a light silken web, which serves as a shield. Pupation occurs within this shield. [3]
Caterpillars of the genus Eublemma are pests on several scale insects. The E. scitula caterpillar is a pest on Kerria, Anomalococcus, Lecanium, Ceroplastes, Pulvinaria species, Drepanococcus cajani, Saissetia coffeae, Saissetia oleae, Ceraplastes rusci, Didesmococcus unifasciatus, Cerococcus indicus and Coccidohystrix insolita. [3] [4]