Achaea janata

Achaea janata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Achaea
Species: A. janata
Binomial name
Achaea janata
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
  • Geometra janata Linnaeus, 1758
  • Noctua melicerta Drury, 1770
  • Noctua tigrina Fabricius, 1781
  • Noctua cyathina Macleay, 1826
  • Catocala traversii Fereday, 1877
  • Ophiusa ekeikei Bethune-Baker, 1906
  • Achaea traversii (Fereday, 1877)
  • Achaea tigrina Fabricius, 1775
  • Achaea melicerta Drury, 1773
  • Achaea ekeikei Bethune-Baker, 1906

The Castor Semi-Looper, Achaea janata, is a Noctuid moth, the caterpillars of which are termed 'semi-loopers' due to their mode of locomotion. They feed on Excoecaria cochinchinensis (Euphorbiaceae), [1] Castor Ricinus communis and both Brassica and Ficus species.[2] As they feed off the Castor Oil plant exclusively they are extremely poisonous and should be avoided at all costs.

It is found from the Indo-Australian tropics and subtropics, extending south to New Zealand and east through the Pacific archipelagoes to Easter Island.

Description

The caterpillars are black in colour with white head and have a red knob on a tail. In the last stages the body turns brown or bluish-grey and the tail becomes black as well with the belly and the legs becoming orange.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Leong, T. M., 2010. Final instar caterpillar and metamorphosis of Achaea janata (Linnaeus, 1758) in Singapore (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Erebinae). Nature in Singapore, 3: 297–30
  2. ↑ Ronald F.L. Mau and Jayma L. Martin Kessing. "Achaea janata (Linnaeus)". Honolulu, Hawaii: Department of Entomology. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Achaea janata". Butterfly House. Retrieved December 24, 2013.

External links