Amata passalis

Amata passalis, the sandalwood defoliator, is a moth of the family Erebidae first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1781. It is found in Sri Lanka and India.[1]

Amata passalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Erebidae
Subfamily: Arctiinae
Genus: Amata
Species:
A. passalis
Binomial name
Amata passalis
(Fabricius, 1781)
Synonyms
  • Zygaena passalis Fabricius, 1781
  • Zygaena cerbera Sulzer, 1776
  • Sphinx creusa Cramer, 1779
  • Syntomis latreillei Boisduval, 1829
  • Syntomis montana Butler, 1876
  • Syntomis passalis

Biology

The average life cycle of the species in captivity is 62 days. After mating, the adult female lays about 305 eggs in a lifespan of 3.87 days. It is known to breed all year around and passes through 6-11 generations a year. There are eight larval instars. First and last instar larvae are about 1.97 mm and 29.29 mm in length, respectively. Adults usually emerge within 1 to 2 hours of sunrise. After a day, they are ready for mating.[2]

It is known mainly as a defoliator of sandalwood (Santalum album) in India. It is also recorded on various alternate food plants, mainly cowpeas, various other pulses, and ornamental plants.[3][4] The larval stage of Apanteles nepitae can be used as a parasite to control the moth.[5]

Host plants
  • eggs
  • female with eggs
  • mating pair
  • adult in Sri Lanka
  • adult in India

References
  1. Savela, Markku (April 3, 2019). "Amata passalis (Fabricius, 1781)". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  2. "The life-history and behaviour of Amata passalis (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae), a defoliator of sandalwood, Santalum album L." www.cabi.org. 1992. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  3. Venkatesha, M.G. (1993). "Biology of the sandalwood defoliator, Amata passalis (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) on alternate host plants". Annals of Entomology. pp. 73–77.
  4. "Data: Natural History Museum". www.nhm.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  5. "Amata passalis". www.cabi.org. Retrieved 2021-08-22.


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