Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Family Notodontidae Scientific name Stauropus alternus | Phylum Arthropoda Order Lepidoptera Genus Stauropus Rank Species | |
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Similar Stauropus, Dudusa nobilis, Tarsolepis japonica, Tarsolepis, Dudusa sphingiformis | ||
The Lobster caterpillar, (Stauropus alternus), also known as lobster moth or crab caterpillar, is a moth of the Notodontidae family. It is found in the north-eastern Himalaya, Sri Lanka, Sundaland, the Philippines, Sulawesi and the southern Moluccas.
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Taxonomy
The species was separated in the genus Neostauropus by Kiriakoff but there are few differences and most authors treat it as a single genus Stauropus.
Description
In males, head and thorax are brownish grey. Abdomen is greyish brown with the dorsal tufts on first six segments darker. Fore wings are brownish grey with indistinct antemedial and postmedial pale waved lines. The submarginal series have rusty red spots wih pale lunules inside them. Hind wings are whitish with the costal and inner areas are brownish. Both wings with a marginal series of pale and reddish brown lunules. Ventral side is brown in color. Female is similar to male but with uniformly brown hind wings. Larva dark reddish-brown in color. A pale dorsal line can be seen. There are grey subdorsal streaks on 4th and 6th somites. The terminal somite swollen and carried over the back with two angular processes from the proximity. Anal prolegs are absent. Second and third leg pairs are long.
Ecology
The caterpillars feed on Ricinus, Careya, Cajanus, Cassia, Ougeinia, Pithecellobium and Wagatea species. They are considered a pest on pulses, tea, coffee, rambutan and mango. The caterpillars have long legs and rear up when threatened and are sometimes called crab or lobster caterpillars.