Asota speciosa (Specious Tiger)
Life
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Noctuoidea
> Aganaidae Asota speciosa
(Drury 1773).
Previously this species had been classified in either the genus
Aganais de Boisduval or Psephea Billberg, both of which
are now regarded as junior synonyms of Asota (Vari, Kroon &
Kruger 2002).

Caterpillar of
Asota speciosa feeding on
Ficus bizanae.
Photo © Simon van Noort (Iziko).
|
Latex sabotage
of fig leaf (Ficus
burkei) by caterpillar of Asota speciosa.
Photo © Simon van Noort (Iziko).
|

Caterpillar of
Asota speciosa feeding on
Ficus burkei.
Note sabotage at leaf base. Photo © Simon van Noort (Iziko).
|

Adult moth of
Asota speciosa.
Photo © Simon van Noort (Iziko).
|
Latex sabotage
Caterpillars of Asota speciosa feed on fig trees (Ficus
species), which have a sticky milky latex that poses both physical (gumming up
the caterpillar's mouth parts) and chemical hinderances for herbivores. Large
caterpillars sabotage the latex flow by chewing into the leaf veins on the
underside of the leaf (where these veins are more prominent than on the upper
surface). This action interupts the flow of latex. The caterpillar then feeds on
the parts of the leaf that would have been provided with latex via the sabotaged
veins.
Life cycle

Asota speciosa
adult
Photo by H. O'Heffernan,
© Iziko. |

Second instar larva
Photo by H. O'Heffernan,
© Iziko.
|

Final (5th) instar larva
Photo by H. O'Heffernan,
© Iziko. |

Pupa
Photo by H. O'Heffernan,
© Iziko. |
References
-
COMPTON, S.G. 1987. Aganais speciosa and
Danaus
chrysippus (Lepidoptera) sabotage the latex defences of their host
plants. Ecological Entomology 12: 115-118.
-
VÁRI, L., KROON, D.M., & KRÜGER, M. 2002. Classification
and checklist of the species of Lepidoptera recorded in southern Africa.
Simple Solutions, Chatswood Australia.
Web page development and text by
Simon van Noort (Iziko) |