Paralaea taggorum McQuillan, Young & Richardson

Young, Catherine J., 2006, Descriptions of the eggs of some southern Australian Geometridae (Lepidoptera), Zootaxa 1287, pp. 1-294 : 1-294

Paralaea taggorum McQuillan, Young & Richardson (Figs 344–348)

Oviposition

4♀ Code nos.: G539­542

Batch size: 38.1 ± 12.3 range: 4–110 (n = 8)

Mean realised fecundity: 76.3 ± 23.9

Incubation time (days): 27–33 (on moistening)

Batch configuration and attachment: Attached, singly, small groups, shingled.

Colour: Pale lemon yellow, becoming irregularly coffee brown around perimeter, transparent grey before eclosion.

Size (mm): (n=30) L=1.06 ± 0.01, W=0.74 ± 0.01, T=0.58 ± 0.01

Width/length: 0.70

No. of females: 3

Aeropylar opening size (m)

(n=5): L=2.34 ± 0.21, W=2.13 ± 0.17

Relative aeropylar opening size: 2.5

Micropyles: Distinct (Figs 344–345)

No. of openings: obscure

No. of cells in rosette: 9

No. of rows of cells in micropylar area: 4

Shape: Narrow, elongated, bluntly ovoid, posterior pole sub­acute; anterior pole truncated; polar profile circular; wedge shape in profile; anterior pole slightly angled to horizontal axis (Figs 344 & 346).

Characteristics: Egg marked on all surfaces by flat to slightly convex hexagonal cells (Figs 346–348). Cell walls narrow, generally barely discernible (Figs 347 & 348); micropylar cell walls narrow, slightly elevated, primary, secondary, tertiary cell walls recessed (Fig. 345). Aeropyles unelevated, openings moderately small, present on all surfaces apart from middle of top of cell (Fig. 347). Chorion very rough, pitted (Figs 347 & 348); wrinkled on anterior pole (Fig. 345).