Dirce sp.

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

Dirce sp. (Figs 28–35)

Oviposition

7♀ code nos.: G313, G316­19, G321, G329.

Oviposition period: 6 Dec.–1 Jan.

Batch size: 14.0 ± 0.32 range: 5–40 (n = 10)

Mean realised fecundity: 14.3 ± 4.7 (range): 5–40

Incubation time (days): 8.4 ± 0.5 (n=7)

Batch configuration and attachment: Attached, singly.

Colour: Pale yellow, glossy, becoming apricot to dark pink, then transparent on maturity (Fig. 28).

Size (mm): (n=20) L = 1.07 ± 0.01, W = 0.73 ± 0.01, T = 0.61 ± 0.01

Width/length: 0.75

No. of females: 3

Aeropylar opening size (m) (n=4): L = 0.35 ± 0.10.

Relative aeropylar opening size: 0.4

Micropyles: Indistinct (Figs 29 & 30)

No. of openings: 4

No. of cells in rosette: 4

No. of rows of cells in micropylar area: 3

Shape: Moderately broad, bluntly ovoid, truncated anterior pole, dorso­ventrally flattened; anterior pole very slightly angled to horizontal axis (Figs 28 & 31).

Characteristics: Egg marked on all surfaces by hexagonal, irregularly concave cells (Figs 29–35), cell form on wider top side, barely discernible (Fig. 31), micropylar cell walls narrow, shallowly reticulated (Figs 29 & 30). Aeropyles very small, inconspicuous, openings extremely small, present on all surfaces (Fig. 33). Rosette, secondary cells recessed (Figs 29 & 30). Chorion rough, wrinkled, cobbled (Figs 34 & 35).