Nisista serrata Walker

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

Nisista serrata Walker (Figs 415–420)

Oviposition

4♀ Code nos.: G90, G100, G285, G369.

Period of oviposition: 19 Aug.–14 Oct.

Batch size: 40.2 ± 7.2, (range): 5–85 (n = 16)

Realised fecundity: 4–343

Note: McFarland (1988) reported a realized fecundity of 60 eggs from one female.

Incubation time (days): 9–18.

Batch configuration and attachment: Attached; singly, small groups (Fig. 415).

Colour: Pale yellow, shiny, opalescent becoming pinkish orange then greyish­brown on maturity (Fig. 415).

Size (mm): (n=16) L=0.86 ± 0.01, W=0.63 ± 0.01, T=0.54 ± 0.01

Width/length: 0.73

No. of females: 3

Aeropylar opening size (m) (n=7): L=2.38 ± 0.17, W=1.61 ± 0.09

Relative aeropylar opening size: 2.8

Micropyles: Indistinct

No. of openings: 4

No. of cells in rosette: 9

No. of rows of cells in micropylar area: 4

Shape: Moderately broad, bluntly ovoid; anterior pole slightly truncated, polar profile elliptical; dorso­ventrally flattened (Figs 415, 416 & 418).

Characteristics: Egg marked all over by hexagonal cells (Fig. 418). Cell walls generally moderately broad, elevated, floors flat (Figs 418–420); micropylar cell walls narrow (Fig. 417). Aeropyles prominent, elevated, with moderately large domes, openings moderately large (Figs 416 & 420); present on all surfaces apart from middle of top of egg (Fig. 419). Chorion moderately rough, due to moderately sparse granulations (Fig. 419).