Paralaea atralba 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 atralba McQuillan, Young & Richardson (Figs 311–316)

Oviposition

2♀ Code no.: G215, 246.

Period of oviposition: 8–14 May

Batch size: 12.0 ± 4.6 range: 420 (n = 3)

Realised fecundity (range): 16–20.

Incubation time (days): 26–27.

Batch configuration and attachment:

Attached, singly.

Colour: Pale yellow, becoming transparent greyish­brown on maturity.

Size (mm): (n=10) L=1.14 ± 0.02, W=0.92 ± 0.04, T=0.71 ± 0.02

Width/length: 0.81

No. of females: 2

Aeropylar opening size (m) (n=5): L=1.11 ± 0.14, W=0.71 ± 0.12

Relative aeropylar opening size: 1.0

Micropyles: Indistinct (Figs 311 & 312)

No. of openings: 8

No. of cells in rosette:10

No. of rows of cells in micropylar area: 4

Shape: Broad, bluntly ovoid, posterior pole sub­acute; polar profile circular (Figs 311, 313 & 314); pronounced wedge­shaped in profile (Fig. 314); anterior pole slightly angled to horizontal axis (Fig. 313).

Characteristics: Egg marked on all surfaces by slightly convex hexagonal cells. Cell walls narrow, recessed (Figs 311, 313, 314 & 315); micropylar cell walls narrow, slightly elevated; primary and secondary cell walls recessed (Fig. 312); cells in middle of top of egg slightly concave (Fig. 313). Aeropyles unelevated, inconspicuous, present on all surfaces apart from middle of top of cell, openings small (Fig. 316). Micropyles slightly off­centred (Fig. 311). Chorion rough, densely pitted, ridged (Fig. 316).