Paliga damastesalis Walker, [1859]; PED 9

• 1

  Taxonomy

  
  

  The holotype of Scopula damastesalis Walker, 1859: 1013 is from Sri Lanka. Differences from the closely related sp. Scopula [Paliga] machaeralis Walker 1859: 1013, are slight and the two are probably conspecific.

• 2

  Description

  
  

  Wing Length: 10mm. A delicate pearly pale fawn-pink species with a darker brown FW costa. The outer part of the FW is crossed by several irregular pink lines. The HW is almost transparent and unmarked except for pinkish veins and pale pink-brown in the submarginal area.

• 3

  Distribution & Habitat

  
  

  Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Thailand, W. Malaysia, Sabah, New Guinea, Australia (Q, N.T.). China, Taiwan. Lowland plantations.

• 4

  Life History & Pest Status

  
  

  A foliage feeder and defoliator of Tectona grandis (teak) (Verbenaceae). This ‘leaf skeletoniser’ is a pest in plantations in Asia and SE. Asia. The life history in Malaysia was reported by Chey (1996, 2000) and Intachat (1998), who considered that it is in fact P. machaeralis that is the skeletoniser of teak (Tectona grandis) in Malaysia. The true identity of the pest species needs to be confirmed in other countries (Nair 2007). The development of transgenetic strains of teak may be a way of reducing damage from the pest. Bänziger (1988) highlighted its lachryphagous (tear sipping) behaviour.

• 5

  Similar spp.

  
  

  Paliga machaeralis (Walker 1859)

• 6

  Unrelated Look-alikes

  
  

  Antigastra catalaunalis (Duponchel, 1833).

• 7

  References

  
  

  Bänziger, H. (1988). Lachryphagous Lepidoptera recorded for the first time in Indonesia (Sumatra) and Papua New Guinea. Heterocera Sumatrana 2 (6): 133-144.
  
  Chey, V.K. (1996) Forest Pest Insects in Sabah. Sabah Forest Record, 15, Forest Research Centre, Sabah.
  
  Chey, V.K. (2000). In: Insect pests of teak. Proceedings of seminar on high value timber species for plantation establishment-teak and mahoganies, 1-2 December 1998, Tawau, Sabah: 59-66.
  
  Intachat, J. (1999) The life history of Paliga damastesalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae), a teak skeletoniser in Malaysia, J. Trop. Forest Sci., 11 (4): 663-671.
  
  Walker, F. (1859e [May 10]) Pyralides In. List Spec. Lepid. Ins. Coll. B. M., Cat. Lepid. Heterocera. Ser 4 19: 799-1036.

• 8

  Genitalia

  
  

  no content available.

• 9

  DNA Barcode

  
  

  no content available.

• 10

  3D Imaging

  
  

  no content available.

• 11

  Spare

  
  

  no content available.

KEY TO TABS
(1) Taxonomy, (2) Description, (3) Distribution & Habitat, (4) Life History & Pest Status, (5) Similar spp., (6) Unrelated Look-alikes, (7) References, (8) Genitalia, (9) DNA Barcode, (10) 3D Imaging, (11) Spare