DOI: https://doi.org/10.21276/AATCCReview.2025.13.01.345

Abstract

The primary fruit piercing moths of genus Eudocima and Rhytia cause havoc to many
fruit crops. The studies on morphometry of life stages and adult food preference of Eudocima
materna (Linnaeus, 1767) and Eudocima phalonia (Clerk) will help to investigate the vulnerable
stages of the life cycle to formulate the management practices. The studies were carried out in
the laboratory at room temperature of 25 0 C±2. The larvae of both species are fed with leaves of
Tinospora cordifolia (Giloy) where whereas adult feeds ripening fruits. Eggs hatching were
observed at night hours and in the early morning and hatching completes in 3.42±0.30 and
3.27±0.15 days respectively for E. materna and E. phalonia. In both species, five and six instars
were observed. The instarwise (5 instars) mean head capsule width of male larva of E. materna
measured 0.52±0.01, 0.95±0.02, 1.55±0.04, 2.62±0.14 and 4.23±0.03 mm, respectively and in
female it was 0.51±0.02, 0.96±0.04, 1.49±0.03, 2.37±0.05, 4.16±0.05 mm, whereas the male and
female larva with six instars recorded 0.51±0.01, 0.97±0.04, 1.51±0.06, 2.17±0.06, 2.89±0.05,
4.33±0.06 mm and 0.50±0.01, 0.96±0.03, 1.46±0.04, 2.23±0.09, 2.90±0.0 and 4.20±0.0 mm
respectively. Similarly, mean body length of the male larvae of E. materna had five and six
instars recorded 6.94, 12.16, 23.40, 43.70, 68.10 mm and 7.27, 10.32, 17.25, 25.75, 47.89, 74.86
mm, respectively. Likewise, the females having five and six instars measured 7.08, 13.62, 22.65,
40.75, 70.85 mm and 6.95, 11.0, 19.40, 26.6, 45.5, 72.0 mm, respectively. Increased larval
width was noticed from 4-6 larval instars in both the sexes of E. materna. The mean length of the
pupa developed from five and six instars ranged from 30.96 – 32.0 mm. The instarwise
(5 instars) mean head capsule width of the male and female larva of E. phalonia was 0.56, 1.09,
1.86, 2.97, 4.35 mm and 0.56, 1.14, 1.95, 3.12 and 4.44 mm, respectively whereas the larva
undergoing six instars were 0.55, 0.96, 1.63, 2.42, 3.69, 4.55 mm and 0.56, 0.96, 1.56, 2.53,
3.71, 4.67 mm, respectively. Similarly, the mean body length of male larvae had five instars was
6.72, 14.48, 27.14, 46.0 and 83.17 mm and in the female it was 6.57, 14.42, 26.15, 49.3, and
83.27 mm whereas in male and female larvae had six instars was 7.0, 13.6, 22.8, 33.14, 45.5,
82.33 mm and 6.73, 14.16, 25.06, 33.43, 46.5, 82.66 mm, respectively. As that of E. materna
increased larval width was noticed from 4-6 th instars. The mean length of the pupae ranged from
33.70–34.40 mm. The adult feeding preference in descending order during first and second
season of E. materna was guava > apple > mandarin > grapes > banana > tomato > pomegranate
> brinjal and guava > apple > grapes > mandarin > pomegranate > banana > tomato > brinjal
respectively whereas in E. phalonia its was guava > mandarin > apple > grapes > pomegranate >
tomato > banana > brinjal and guava > mandarin > apple > grapes > pomegranate > tomato >
banana > brinjal etc.

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