Hypomecis Explained

Hypomecis is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae first described by Jacob Hübner in 1821.

Description

Palpi oblique, reaching beyond the frons and fringed with hair below. Forewings with slightly crenulate (scalloped) cilia. Vein 3 from near angle of cell and veins 7 to 9 from near upper angle. Typically with vein 10 and 11 arise from cell. Hindwings with vein 3 from near angle of cell. Cilia crenulate.^[1]

Ecology

Most of them are patterned cryptically and when they sit on bark, the markings appear like patches of lichen. Studies have shown that they choose the site for resting with care so that the pattern of crypsis is enhanced.^[2]

Selected species

Species include:

• Hypomecis adamata (Felder, 1874)
• Hypomecis brevifasciata (Wileman, 1911)
• Hypomecis buchholzaria (Lemmer, 1937)
• Hypomecis ceylanicaria Nietner, 1861
• Hypomecis cineracea (Moore, 1888)
• Hypomecis corticea (Bastelberger, 1911)
• Hypomecis driophila Goldfinch, 1944
• Hypomecis formosana (Wileman, 1912)
• Hypomecis gnopharia (Guenée in Boisduval & Guenée, 1858)
• Hypomecis intectaria (Walker 1863)
• Hypomecis longipectinaria A. Blanchard & Knudson, 1984
• Hypomecis lunifera (Butler, 1879)
• Hypomecis luridula (Hulst, 1896)
• Hypomecis monotona (Inoue, 1978)
• Hypomecis nudicosta Inoue, 1983
• Hypomecis obliquisigna (Wileman, 1912)
• Hypomecis percnioides (Wehrli, 1943)
• Hypomecis punctinalis (Scopoli, 1763)  - pale oak beauty
• Hypomecis roboraria (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)  - great oak beauty
• Hypomecis separata (Walker 1863)
• Hypomecis transcissa (Walker, 1860)
• Hypomecis umbrosaria (Hübner, 1813)

References

• Web site: Pitkin . Brian . Jenkins . Paul . amp . Search results Family: Geometridae . Butterflies and Moths of the World . Natural History Museum, London.

Notes and References

1. Book: Hampson, G. F. . George Hampson

   . George Hampson . 1895 . The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma: Moths Volume III . Taylor and Francis . Biodiversity Heritage Library.

2. CK Kang . JY Moon . SI Lee . P.G. Jablonski . 2012. Camouflage through an active choice of a resting spot and body orientation in moths . Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2012.02557.x. 25. 9. 1695–1702 . 22775528. free.