Odonestis vita is a moth of the family Lasiocampidae first described by Frederic Moore in 1859.[1] Three former subspecies are now recognized as separate species.
It is found from the Indian subregion[2] to Sundaland, Thailand, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Borneo, Sumatra, Java and the Philippines.
The body is orange red. The forewings are short and more compact with irregular postmedial lines. The white discal spot and the fasciae are indistinct. Caterpillars are recorded from plants like Eugenia, Psidium and Lagerstroemia species.[3]
In earlier classifications recorded six subspecies including the nominate race. However, recently O. v. belli, O. v. ceylonica and O. v. leopoldi were elevated to species level.[4]
| Subspecies | Distribution | Wingspan | Larval food plants | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odonestis vita brachyschalida Tams, 1935 | Philippines: Mindanao | 42 mm in male and 46 mm in female | ||
| Odonestis vita indica Tams, 1935 | North-eastern India. Recorded only by a damaged specimen. | |||
| Odonestis vita vita Moore, 1859 | Southern China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan), Thailand, Vietnam, Borneo, Sumatra, Java | Smallest. 32–38 mm in male and 52 mm in female | Lagerstroemia, Eugenia, Psidium, Syzygium jambos, Lagerstroemia speciosa, L. macrocarpa and Psidium guajava |
| Subspecies | Distribution | Wingspan | Larval food plants | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odonestis vita belli Tams, 1935 | Coast of south-western India | 45 mm in male, very similar to O. ceylonica | ||
| Odonestis vita ceylonica Tams, 1935 | Sri Lanka, southern India | 36–43 mm in male and 56–58 mm in female | ||
| Odonestis vita leopoldi Tams, 1935 | Philippines: Luzon, Leyte | 36–38 mm in male and 52 mm in female |