Aplocera praeformata, known as the purple treble-bar, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae.

Aplocera praeformata
Moth of Aplocera praeformata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Geometridae
Genus:	Aplocera
Species:	A. praeformata
Binomial name
Aplocera praeformata (Hübner, 1826)
Synonyms[1][2]
Anaitis praeformaria Boisduval, 1840 Anaitis praeformata Kiefer, 1913 Anaitis rosacea Kiefer, 1913 Aplocera praeformata (Hubner, 1826) Geometra praeformata Hubner, 1826 Larentia cassiata Treitschke, 1828 Larentia cassiata Treitschke, 1828

Subspecies

Subspecies include: [3][4]

• Aplocera praeformata gibeauxi Leraut, 1995
• Aplocera praeformata praeformata (Hübner, 1826)
• Aplocera praeformata urbahni Dufay, 1981

Distribution and habitat

This species is present from the Iberian Peninsula and France, through Western Europe, over Central Europe, to Russia. Its northernmost range is southern Finland and the Baltic States. [5] [6] The subspecies Aplocera praeformata urbahni is found in Greece. In the Alps it is found to heights of up to 2,000 meters.

Description

Aplocera praeformata has a wingspan of 34–44 mm. The forewings have a gray to blue-gray basic color. They show various bands of dark transverse lines. A red-brown stain extends towards the wing tip. The hind wings are monochrome gray-white without any drawing.

This species is rather similar to Aplocera plagiata.

Biology

Adults are on the wing from June to August. [6] This species has one generation a year univoltine. The caterpillars are gray-brown, with a white side line and a dark lower edge. [7] The larvae feed on Hypericum species (St. John's worts), such as Hypericum maculatum and Hypericum perforatum.[8]

References

Wikispecies has information related to Aplocera praeformata.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aplocera praeformata.

External links

• Lepiforum.de
• INPN