Gym Cheng, Jiaxin Liu, P. Wang, Lu Jiang
Eggshells display stable patterns and are able to provide solid basis for insect identification. Notodontidae are usually considered as significant pests for their larvae causing serious damage during outbreaks, underscoring the importance of early and accurate identification. In this study, nine notodontid eggshells from eight genera were compared using cold field emission scanning electron microscopy, in order to discover detailed evidence for the egg identifications. The eggshells exhibit morphological differences on the micropyle area, chorion sculpture, aeropyle density, and polygonal wall details. Notably, the eggshell ornamentations are different between the congeneric species E. splendida and E. cristata , highlighting the potential of eggshell morphology to enhance taxonomic research.