DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris altapazia (wingspan: males: 72mm; females: // forewing length: males: 37mm; females: probably larger) flies in
Guatemala: Alta Verapaz: Cardha, 15.34, -90.06, collected by Rudloff, 2002-07-07 where it has been taken at elevations of approximately 1200m.
It is also reported from Mexico, as per image at top of page.

Now, 2014, treated as a subjective synonym of A. escalantei

This species is very similar to Automeris montezuma, but A. altapazia (mfwl: 37mm) is larger than A. montezuma (mfwl: 29-32mm), and it has less yellow-gold markings than A. montezuma.

The outer margin is straight to slightly convex and not at all oblique. The pm line, inwardly lightly graced with yellow-gold, is subparallel to the outer margin. The irregular cell is concolorous, but is marked by black spots at its various apices. The ground colour is a uniform, drab grey-brown with a light suffusion of silvery scales, showing little contrast in basal, median and marginal areas.

Automeris altapazia = escalantei*? male, Cortes, Honduras,
courtesy/copyright Eduardo Marabuto, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

*? I think the above specimen is most likely a worn Automeris altapazia that has lost its yellow-gold scales. I had originally posted it to the escalantei file, before the new descriptions of 2011 became available.

Brechlin and Meister, 2011, show the very similar A. escalantei (mfwl: 33-35) as having a considerably more convex forewing outer margin, slightly more hollowed out below a slightly pointed but non-produced apex.

In his Hemileucinae 2002 Lemaire recognizes four species in the Automeris montezuma Species Group 7:

Automeris montezuma HT Mexico: Jalisco;
Automeris celata HT Costa Rica: Cartago; mfwl: 30-35mm (5)
Automeris escalantei HT Mexico: Chiapas; mfwl: 33-35mm (12)
Automeris pallidior HT Guatemala: Baja Verapaz or Costa Rica; mfwl: 26-30mm (15).

Lemaire indicates additional range data (countries) for the four species listed above. Some of that data, other than Holotype may apply to the newer species listed below that were not recognized by Lemaire as distinct. The number in parenthesis indicates the sample size. Forewing length and range may change considerably as more specimens are sampled.

In Entomo Satsphingia, Jahrgang 4 Heft 1 23 03 2011 by Brechlin and Meister, those authors add nine species to the Automeris montezuma Species Group 7:

Automeris juarezia HT Mexico: Oaxaca; 900-1050m; mfwl: 35-36 (8)
Automeris altapazia = escalantei HT Guatemala: Alta Verapaz; 1200m; mfwl: 37mm (1); specimen in Lemaire 2002, listed as A. escalantei on Plate 60: 10 is A. altapazia
Automeris wernermeisteri HT Mexico: Oaxaca; 1023-1530m; mfwl: 32-33mm (12); pale ground colour; thick, dark pm line very concave; very small hw ocellus; similar to A. pallidior
Automeris managuana HT Nicaragua: Managua; 865m; mfwl: 30mm (1); lighter median area, contrasting om area,; lines outlined in lighter scales on facing sides
Automeris jinotega HT Nicaragua: Jinotega; 1185-1280m; mfwl: 27-30mm (7)
Automeris paracelata HT Costa Rica: Puntarenas; 900m; mfwl: 30-32 (5); very similar to A. celata
Automeris choco HT Colombia: Choco; 1500m; mfwl: 28mm (1)
Automeris stumpei HT Costa Rica: Limon; 1430m; mfwl: 34mm (1) almost straight pm line, subparallel to outer margin; fw: almost uniform light brown ground colour; hindwing ocellus with tiny white pupil
Automeris knorkeorum HT Mexico: Oaxaca; 677-1023m; mfwl: 30-32mm (5).

Brechlin & Meister provide no additional range data beyond type locations for the newly described species. Perhaps they are very limited in their ranges, but it is also quite possible that a number of species are sympatric, and it would be a mistake to determine species strictly by given location for the type specimens.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in July in Guatemala.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen to call in the night flying males.

Males are able to locate the females by tracking the airbourne pheromone with their highly developed antennae.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are laid in clusters.

Larvae are gregarious and are well protected with urticating spines.

Larval Food Plants
It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

I am not aware of the source for Automeris, but the source for altapazia is indicative of a specimen type location in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.

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