DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris montezuma (wingspan: males: 64-74mm; females: 68-82mm), according to Lemaire, Hemileucinae, 2002, flies in
Mexico: Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Morelos, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas;
Guatemala: Huehuetenango, Peten, Baja Verapaz;
Belize: Cayo and Toledo;
Honduras: Cortes.

Jean-Michael Maes reports it in Nicaragua: Nueva Segovia, Esteli, Jinotega, Matagalpa, Granada, Chontales, Zelaya, but those reports may refer to the more recently described Automeris jinotega and Automeris managuana, both of which have hototypes in Nicaragua.

The image below, however, does seem to confirm a presence in at least northern Nicaragua. Other images I have seen as montezuma on Jean-Michael's CD, I have classified as managuana, jinotegana, and celata. I may be in error, but the CD was produced before the newer species were described in 2011.

Automeris montezuma male, Cerro Kilambe, Jinotega, Nicaragua,
August, 1997, 1150-1200m, courtesy of Jean-Michael Maes.

I have recently, June 2014, received the following images from Albert Thurman, indicating a possible presence as far south as Panama. That would be a big surprise. As far as I know, A. montezuma has not been confirmed in Costa Rica, and Dan Janzen has done extensive research there. Possibly the Panama species is as yet undescribed.

Automeris montezuma male, Finca Hartmann, Santa Clara, Chiriqui, Panama,
August 18, 2012, 5000ft, courtesy of Albert Thurman, tentative id by Bill Oehlke

Automeris montezuma male, Finca Hartmann, Santa Clara, Chiriqui, Panama,
August 18, 2012, 5000ft, (verso) courtesy of Albert Thurman, tentative id by Bill Oehlke

Fresh specimens show the yellow dots at the intersections of the veins and the pm line.

The forewing ground colour is brown mixed with grey. The basal area is dark and is bordered by a convex am line. The pm line is dark, strongly preapical and marked as indicated above. The cell area is slightly darker than its surroundings and is marked by a series of yellow dots. The forewing apex is very slightly produced and pointed.

Automeris montezuma/escalantei male, Mexico, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

This species is recorded from elevations between 300m and 1540m. In Oaxaca, Mexico, it is sympatric with similar species, A. pallidior; in Chiapas, Mexico, it is sympatric with similar species, A. escalantei. Examination of genitalia might be necessary to differentiate between the three species.

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

Automeris montezuma HT Mexico: Jalisco; mfwl: 29-32mm (28); ground colour grey (fading to brownish grey), with slightly darker basal area, and silvery suffusion in median area; strong presence of yellow gold at vein pm line junctures, at apices of cell mark and along outer edge of am line

Automeris celata HT Costa Rica: Cartago; mfwl: 30-35mm (5); ground colour: yellow-grey-brown with heavier grey suffusion in basal area; fw pm line: inwardly highlighted by diffuse narrow band of lighter-yellow scales with continuous suffusion of yellow into the median area; pm line relatively thin, almost concolorous with subterminal area; outer margin slightly convex

Automeris escalantei HT Mexico: Chiapas; 32-35mm (12) Fw outer margin straight to slightly convex; not at all oblique. Pm line, inwardly lightly graced with yellow-gold, subparallel to outer margin. Irregular cell concolorous, but marked by black spots at various apices. Ground colour: uniform, drab grey or brown with light suffusion of silvery scales, reduce contrast in basal, median, marginal areas.

Automeris pallidior HT Guatemala: Baja Verapaz to Costa Rica (at least to Guanacaste), possibly from southwestern Mexico to Panama; mfwl: 26-30mm (15); very similar to jinotegana and managuana.

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 black numbers in parentheses 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) uniform darker grey or grey brown ground colour; concave, broadly preapical pm line
Automeris altapazia HT Guatemala: Alta Verapaz; 1200m; mfwl: 37mm (1); specimen in Lemaire 2002, 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; hw median band divides wing into inner 2/3 and outer 1/3; 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 jinotegana HT Nicaragua: Jinotega; 1185-1280m; mfwl: 27-30mm (7) uniform, dark grey-brown, with little contrast; both small fw cell mark and am line scarcely visible
Automeris paracelata HT Costa Rica: Puntarenas; 900m; mfwl: 30-32 (5); very similar to A. celata, but more distinct fw pm line
Automeris choco HT Colombia: Choco; 1500m; mfwl: 28mm (1); evenly dark brown; slightly convex pm line, subparallel to slightly convex outer margin
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); fw: light coloured, bright; fw pm line slightly concave; small hindwing ocellus; hw median band divides hw in half.

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

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in January, March, May-June-July-August-September-October in Mexico.

Larvae feed on Robinia pseudoacacia.

Automeris montezuma female copyright Kirby Wolfe

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen. Males use highly developed antennae to track the airbourne pheromone to locate the females.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in large clusters and larvae are highly gregarious.

Urticating spines offer the Automeris montezuma larvae much protection.

Larva copyright Kirby Wolfe

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.

Robinia pseudoacacia.....

Black locust/False acacia

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